How to launch application from Browser in Android

Aman Gupta

1 May 2023

In this featured blog, I am gonna show you how to open your application from the web. Generally, you have watched on this feature on Amazon, e-bay or many tv applications.

So let’s start,

Follow the below steps for implementing this feature on your app,

Step 1: Add the intent filter in your manifest file,

<intent-filter>
       <action android:name="com.appopenfromweb.mobikul" />

       <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
       <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
</intent-filter>

<intent-filter>

</intent-filter>

manifest.xml,

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.webkul.openappfromweb"
    android:versionCode="1"
    android:versionName="1.0">

    <uses-sdk
        android:minSdkVersion="14"
        android:targetSdkVersion="21" />

    <application
        android:allowBackup="true"
        android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:theme="@style/AppTheme">
        <activity
            android:name=".MainActivity"
            android:label="@string/app_name">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="com.appopenfromweb.mobikul" />

                <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>

</manifest>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

package="com.webkul.openappfromweb"

android:versionCode="1"

android:versionName="1.0">

<uses-sdk

android:minSdkVersion="14"

android:targetSdkVersion="21" />

<application

android:allowBackup="true"

android:icon="@drawable/ic_launcher"

android:label="@string/app_name"

android:theme="@style/AppTheme">

<activity

android:name=".MainActivity"

android:label="@string/app_name">

<intent-filter>

</intent-filter>

<intent-filter>

</intent-filter>

</activity>

</application>

</manifest>

Step 2: You have to Create Uri,

for creating uri, add action, categories and extras if you want to send something from browser to app,

Intent intent = new Intent("com.appopenfromweb.mobikul");
intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_DEFAULT);
intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_BROWSABLE);
Bundle bundle = new Bundle();
bundle.putString("msg_from_browser", "Launched from Browser");
intent.putExtras(bundle);

Intent intent = new Intent("com.appopenfromweb.mobikul");

intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_DEFAULT);

intent.addCategory(Intent.CATEGORY_BROWSABLE);

Bundle bundle = new Bundle();

bundle.putString("msg_from_browser", "Launched from Browser");

intent.putExtras(bundle);

and for converting the above intent in URI, use intent.toUri(Intent.URI_INTENT_SCHEME) method.

Log.d("mobikul-->", intent1.toUri(Intent.URI_INTENT_SCHEME));

1	Log.d("mobikul-->", intent1.toUri(Intent.URI_INTENT_SCHEME));

Step 3: Add this to the browser side,

After logging you will get below uri,

intent:#Intent;action=com.appopenfromweb.mobikul;category=android.intent.category.DEFAULT;category=android.intent.category.BROWSABLE;S.msg_from_browser=Launched%20from%20Browser;end

Add this uri to your website,

<a href="intent:#Intent;action=com.appopenfromweb.mobikul;category=android.intent.category.DEFAULT;category=android.intent.category.BROWSABLE;S.msg_from_browser=Launched%20from%20Browser;end">Click this link to launch you app from web</a>

1	<a href="intent:#Intent;action=com.appopenfromweb.mobikul;category=android.intent.category.DEFAULT;category=android.intent.category.BROWSABLE;S.msg_from_browser=Launched%20from%20Browser;end">Click this link to launch you app from web</a>

So you have successfully add this functionality in your app.

Thanks for go through this blog. Stay cool and stay updated.