Can any MDM enable Android features like the Accessibility Service for an app automatically?

I want to automate the installation of our app on company devices using an MDM. The app requires a few special permissions like Accessibility service, Notification Permissions and Set alarms, reminders permission and Device Admin. these permissions require the user to navigate to the system settings and grant them to specific apps.

I've researched a few MDMs and they can all pre-grant the standard runtime permissions but none mention accessibility service and other special permissions.

Mostly of our users re on Samsung devices with Knox enabled.

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Jason Bayton On

Unfortunately not. These you're referring to are classed as special permissions and typically require prominent disclosure with explicit user acceptance before they can be enabled.

It could be argued a DPC being device owner can already do and see near everything on a device, and for fully managed devices without personal use there should be no expectation of privacy to prevent these, but alas.

If you're using one particular brand of devices, take a look for an OEMConfig application for them. Samsung KSP or Moto OEMConfig are two examples. This application offers additional APIs developed by the OEM that are set through the MDM via app managed configs and may include configuration for special permissions. Battery optimisation and accessibility are popular ones.

Failing that, another more laborious alternative would be to seek OEM integration for your app.

Folks like myself and others in the dedicated/enterprise space are badgering Google for a change here, but we likely wouldn't see anything before Android 16+ at this point even if successful tomorrow.

Hope that helps.

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Anoushka Divakar On

You can try out Scalefusion MDM or any other MDM that offers Samsung OEM Configuration. IK for a fact that Scalefusion does and with the OEM configs you might be able to achieve your use case of auto granting these special permissions. You can connect with their support/sales team and ask them to help you out for the same. Here is their OEM Configuration setup document.