Open Nextcloud Links with the Android Nextcloud app instead with browser

phatair · April 18, 2025, 3:55pm

Hello,
I’m a little bit confused because there is a GitHub post from schiessle that they found a solution to get Nextcloud Links to open with the Android Nextcloud app and not with the browser (this was not working since android 12/13).
The GitHub post is here

github.com/nextcloud/server

Redirect users on mobile devices (especially Android) to the Nextcloud app

offen 04:21PM - 15 Dec 22 UTC

geschlossen 11:52AM - 25 Nov 23 UTC

schiessle

enhancement 0. Needs triage client: 🤖🍏 mobile

You might be aware that one of the features of the Android Files app, to open in…ternal file links with the App instead of the Browser is broken since Android 13 and there is no way to fix it with the Android app: https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/9346#issuecomment-1326113482 This is a feature many Android user will miss. For me it get regularly in the way when receiving a file link via mail or Talk. Therefore I did some brainstorming with @tobiasKaminsky We could bring back the feature server side. You may know it from various news sites, online shops, social media sites, etc which try to push you to their app when opening their webpage on a mobile device. The idea: 1. When opening a internal file link by default the browser will open 2. Nextcloud can detect that it is a file link and that the user access it from a mobile device 3. In this case we show some kind of popup/notification with the option: * "Open the file with the App" (when clicked we do a redirect to a ncc link which will open the app) * "Install the app", so that there is a easy way to install the app in case the user doesn't have it yet (link to the app store) * small link "continue in the browser" * maybe a checkbox "remember decision" The nice thing about it: 1. It works on all devices and all mobile operating systems and versions 2. We could extend it to other links in the future, e.g redirect talk links to the talk app, note links to the note app, deck links to the deck app,... cc @nextcloud/designers for the general UX and possible design of the dialog cc @AndyScherzinger because you face the same issue and also participated in the Android ticket

there is an update from 2023 that the problem was fixed with a beta version

github.com/nextcloud/server

Redirect users on mobile devices (especially Android) to the Nextcloud app

offen 04:21PM - 15 Dec 22 UTC

geschlossen 11:52AM - 25 Nov 23 UTC

schiessle

enhancement 0. Needs triage client: 🤖🍏 mobile

You might be aware that one of the features of the Android Files app, to open in…ternal file links with the App instead of the Browser is broken since Android 13 and there is no way to fix it with the Android app: https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/9346#issuecomment-1326113482 This is a feature many Android user will miss. For me it get regularly in the way when receiving a file link via mail or Talk. Therefore I did some brainstorming with @tobiasKaminsky We could bring back the feature server side. You may know it from various news sites, online shops, social media sites, etc which try to push you to their app when opening their webpage on a mobile device. The idea: 1. When opening a internal file link by default the browser will open 2. Nextcloud can detect that it is a file link and that the user access it from a mobile device 3. In this case we show some kind of popup/notification with the option: * "Open the file with the App" (when clicked we do a redirect to a ncc link which will open the app) * "Install the app", so that there is a easy way to install the app in case the user doesn't have it yet (link to the app store) * small link "continue in the browser" * maybe a checkbox "remember decision" The nice thing about it: 1. It works on all devices and all mobile operating systems and versions 2. We could extend it to other links in the future, e.g redirect talk links to the talk app, note links to the note app, deck links to the deck app,... cc @nextcloud/designers for the general UX and possible design of the dialog cc @AndyScherzinger because you face the same issue and also participated in the Android ticket

