Navigating Android Package Management

Elevate your Android development and management skills with this extensive guide on package management. Covering everything from app installation, permissions handling, to user and app link management, this resource is designed for developers looking to streamline their workflow. Whether you're aiming to optimize app performance, manage permissions efficiently, or handle complex app links scenarios, this guide provides actionable insights and detailed ADB commands to enhance your Android experience.

Print this help text.

pm help

Print the path to the .apk of the given PACKAGE.

pm path --user 0 com.android.settings

Print various system state associated with the given PACKAGE.

pm dump com.android.settings

Prints true and returns exit status 0 when the system has a FEATURE_NAME, otherwise prints false and returns exit status 1.

pm has-feature FEATURE_NAME [version]

Prints all features of the system.

pm list features

Prints all test packages; optionally only those targeting TARGET-PACKAGE.

pm list instrumentation [-f] [TARGET-PACKAGE]

Prints all system libraries.

pm list libraries

List Packages

Prints all packages and their associated files.

pm list packages -f

Prints all known packages, excluding APEXes.

pm list packages -a

Filters and shows only disabled packages.

pm list packages -d

Filters and shows only enabled packages.

pm list packages -e

Filters and shows only system packages.

pm list packages -s

Filters and shows only third-party packages.

pm list packages -3

Shows the installer for the packages.

pm list packages -i

Ignored (used for compatibility with older releases).

pm list packages -l

Also shows the package UID.

pm list packages -U

Includes uninstalled packages.

pm list packages -u

Also shows the version code.

pm list packages --show-versioncode

Only shows APEX packages.

pm list packages --apex-only

Filters and shows packages with the given UID.

pm list packages --uid UID

Only lists packages belonging to the given user.

pm list packages --user USER_ID

Prints all known permission groups.

pm list permission-groups

List Permissions

List all permissions.

pm list permission -g

List permissions and their groups.

pm list permission -f

List only system permissions.

pm list permission -s

List only disabled permissions.

pm list permission -d

List only user permissions.

pm list permission -u

List all staged sessions.

pm list staged-sessions

List only ready staged sessions.

pm list staged-sessions --only-ready

List only session IDs of staged sessions.

pm list staged-sessions --only-sessionid

List only parent staged sessions.

pm list staged-sessions --only-parent

List Users

pm list users

Prints the activity that resolves to the given INTENT.

pm resolve-activity --brief --components --query-flags FLAGS --user 0 INTENT

Prints all activities that can handle the given INTENT.

pm query-activities --brief --components --query-flags FLAGS --user 0 INTENT

Prints all services that can handle the given INTENT.

pm query-services --brief --components --query-flags FLAGS --user 0 INTENT

Prints all broadcast receivers that can handle the given INTENT.

pm query-receivers --brief --components --query-flags FLAGS --user 0 INTENT

Install package with default options for user 0

pm install -r -i PACKAGE --user 0

Install package with default options for all users

pm install -r -i PACKAGE --user all

Install package with default options for the current user

pm install -r -i PACKAGE --user current

Install package with the option to retain data and cache for user 0

pm install -t -i PACKAGE --user 0

Install package with the option to retain data and cache for all users

pm install -t -i PACKAGE --user all

Install package with the option to retain data and cache for the current user

pm install -t -i PACKAGE --user current

Install package with the option to retain only the cache for user 0

pm install -t -i PACKAGE --user 0

Install package with the option to retain only the cache for all users:

pm install -t -i PACKAGE --user all

Install package with the option to retain only the cache for the current user

pm install -t -i PACKAGE --user current

Install package with the option to grant all runtime permissions and retain data and cache for user 0

pm install -g -i PACKAGE --user 0

Install package with the option to grant all runtime permissions and retain data and cache for all users

pm install -g -i PACKAGE --user all

Install package with the option to grant all runtime permissions and retain data and cache for the current user

pm install -g -i PACKAGE --user current

Install

pm install -p INHERIT_PACKAGE

Install Location

Location Code	Description
0	Auto
1	Internal Only
2	Prefer External

pm set-install-location 0/1/2

Install with Reason

Reason Code	Description
0	Unknown reason
1	Replacement of an existing package
2	New installation
3	Restoration of a package from backup
4	Upgrade of an existing package

