Android App Links

What is Android App Links?

Android App Links are URLs that directly open specific pages or content within Android applications. These verified deep links eliminate browser redirects and provide seamless navigation from external sources like emails, websites, or social media directly into the app's intended destination.

How it works

Android App Links function through a verification process that establishes trust between the link and the app. The implementation involves several key components:

App Manifest Declaration

Developers must declare linkable activities in the app's manifest file using intent filters. This tells the Android system which activities can handle incoming links and defines the URL patterns the app supports.

Note: Auto-verification for Android App Links requires Android 6.0 (API level 23) or higher. On earlier versions, links fall back to standard intent handling with disambiguation dialogs.

Domain Verification

Unlike standard deep links, Android App Links require domain verification through Digital Asset Links. This JSON file hosted on the website confirms the relationship between the domain and the app, preventing unauthorized apps from intercepting links.

Link Processing

When a user clicks an Android App Link, the system looks up the pre-established verification status, which is determined at app install or update time. If a verified app is installed, it opens directly to the specified content without any disambiguation dialog. If no verified app is found or the app is not installed, the link opens in the web browser as a regular webpage, since Android App Links use standard HTTP/HTTPS URLs.

Why it matters

Android App Links significantly impact user experience and conversion rates by reducing friction in the customer journey. Seamless deep linking improves conversion rates compared to traditional web redirects by reducing friction in the user journey. For mobile marketers, Android App Links enable precise user targeting by directing traffic to specific product pages, promotional content, or checkout flows. This targeted approach improves campaign effectiveness and attribution accuracy. The verification aspect also enhances security by preventing app hijacking and ensuring only the verified app handles the link, so marketing spend reaches genuine users. Additionally, Android App Links support re-engagement campaigns by bringing dormant users back to specific app features or content.

How to Implement Android App Links

Implementing Android App Links requires both app-side and web-side configuration:

Step 1: Configure App Manifest Add intent filters to your app's manifest file specifying the URL patterns your app handles. Include the autoVerify attribute to enable automatic verification.

Step 2: Set Up Digital Asset Links Create a Digital Asset Links JSON file and host it at yourdomain.com/.well-known/assetlinks.json. This file must specify your app's package name and SHA-256 certificate fingerprint. The sha256_cert_fingerprints field accepts an array, so you can register multiple fingerprints for debug and release builds simultaneously. The file must be served directly with a 200 response — HTTP redirects are not allowed and will cause verification to fail.

Step 3: Handle Incoming Links Implement link handling logic in your app activities to parse incoming URLs and navigate users to the appropriate content or screens.

Step 4: Test Verification Use Android's Statement List Generator and Tester to verify your Digital Asset Links configuration works correctly.

Step 5: Monitor Performance Track link performance through analytics platforms to measure click-through rates, conversion rates, and user engagement. Mobile measurement partners like Airbridge provide comprehensive deep linking analytics to optimize campaign performance and user acquisition strategies.

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