and that is not longer a server problem

github.com/nextcloud/server

Redirect users on mobile devices (especially Android) to the Nextcloud app

offen 04:21PM - 15 Dec 22 UTC

geschlossen 11:52AM - 25 Nov 23 UTC

schiessle

enhancement 0. Needs triage client: 🤖🍏 mobile

You might be aware that one of the features of the Android Files app, to open in…ternal file links with the App instead of the Browser is broken since Android 13 and there is no way to fix it with the Android app: https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/9346#issuecomment-1326113482 This is a feature many Android user will miss. For me it get regularly in the way when receiving a file link via mail or Talk. Therefore I did some brainstorming with @tobiasKaminsky We could bring back the feature server side. You may know it from various news sites, online shops, social media sites, etc which try to push you to their app when opening their webpage on a mobile device. The idea: 1. When opening a internal file link by default the browser will open 2. Nextcloud can detect that it is a file link and that the user access it from a mobile device 3. In this case we show some kind of popup/notification with the option: * "Open the file with the App" (when clicked we do a redirect to a ncc link which will open the app) * "Install the app", so that there is a easy way to install the app in case the user doesn't have it yet (link to the app store) * small link "continue in the browser" * maybe a checkbox "remember decision" The nice thing about it: 1. It works on all devices and all mobile operating systems and versions 2. We could extend it to other links in the future, e.g redirect talk links to the talk app, note links to the note app, deck links to the deck app,... cc @nextcloud/designers for the general UX and possible design of the dialog cc @AndyScherzinger because you face the same issue and also participated in the Android ticket

But I’m using the newest Android (3.31.1) and Nextcloud 30.
If I get a nextcloud link the browser used and not the nextcloud app nor get I a notification that I can decide if I want to use the browser or nextcloud app.

So what did I understand wrong in the Github post? Should this work or not and what are the prerequisites? Because the post sounds like “this works out of the box with the new android client”.

I talk about links, for example internal nextlcloud links that should open with the nextcloud app and not the browser.

Would be great if someone can help me.
Thanks.

phatair · April 28, 2025, 6:09pm

Hi, is there really no one who has an explanation or the same question? Am i the only one who wants to open internal links directly with the App and not with the browser?

It would be great if someone can help me.
Thanks a lot.

ddog800 · May 30, 2025, 5:06am

Just to add additional context, I also located these issues (below) which relate to setting up an assetlinks.json file in the .well-known directory. This has been completed, and the file is accessible, but the app still does not open when a share link is used.

github.com/nextcloud/android

Handle Missing DeepLinks

master ← bugfix/deep-link

opened 10:50AM - 04 Apr 24 UTC

alperozturk96

+79 -7

- [x] Tests written, or not not needed ### What this PR does? It adds au…to verify for intent filters Adds missing intent filters Calls handleOpenFileViaIntent() function in line 564 for missing case **Note: If we support only Android 12+ we can delete path patterns and http scheme** ### **How to Test** **Note: Works for Only Android 11 and Below** adb shell am start \ -W -a android.intent.action.VIEW \ -d "YOUR_INTERNAL_SHARE_LINK"\ ### Why It's Not Working For Android 12+ In Android 12 and beyond, it's not possible to provide generic host data, and you must add an assetlinks.json file to the .well-known directory of every potential host so we can't do that. ### How It's Working For Android 12+ 1. Host URL must have assetlinks.json in .well-known directory with correct sha256_cert_fingerprints. Example -> https://example.cloud.com/.well-known/assetlinks.json ``` [ { "relation": [ "delegate_permission/common.handle_all_urls" ], "target": { "namespace": "android_app", "package_name": "com.nextcloud.client", "sha256_cert_fingerprints": [ ".............." ] } } ] ``` 2. In Android Manifest file for FileDisplayActivity intent filter must added. Example -> ``` <intent-filter android:autoVerify="true"> <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" /> <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" /> <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" /> <data android:scheme="https" /> <data android:host="example.cloud.com" /> </intent-filter> ``` ### Useful links Our previous [topic](https://github.com/nextcloud/android/issues/9346#issuecomment-1326113482) [Official Documentation](https://developer.android.com/training/app-links/verify-android-applinks) [Similar Documentation](https://doordash.engineering/2022/01/25/your-deep-links-might-be-broken-web-intents-and-android-12/)