pm install-create -r -i PACKAGE --install-reason 0/1/2/3/4

Originating URI

pm install-write -S BYTES --originating-uri URI

Referrer URI

pm install-write -S BYTES --referrer URI

ABI (CPU Architecture)

pm install -r -i PACKAGE --abi ABI_NAME

Force SDK

pm install -t -i PACKAGE --force-sdk

Preload

pm install --preload

Instant

pm install --instant

Full Install

pm install -r -i PACKAGE --full

Don't Kill

pm install -r -i PACKAGE --dont-kill

Enable Rollback

pm install --enable-rollback

Force UUID

pm install --force-uuid internal|UUID

Package

pm install -r -i PACKAGE

File Size

pm install -S BYTES

Install Apex Package

pm install -g -i PACKAGE

Staged Ready Timeout

pm install --staged-ready-timeout TIMEOUT

Install Path

pm install -r -i PACKAGE --user 0 PATH [SPLIT...]|-

Install with Reason

Reason Code	Description
0	Unknown
1	Admin Policy
2	Device Restore
3	Device Setup
4	User Request

pm install-create -r REASON

pm install-write --force-uuid internal|UUID

pm install-write --apex

pm install --staged-ready-timeout TIMEOUT

Install Create with User ID

To specify the user ID for the installation, you can use the following commands:

pm install-create --user USER_ID

Replace USER_ID with the desired user ID. For example, to specify the system user (ID 0), you can use:

pm install-create --user 0

Install Create for All Users

To install the package for all users on a multi-user device, you can use the following command:

pm install-create --user all

Install Create for Current User

To install the package for the current user, you can use the following command:

pm install-create --user current

install-existing

Install Existing Package with User ID

pm install-existing --user

Install Existing Package as Instant App

pm install-existing --instant

Install Existing Package as Full App

pm install-existing --full

Install Existing Package and Wait

pm install-existing --wait

Install Existing Package without Whitelisting Restricted Permissions

pm install-existing --restrict-permissions

Install Write

pm install-write [-S BYTES] SESSION_ID SPLIT_NAME [PATH|-]

Install Remove

pm install-remove SESSION_ID SPLIT...

Install Add Session

pm install-add-session MULTI_PACKAGE_SESSION_ID CHILD_SESSION_IDs

Install Commit

pm install-commit SESSION_ID

Install Abandon

pm install-abandon SESSION_ID

Install Location

0 [auto]: Let system decide the best location 1 [internal]: Install on internal device storage 2 [external]: Install on external media

Set Install Location to Auto

pm set-install-location 0

Set Install Location to Internal Only

pm set-install-location 1

Set Install Location to Prefer External

pm set-install-location 2

Get Install Location

pm get-install-location

Move Package

pm move-package PACKAGE [internal|UUID]

Move Primary Storage

pm move-primary-storage [internal|UUID]

Uninstall Package

pm uninstall [-k] --user 0 [--versionCode VERSION_CODE] PACKAGE [SPLIT...]

Clear Package Data

pm clear --user 0 [--cache-only] PACKAGE

Enable Package or Component

pm enable --user 0 PACKAGE_OR_COMPONENT

Disable Package or Component

pm disable --user 0 PACKAGE_OR_COMPONENT

Disable User for Package or Component

pm disable-user --user 0 PACKAGE_OR_COMPONENT

Disable Until Used for Package or Component

pm disable-until-used --user 0 PACKAGE_OR_COMPONENT

Set Default State for Package or Component

pm default-state --user 0 PACKAGE_OR_COMPONENT

Hide Package or Component

pm hide --user 0 PACKAGE_OR_COMPONENT

Unhide Package or Component

pm unhide --user 0 PACKAGE_OR_COMPONENT

Suspend Packages

pm suspend --user 0 PACKAGE [PACKAGE...]

Unsuspend Packages

pm unsuspend --user 0 PACKAGE [PACKAGE...]

Set Distracting Restriction

pm set-distracting-restriction --user 0 --flag hide-notifications

pm set-distracting-restriction --user 0 --flag hide-from-suggestions

Grant/Revoke Permission

pm grant --user 0 PACKAGE PERMISSION

pm revoke --user 0 PACKAGE PERMISSION

Set Permission Flags

pm set-permission-flags --user 0 PACKAGE PERMISSION [FLAGS..]

