Use the Google Apps Device Policy app

This article only applies to Google Workspace customers. Learn more about Google Workspace.

Note:A new Android management app, Android Device Policy, is now available. We will discontinue the Google Apps Device Policy app in early 2022. Learn how to switch your device over.

You can set up the Google Apps Device Policy app on your Android 2.2+ device to make it more secure. After it's set up, your administrator can enforce security policies and remotely wipe a device if you lose it.

Open all   |   Close all

 What you can do with the app

Your administrator can . . .

Your administrator can set the following security policies:

  • Device password strength and required length.
  • Number for the following items:
    • ​Invalid passwords allowed before the device is wiped.
    • Recently expired passwords that are blocked.
    • Days before a device password expires.
    • Idle minutes before a device automatically locks.
    • Days device has not synced before wiping.
  • Application auditing.
  • Remote wipe a device or an account from a device.
  • Device policy app version requirements.
  • Blocking of security-compromised devices.

You can . . .

When you open the Google Apps Device Policy app on your device, it opens on the Status screen. To view the Policies or Messages screen, tap "" to select the screen that you want to view.

You can use the Google Apps Device Policy app to:

  • Manage your device: You can access the My Devices page to ring, lock, and locate your device as well as reset your screen-lock PIN. You can also remotely wipe your device if your admin allows it. For more information, see View and manage mobile devices.
  • Sync your device: On the Status screen, you can see when your device last successfully synced with the server. To manually sync your device to ensure that you have the most up-to-date policies, tap Sync Now.
  • View security policies and network settings: On the Policies screen, you can view the security policies that your admin sets on your device. If your device doesn't comply with any of the set policies, you need to take the shown action to resolve them.
  • View details about your device: The Policies screen lists details about your device that are shared with your administrator, such as the Google Apps Device Policy app version, device OS version, device model, your email address, the Wi-Fi networks that your administrator configured and the server certificates.
  • Get multiple-account support: If you set up the Google Apps Device Policy app with multiple Google Workspace accounts with different policies, the most restrictive policy will be enforced on your device. For example, if one domain requires the device PIN to be 4 characters long and another requires it to be 6 characters long, the device enforces the 6-character length. For more information, administrators can see Assist users of managed Android devices.

    Note:  You can't set up multiple Google Workspace accounts if you are using Google Apps Device Policy app version 7.80 or higher.

  • Create a work profile: If your organization uses Android in the workplace, you can set up a work profile.
    To create a work profile, you must have an Android 5.0 Lollipop or later device that supports managed profiles.

Use the app

Download the Google Apps Device Policy app

Download the app

  1. Open Google Play Store.
  2. Search for Google Apps Device Policy.
  3. Tap "".
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions.

Install the app

  1. Go to the app listing on Google Play.
  2. Click Install.
  3. Select the Android 2.2+ device on which you want to install the Google Apps Device Policy app.
  4. Click Install.

After you install the Google Apps Device Policy app on your device, you need to set up the app.

Set up the app

  1. Tap the install notification or Google Apps Device Policy ""  to open the app.
  2. (Optional) If you haven't already signed in to your Google Workspace account on your device, tap Add Account and complete these steps:
    1. Enter your username and password.
    2. If you're a 2-Step Verification user, you might need to enter an App password instead of your normal Google Workspace password. Learn more about app passwords.
    3. Accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
  3. (Optional) If you're signed in to multiple Google Workspace accounts on your device, swipe from the left and choose the account where you want to set up the app.
    Note: If the device is owned by your organization or has a work profile and has multiple managed Google Workspace accounts, you might need to remove all but one of the accounts to complete setup. If so, see Remove an account from an Android device.
  4. (Optional) If you're prompted to sync your account, tap Next.
  5. Tap Next to register your device with the server.
  6. Tap Activate to set the Google Apps Device Policy app as your device administrator.
    Note: If your administrator requires that you create a work profile, you'll be prompted to set up the profile now.
  7. Tap Enforce to confirm enforcement.
  8. (Optional) If you need to change settings, such as choosing a PIN for your device, you'll be notified to make these changes on the Policies screen before your device is activated.
  9. (Optional) If your administrator requires that they need to approve your device before it can sync with Google Workspace, you'll see a note on the Status screen that your device is pending approval. You'll receive a notification on your device when your administrator approves it.