github.com/nextcloud/server

Associating website with Android app For Better DeepLink Support

opened 10:49AM - 04 Apr 24 UTC

closed 07:17AM - 19 Aug 24 UTC

alperozturk96

enhancement 3. to review client: 🤖🍏 mobile

[Document](https://developer.android.com/training/app-links/verify-android-appli…nks) Currently, when user wants to open deep link with latest Android version, Google Chrome opening instead of Nextcloud Android app. To prevent that, we need to do some configuration in server side. We need to ensure that our app's digital asset links are correctly set up. Digital asset links are used by Android to verify ownership of deep links. We can set up digital asset links **by creating an assetlinks.json file and placing it in the website's .well-known directory.** This file should contain information about our app and the deep links it handles. **assetlinks.json** ``` [{ "relation": ["delegate_permission/common.handle_all_urls"], "target": { "namespace": "android_app", "package_name": "com.nextcloud.client", "sha256_cert_fingerprints": ["APP_CERT_FINGERPRINT"] } }] ```

github.com/nextcloud/documentation

Add Documentation for Android Deep Link Handling

master ← add-deep-link-handling-android

opened 10:12AM - 30 Jul 24 UTC

alperozturk96

+47 -0

☑️ Resolves This pull request includes documentation for handling deep links …in Android applications, specifically addressing the requirements and configurations for Android 12 and above. 🖼️ Screenshots <img width="1800" alt="Screenshot 2024-07-30 at 12 32 26" src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/aed20857-1db8-4b86-88ba-3464fce119a9">

ddog800 · May 30, 2025, 5:08am

You’re not the only one. I just ran into this issue today. Sent someone a share link directly to a file and instead of opening in the app on their phone, it opened the browser instead (where they’re not already logged in). I also came across these same GitHub issues and it looked to me like this was resolved years ago.

Any idea why this isn’t working now? Does something need to be enabled on the server or app side?

phatair · July 8, 2025, 6:12pm

Hi,
great that I’m not alone
But I really don’t understand why nobody else is talking about that.
do we really need enterprise support to get any answer?

Or do we have to write in Github?

EDIT:
I found this new documentation

but there is one question. How get I the cert fingerprint of the nextcloud android app? do I understand it correct, that this fingerprint is needed or is this fingerprint always the same and its the cert fingerprint that is mentioned in the linke above?

bb77 · July 11, 2025, 8:25am

I’ve never tested this myself, but I’d say the certificate fingerprint refers to the fingerprint of the SSL certificate used by your Nextcloud server. You can get it from the command line with:

openssl x509 -in /path/to/cert.pem -noout -fingerprint -sha256

Alternatively, you can find it in your browser. For example, in Firefox:
Click the lock icon in the address bar → More Information → Show Certificate.

Here’s an example from this website (the fingerprint is shown at the very bottom of the screenshot):

phatair · August 1, 2025, 1:51pm

I think it has nothing to do with the web ssl certificate.
I think its about the cert fingerprint of the app.

Its really frustrating that no one can help us with this question.
I think you can use the deep link only if you develop your own app and you know the app cert fingerprint.

but its really bad that we can not use the next cloud app for opening links to our nextcloud.
Its really annoying if the browser is used and you have to login to your nextcloud instance every time and you also have to use the 2FA every time

davcloud · August 27, 2025, 11:44am

I am interested also !
Nexcloud documentation is lacking of some elements

how to add properly such assetlinks.json file ? I tried manually, but it does not work .. I noticed some .well-known redirection in the .htaccess but I dont want to break everything
waht is the SHA256 fingerprint to use ? is it the one from the example ? if no, how to retrieve it ?

swindhab · August 27, 2025, 2:06pm

This will not work until you develop your own android app as you have to define your host inside an intent-filter in the android app. As nextcloud gmbh can not handle all domains of all nextcloud instances there is no chance with the official nextcloud app.