Overview
Unmanaged Apps are applications installed directly on a headset (such as from the consumer Meta Horizon or PICO stores) rather than deployed via the ArborXR dashboard. Because the application files (.apk) are not hosted on ArborXR, the platform cannot remotely "install" them.
Meta Quest Enrollment & Compatibility
The ability to manage store-based apps on Meta Quest devices depends on your device enrollment method:
Horizon Managed Services (HMS): This article is not relevant for HMS devices. ArborXR integrates directly with Meta’s "managed" app store for these devices, allowing for remote installation. See Install Meta Horizon Store Apps.
Legacy Devices: Devices enrolled via the ArborXR Device Setup App are classified as "legacy". These devices do not support the "managed" app store integration; therefore, store apps must be installed manually on the headset.
What can you do with Unmanaged Apps?
Even though ArborXR cannot remotely install these apps, you can use the Unmanaged Apps feature to bridge the gap in the user experience:
Display in ArborXR Home: Add unmanaged apps to your custom launcher so end-users can find and start them with a single click.
Set as Kiosk App: Designate an unmanaged app to launch automatically as soon as the headset is powered on.
Track Analytics: Monitor usage data for these apps just like your managed content.
💡 If you want to use ArborXR to remotely install an app from the app store to your fleet of devices, contact the app developer to find out if they share their app through ArborXR's App Sharing feature. It's easy for developers to get started and they can reach out to partnerships@arborxr.com for a free developer account!
Create Unmanaged Apps
Navigate to Content Library in the side navigation menu.
Click Add Content.
Select Unmanaged App.
This will open a modal where you will need to:
Enter the Title of the application.
Select the Platform Compatibility (i.e., whether the app is built for Pico Neo 2, HTC VIVE Focus Plus, etc.).
Enter the app's package name, or search for the app by name to find it. The app must be installed on at least one of your organization's devices to appear in search results. Android's unique identifier for applications is usually formatted
com.example.app.
💡 For Unmanaged Apps to appear in ArborXR Home, our system must be made aware of the unique identifier for the app in question. For Android applications, the unique identifier is the Package Name. Once our system is made aware of the unique identifier of the app in question, the Unmanaged App can be shown in ArborXR Home or auto-launched as the kiosk app in ArborXR Kiosk Mode. If searching for the unmanaged app by name does not return the expected result, refer to our running list of common package names or obtain the package name using this guide.
Click Add App.
Details Tab
Details tab: Modify the Title and Description, assign Tags, and Add Platform compatibility.
Title: The title of the unmanaged app as it will be seen in VR.
Package Name: Android's unique identifier for applications, usually formatted
com.example.app.Description: The description entered in the Description input is user-facing within VR in ArborXR Home.
Tags: Tags provide a way for the dashboard and ArborXR Home users to filter content. For more information on how to use this feature, check out our article on Tags.
Add Platform: Add additional types of devices that can run this app. For example, if the unmanaged app is developed for Quest devices, assign Meta Quest 1, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest 3, Meta Quest 3S, and Meta Quest Pro compatibility.
Add Unmanaged App(s) to ArborXR Home or ArborXR Kiosk Mode
ArborXR Home
Navigate to the individual ungrouped device or device group in question.
Select the Kiosk Experience tab.
In Headset Experience, select ArborXR Home.
Under Visible Content, click on Unmanaged Apps to filter content by unmanaged apps, then select the unmanaged apps that users should have access to within ArborXR Home.
Scroll down, then click Apply Changes.
💡 Provided the selected unmanaged applications are installed on the device(s), either because they were pre-installed by the device's manufacturer or were downloaded from the device's app store, the applications will appear in ArborXR Home.
To learn more about configuring ArborXR Home, see this article.
ArborXR Kiosk Mode
From the Devices & Groups section, navigate to the individual ungrouped device or device group.
Select the Kiosk Experience tab.
In Headset Experience, select ArborXR Kiosk Mode.
Under Visible Content, select the unmanaged app to designate it as the kiosk app.
Scroll down, then click Apply Changes.
💡 Provided the selected unmanaged application is installed on the device(s), either because it was pre-installed by the device manufacturer or was downloaded from the device's app store, the application will automatically launch upon powering on the device.
To learn more about configuring ArborXR Kiosk Mode, see this article.