Clear Permission Flags

pm clear-permission-flags --user 0 PACKAGE PERMISSION review-required

pm clear-permission-flags --user 0 PACKAGE PERMISSION revoked-compat

pm clear-permission-flags --user 0 PACKAGE PERMISSION revoke-when-requested

pm clear-permission-flags --user 0 PACKAGE PERMISSION user-fixed

pm clear-permission-flags --user 0 PACKAGE PERMISSION user-set

Reset Permissions

pm reset-permissions

Set Permission Enforced

pm set-permission-enforced PERMISSION [true|false]

Get Privileged App Permissions

pm get-privapp-permissions TARGET-PACKAGE

Get Privileged App Deny Permissions

pm get-privapp-deny-permissions TARGET-PACKAGE

Get OEM Permissions

pm get-oem-permissions TARGET-PACKAGE

Trim Caches

pm trim-caches DESIRED_FREE_SPACE [internal|UUID]

List Users

pm list users

Create User

pm create-user [--profileOf USER_ID] [--managed] [--restricted] [--ephemeral] [--guest] [--pre-create-only] [--user-type USER_TYPE] USER_NAME

Remove User

pm remove-user [--set-ephemeral-if-in-use | --wait] USER_ID

Set User Restriction

pm set-user-restriction --user 0 RESTRICTION VALUE

Get Maximum Users

pm get-max-users

Get Maximum Running Users

pm get-max-running-users

Force Dex Optimization

pm force-dex-opt PACKAGE

Delete Dexopt

pm delete-dexopt PACKAGE

Background Dexopt Job

pm bg-dexopt-job

Cancel Background Dexopt Job

pm cancel-bg-dexopt-job

Reconcile Secondary Dex Files

pm reconcile-secondary-dex-files TARGET-PACKAGE

Dump Profiles

pm dump-profiles [--dump-classes-and-methods] TARGET-PACKAGE

Snapshot Profile

pm snapshot-profile TARGET-PACKAGE [--code-path path]

Set Home Activity

pm set-home-activity --user 0 TARGET-COMPONENT

Set Installer

pm set-installer PACKAGE INSTALLER

Get Instant App Resolver

pm get-instantapp-resolver

Set Harmful App Warning

pm set-harmful-app-warning [--user <USER_ID>] <PACKAGE> [<WARNING>]

Get Harmful App Warning

pm get-harmful-app-warning [--user <USER_ID>] <PACKAGE>

Uninstall System Updates

pm uninstall-system-updates [<PACKAGE>]

Get Module Info

pm get-moduleinfo [--all | --installed] [module-name]

Log Visibility

Enable Log Visibility

pm log-visibility --enable <PACKAGE>

Disable Log Visibility

pm log-visibility --disable <PACKAGE>

You can use the following command to retrieve the app links configuration:

Status	Meaning
`none`	Nothing has been recorded for this domain
`verified`	The domain has been successfully verified
`approved`	Force approved, usually through shell
`denied`	Force denied, usually through shell
`migrated`	Preserved verification from a legacy response
`restored`	Preserved verification from a user data restore
`legacy_failure`	Rejected by a legacy verifier, unknown reason
`system_configured`	Automatically approved by the device config
`>= 1024`	Custom error code which is specific to the device verifier

pm get-app-links [--user <USER_ID>] [<PACKAGE>]

Set App Links

State	Description
STATE_NO_RESPONSE (0)	Reset the domains as if no response was ever recorded.
STATE_SUCCESS (1)	Treat the domains as successfully verified by the domain verification agent. Note that the domain verification agent can override this.
STATE_APPROVED (2)	Treat the domains as always approved, preventing the domain verification agent from changing them.
STATE_DENIED (3)	Treat the domains as always denied, preventing the domain verification agent from changing them.

You can use the following command to set the app links state for all domains:

pm set-app-links [--package <PACKAGE>] <STATE> all

Reset App Links

pm reset-app-links [--user <USER_ID>] [<PACKAGE>]

Verify App Links

pm verify-app-links [--re-verify] [<PACKAGE>]

Set App Links User Selection

pm set-app-links-user-selection --user <USER_ID> [--package <PACKAGE>] <ENABLED> <DOMAINS>...

Set App Links Allowed

pm set-app-links-allowed --user <USER_ID> [--package <PACKAGE>] <ALLOWED> <ENABLED> <DOMAINS>...

Get App Link Owners

pm get-app-link-owners [--user <USER_ID>] [--package <PACKAGE>] [<DOMAINS>]