Deep links: open your URL app from any link

Deep links vs App Links

• Deep link: any link that opens a specific screen in an app. Plain deep links show a “Open with…” chooser.
• Android App Link: a verified https deep link. Because you've proven you own the domain, Android opens your app directly with no chooser.

For a URL app, the “specific screen” is easy: the app just loads the tapped URL in its WebView.

Step 1: the intent filter in the app

<intent-filter android:autoVerify="true">
  <action android:name="android.intent.action.VIEW" />
  <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />
  <category android:name="android.intent.category.BROWSABLE" />
  <data android:scheme="https" android:host="example.com" />
  <data android:scheme="https" android:host="www.example.com" />
</intent-filter>

List every host you want to capture. Add android:pathPrefix if only part of the site should open the app (for example /product/).

Step 2: assetlinks.json on your site

[{
  "relation": ["delegate_permission/common.handle_all_urls"],
  "target": {
    "namespace": "android_app",
    "package_name": "com.example.app",
    "sha256_cert_fingerprints": ["AB:CD:...:EF"]
  }
}]

Serve it at https://example.com/.well-known/assetlinks.json with content type application/json, no redirects, on every host in the intent filter. The App Links builder writes both files from your URL.

The fingerprint trap

If you publish on Google Play with Play App Signing, users get APKs signed by Google's app signing key, not the key you uploaded with. Copy the SHA-256 from Play Console → Setup → App signing. To make your own sideloaded test builds verify too, list both fingerprints in the array.

Testing verification

• Install the app, then on a computer run adb shell pm get-app-links com.example.app — each domain should say verified.
• On the phone: Settings → Apps → your app → Open by default → the domain should be listed as verified.
• Send yourself a link in a messaging app and tap it. Links typed into Chrome's address bar don't trigger App Links; links tapped elsewhere do.

Use it for login callbacks

App Links are also how a sign-in finished in a Custom Tab comes back to your app — see Google sign-in in URL apps.