SOLVED! - How To Make A Link Open An App

Looking for instructions on how to make a link open an app? Then there is a good chance that you would find this article helpful. Down below is a guide to making links that open apps via deep links and intent filters. Read to the end to master the process and make links at your leisure. 

Summary 

Deep Links

For your information, a deep link is a link that goes straight to a specific location within an app. That means by taking advantage of deep links, you could redirect people to all corners of apps in times of need. 

At the moment, the typical format of a deep link is app://path/inside/app. Here is an example: If you want to redirect people to the subscriptions page of YouTube, the deep link you should use is href=”vnd.youtube://www.youtube.com/feed/subscriptions“. It’s worth pointing out that deep links only work as expected if people have associated apps on their devices. In the case that people don’t have associated apps, deep links would redirect them to the app pages on the App store instead. 

Intent Filters

 

The process consists of two phases: 

Phase One: Create Intent Filter

• Step 1: In Android Studio, select Tools, go to App Links Assistant and choose Open URL Mapping Editor. Next, hit Add button at the bottom of the URL Mapping list.
• Step 2: Enter all the details for the new URL mapping. After you finish, feel free to click OK.
• Step 3: Copy the URL and paste the URL in Check URL Mapping then pick Check Mapping button Verify the functioning of the URL. Assuming that the URL works as expected, a success message should appear and show the activity that you have entered. 

Phase Two: Add Logic To It

• Step 1: In Android Studio, select Tools, go to App Links Assistant and choose Activity 
• Step 2: Locate the target activity,  click it and pick Insert Code. 
• Step 2: Enter the code. The code should look something like:

@Overrride

void onCreate(Bundle initialState) {

    super.onCreate(initialState);

    …

    

    Intent appLinkIntent = getIntent();

    String appLinkAction = appLinkIntent.getAction();

    Uri appLinkData = appLinkIntent.getData();

    …

}

If you manage to set up the URL support for your app correctly, App Links Assistant is going to automatically generate a Digital Assets Links file for your app. If things don’t turn out the way you like, consider linking your site and app in Search Console. 

Is There More Than One Type Of Deep Link?

Nowadays, three types of deep links exist: traditional deep links, deferred deep links and contextual deep links. 

Traditional deep links can direct users to app content as long as the app is installed on their device. Deferred deep links, on the other hand, guide the user through the installation procedure to the desired details. Last but not least, contextual deep links enable developers to provide consumers with a tailored app experience immediately as soon as they launch an app. 

Do All Apps Have Deep Links?

In layman’s terms, no. Contrary to the internet URL’s that are universal across all devices and platforms, deep links cannot be universally used on all devices. In addition, quite a few differences exist between deep links used for Android and the ones used for iOS devices.