After you set up the Google Apps Device Policy app, all your Google Workspace data (mail, calendar, contacts, and so on) will start syncing to the device. Check out some of the user device management features such as remotely locating your device and remotely ringing it if you lose it.

Uninstall or disable the app

If you installed the Google Apps Device Policy app on your device, then it's a user app and you can uninstall it. However, if you enabled the Google Apps Device Policy app on your device, then it's a system app and you can't uninstall it, but you can disable it.

Note: If your device is company-owned (given to you by your organization or you set up your own device as work only), factory reset the device to uninstall this app. A factory reset removes all data, apps, and settings.

There are two ways to uninstall or disable the Google Apps Device Policy app—you can unregister all accounts associated with the app and then uninstall or disable it:

  1. Open "" on your Android device.
  2. On the Status screen, touch Unregister for each account you have registered with the device.
  3. Depending on your device, go to one of the following:
  4. Select "".
  5. TapUninstall or Disable and then OK to remove it.

Alternatively, you can deactivate the Google Apps Device Policy app and then uninstall or disable it:

  1. On your Android device, go to Settings and then Security.
  2. Tap one of the following:
    • Select device administrators
    • Device administrators
  3. Uncheck "".
  4. TapDeactivate.
  5. TapOK.
  6. Depending on your device, go to one of the following:
  7. Tap"".
  8. TapUninstall or Disable and then OK to remove it.

If your administrator is enforcing device policies on your device, then after you uninstall or disable the Google Apps Device Policy app, your device will stop syncing with your Google Workspace account.

Troubleshooting

When I try to add my Google Workspace account, I receive the error message "Authentication failed. Please re-enter your password and try again".

Touch the notification and enter your Google Workspace username and password.

If you keep getting the error, most likely you enabled 2-Step Verification for your account and you need to enter the App password instead of your Google Workspace password.

If the App password doesn't work, contact your administrator for help.

Sign-in Error (You entered an incorrect password)

If your domain is enforcing device policies for Android and you don't have the Google Apps Device Policy app installed and activated on your Android device, you'll see a sign-in error when adding your Google Workspace account. To resolve this issue, install and activate the Google Apps Device Policy app.

If your organization uses single sign-on (SSO), contact your administrator for details on how to sign in.

Action Required notification

If you keep seeing an Action Required notification from the Google Apps Device Policy app, your device might not meet your organization's security requirements. To check, open the device policy app.

  • If you see Account is deactivated, as some policies are violated, you might need to change some settings on your device. Go to the Policies section of the app to see the settings you need to change.
  • If you see Only one managed account is allowed, you have too many Google Workspace accounts on your device. You need to remove all but one of the managed Google Workspace accounts from the device. For details, see Remove an account from an Android device.
  • The device policy app might not have successfully synced with the server for more than 24 hours. When this happens, your Google Workspace apps will stop syncing. To check the last successful sync time, go to the Messages section of the device policy app. A sync can fail if the device has inconsistent network access or if you use a task manager app on the device.
  • If you see Company Owned devices are only available for G Suite Business or higher licenses, your administrator needs to upgrade your license before you can use the device.

This is a security-compromised device. Administrator has disabled it.

You see this error if your device is compromised. For example, the device is rooted—a process that removes restrictions on the device. Your corporate account stops syncing to the device until you fix the problem.

My device stopped syncing work data.

  1. Open the Google Apps Device Policy app"".
    If you see an Account action required alert from Google Play services, you can tap the alert to open the app.
  2. Choose an option:
    • Tap Sync "".
    • If you see a prompt to re-register your device, tap Next and follow the prompts.

Note: For fully managed devices, re-registration removes all your personal apps from the device. If you're not sure if your device is fully managed, contact your admin.

Related topics

  • Remotely manage lost or stolen work devices

Was this helpful?

How can we improve it?