Android how to programmatically hide launcher icon

Question

my app is designed to only need to be run once. As such I want to hide the icon from the launcher after the first run, but without uninstalling the app.

I have seen

Answer 1

You can have an app without a launcher by NOT including an intent filter with MAIN and LAUNCHER in the declaration of the Activity in the AndroidManifest - the question then becomes how to do the first kick off.. Widget maybe ?

Answer 2

Hide app icon using this code:

PackageManager p = getPackageManager();
ComponentName componentName = new ComponentName(this, com.apps.MainActivity.class); // activity which is first time open in manifiest file which is declare as <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
p.setComponentEnabledSetting(componentName,PackageManager.COMPONENT_ENABLED_STATE_DISABLED, PackageManager.DONT_KILL_APP);

and bring it back, with this:

PackageManager p = getPackageManager();
ComponentName componentName = new ComponentName(this, com.apps.MainActivity.class);
p.setComponentEnabledSetting(componentName, PackageManager.COMPONENT_ENABLED_STATE_ENABLED, PackageManager.DONT_KILL_APP);

NOTE: This will not work for Android 10

Answer 3

Hide app's icon using below code

PackageManager pkg=this.getPackageManager();
pkg.setComponentEnabledSetting(new ComponentName(this,SplashActivity.class),PackageManager.COMPONENT_ENABLED_STATE_DISABLED,
                        PackageManager.DONT_KILL_APP);

// activity which is first time open in manifiest file which is declare as <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />

Here is how to bring back the app's icon

PackageManager p = getPackageManager();
ComponentName componentName = new ComponentName(this,SplashActivity.class);
p.setComponentEnabledSetting(componentName, PackageManager.COMPONENT_ENABLED_STATE_ENABLED, PackageManager.DONT_KILL_APP);

Answer 4

PackageManager p = getPackageManager();
p.setComponentEnabledSetting(getComponentName(), PackageManager.COMPONENT_ENABLED_STATE_DISABLED, PackageManager.DONT_KILL_APP);

Note that the icon may not be gone until the next reboot.

Answer 5

With Android Q (API 29) Google changed the Launcher icon visibility behaviour. Even if you disable your Launcher Activity or completely remove the android.intent.category.LAUNCHER <intent-filter> from all your Activities, the app will appear in the launcher and open the Android OS app settings, with the exception of:

• Packages that don't declare any permissions in their respective manifest files
• System apps
• Apps that don't contain any components inside their respective manifest's tag