There are multiple ways of installing an application on devices like downloading from Play Store, Using ADB to install apk files, etc. But for Zebra devices there is an unique way to install an application using StageNow.

StageNow is a tool developed by Zebra which provides a full control of the device to users. Using StageNow, users can change the settings that are not available directly in the settings app to be configured by the user. Also, for IT admins StageNow reduces effort to configure each device manually.

In this article we’ll learn how to install an application using StageNow and what are its benefits.

To install an application using StageNow follow the below steps:

1. Launch StageNow application from your computer.

2. Login to StageNow using Administrator password which was configured during setting up the StageNow.

3. On the Home screen, click on ‘Create new Profile’ option.

4. From the next window, select the MX version as per the MX version of a device, click on Expert Mode and then click on Create.

5. Enter any name for a profile in the Enter Profile Name field and click on Start.

6. Select FileMgr and  AppMgr from the next window by clicking on + icon and then click on Add.

(Note: The FileMgr should be added first followed by AppMgr)

7. In the FileMgr window select Copy/Transfer File from File Action window.

8. In Target Path and File Name enter the path where the file should get downloaded

e.g. /sdcard/surelock.apk

9. Select File on Remote Server as Source Access Method  and then click on the 3-dot icon(…) against Source File URI to provide the path of an application file.

Note: If the file is available in the computer then select Staging Server as Internal and select the location of the file. If the file is present in any other server/cloud, select the Staging Server as External and provide the direct download link of the application in Source Path and File Name.

10. Click on OK to close the Staging server URI selector window and then click on Continue to navigate to the AppMgr page.

11. Select ‘Install’ from the drop-down as ‘Application Action’ and enter the path where the application is present inside the device location.

e.g. /sdcard/surelock.apk This is the same path as we had used in the FileMgr to download the application file.

12. Click on Continue to navigate to the review tab and then click on ‘Complete Profiles’ to navigate to the publish tab.

13. Select PDF417 if the device has 2D QR code reader or Linear in case of 1D scanner and click on the Test button.

14.  A pdf file with QR codes will be generated which needs to be scanned by the StageNow application from the device.

15. Launch StageNow application on the device.
    

16. Once StageNow is launched, push the Scan button (usually available at right/left side of the device and sometimes on the back of the device) to start scanning QR code present in the pdf file.
    

17. Once the scanning is completed, StageNow should start downloading the file.
    

18. Once the file is downloaded, it will automatically install the application on the device.
    

Benefits of using the StageNow for application installation:

1. Once the setup is done, it can be reused multiple times and it will also eliminate any human error.
2. When any application is installed using StageNow, the device will grant all the runtime permissions such as storage, microphone, location etc. which are necessary to run the application.

Note: Special permissions such as Display over other apps, Usage access etc will not be granted for security reasons and can be granted manually by user or using StageNow. 

3. Any settings configured using StageNow can be exported in the form of XML and can be executed on the device remotely using MDM solutions such as SureMDM.

For such unparalleled features and benefits, StageNow is being highly recommended to use with Zebra devices. It gives IT admin flexibility and ease to mass configure devices and the advantage of using the same configuration using MDM solutions such as SureMDM is the icing on the cake.