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How to enroll Android devices without Google Play Services support?

Android devices that do not support Google Mobile Services can still be enrolled in MDM using alternative methods such as Android Debug Bridge (ADB). However, certain functionalities dependent on Google Play Services will not be available.

Pre-requisites

  1. A Windows/macOS device.
  2. USB cable to connect the device to the computer or laptop.
  3. Ensure that the device is not logged in with any account is logged in or syncing data on the device.

Steps to Enroll via Android Debug Bridge(ADB)

  1. Navigate to Enrollment > ME MDM App (under Android). Set Communication Type to Periodic. Save changes.
  2. Follow our Android Debug Bridge (ADB) guide and complete the enrollment.

Key Differences for Devices Without Google Play Services

  1. Instant Agent-Server Communication : MDM uses Google Firebase messaging to communicate with the devices immediately. Since this is not possible, the devices communicate with the server directly once every 60 minutes.
  2. Silent installation of Play Store apps : Silent installation of Play store apps is dependent on Google Play Services and, hence, is not available.
  3. Enterprise Factory Reset Protection : Enterprise Factory Reset Protection (E-FRP) is a security feature designed to prevent unauthorized access to corporate-owned Android devices after a factory reset. However, EFRP is not supported on devices without Google Play Services because it depends on Google’s authentication framework to enforce reset protection.
  4. Play Integrity is a Google security service that helps to verify the authenticity and integrity of an app. It checks device legitimacy, app licensing, and potential security risks before allowing access to sensitive services. However, Play Integrity is not supported on devices without Google Play Services because it relies on Google’s proprietary framework for attestation and verification. Without Play Services, the API cannot communicate with Google’s servers to perform these critical checks, leaving apps unable to validate device trustworthiness.
  5. Google Play Protect is Android's built-in malware protection system that continuously scans apps for harmful behaviour, checks for unsafe websites, and ensures device security. However, Google Play Protect is not supported on devices without Google Play Services because it relies on Google's infrastructure for threat detection, app verification, and real-time security updates.