Why is my Android intent link redirecting to the Play Store instead of opening my app?

This issue typically occurs when there is a configuration mismatch between the intent link on your webpage and the AndroidManifest.xml file in your application. Even if the app is installed, Android will fall back to the Play Store if it cannot find a correctly configured app to handle the specific link.

To resolve this, follow these steps:

1. Verify Your Intent Link Syntax

Ensure your web link uses the correct format for an Android Intent. The link should include your app's custom scheme, its package name, and an optional fallback URL for users who don't have the app installed.

Here is a template:

<a href="intent://your/path#Intent;scheme=your_scheme;package=com.your.package;S.browser_fallback_url=[encoded_play_store_url];end">Open App</a>

Or in JavaScript:

window.location = "intent://your/path#Intent;scheme=your_scheme;package=com.your.package;S.browser_fallback_url=[encoded_play_store_url];end";

• scheme: Must exactly match the custom URL scheme defined in your app's manifest (e.g., myapp).
• package: Must be the exact package name of your Android app (e.g., com.example.app).
• S.browser_fallback_url: The URL-encoded link to your app on the Google Play Store.

2. Check Your AndroidManifest.xml Configuration

The most common cause of this problem is an incorrect <intent-filter> in your app's manifest. The Activity that should handle the deep link must be configured to be reachable from a browser.

Make sure the <intent-filter> for the target Activity includes the following three elements:

1. <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
2. <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
3. <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" /> (This is crucial for links to work from a browser).
4. <data android:scheme="your_scheme" />

Here is an example of a correctly configured intent filter:

<activity android:name=".YourDeepLinkActivity">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
        <!-- The scheme here must match the 'scheme=' in your intent link -->
        <data android:scheme="your_scheme" />
    </intent-filter>
</activity>

By ensuring both the link syntax and the manifest configuration are correct, the link should open your app directly when it is installed.

Recommended Alternative: Android App Links

For a more robust and seamless user experience, consider implementing Android App Links. This is Google's recommended approach. They use standard https:// URLs that link to your website. If the user has your app installed, the link opens the app directly; otherwise, it opens your website in the browser. This requires verifying your website by adding an assetlinks.json file and updating your app's intent filters to handle the HTTPS URLs.