How to make app lock app in android?

Question

I have to develop an app locker for Android where the user can block apps and other users can not access these apps without an access key.

I have installed an app but I don't know how to lock this app.

Please suggest me something.

Answer 1

This is not how stack overflow works. You can not ask a complete solution without even trying anything.

For the most basic version of your app, you need to perform three functions.

1. Get a list of all the installed apps on device and show them in a ListView with check box. If the user checks any app, add the app to a different list say BlockedAppsList(which will be the list of apps which user wants to block). You can get all the apps installed using the following code:

   final PackageManager pm = getPackageManager();
   //get a list of installed apps.
   List<ApplicationInfo> packages = pm.getInstalledApplications(PackageManager.GET_META_DATA);
   
   for (ApplicationInfo packageInfo : packages) {
   Log.d(TAG, "Installed package :" + packageInfo.packageName);
   Log.d(TAG, "Source dir : " + packageInfo.sourceDir);
   Log.d(TAG, "Launch Activity :" + pm.getLaunchIntentForPackage(packageInfo.packageName)); 
   }
   

2. Check the which is the current opened app. You can check by using this code:

   ActivityManager am = (ActivityManager) this.getSystemService(ACTIVITY_SERVICE);
   List l = am.getRecentTasks(1, ActivityManager.RECENT_WITH_EXCLUDED);
   Iterator i = l.iterator();
   PackageManager pm = this.getPackageManager();
   while (i.hasNext()) {
   ActivityManager.RunningAppProcessInfo info = (ActivityManager.RunningAppProcessInfo)(i.next());
   try {
   CharSequence c = pm.getApplicationLabel(pm.getApplicationInfo(
   info.processName, PackageManager.GET_META_DATA));
   Log.w("LABEL", c.toString());
   } catch (Exception e) {
   // Name Not FOund Exception
       }
      }
   

3. Now check if the current app is present in the BlockedAppsList, if it is there, you can show any screen with a block message.

good luck!