How to open URL schemes from Safari in iOS9?

Question

I was able to open apps from safari this way:

window.location = 'myapp://do/xx';

or open facebook app:

window.location = 'fb://';

But this stopped working in iOS9.

How can I open apps using URL schemes in safari?

Ignore

Kevin, I am seeing similar behavior, and haven't been able to find any documentation indicating this was intended. It seems like URI schemes just don't work on iOS 9, but perhaps I have things misconfigured. – Shadow

It's definitely a bug with iOS9 beta. I submitted a bug report to Apple and they closed it saying it's a duplicate of another issue which is still open. – Sabrinasabsay

@Ignore have you found out the solution for this? I'm using window.location = 'myapp://do/xx'; to open my app too but it stops working. Thanks for sharing. – Oribel

Possible duplicate of iOS 9 not opening Instagram app with URL SCHEME – Uptake

Answer 1

IOS 9 URL Shchemes Update : iOS 9 introduces LSApplicationQueriesSchemes to allow apps to query if other apps are installed.

1- If a url scheme is declared and calling canOpenURL(scheme)

YES if a installed app supports that URL scheme

NO if no app supporting that url

syslog will show canOpenURL: failed for URL: "urlScheme://" - error: null

2- If a url scheme is not declared and calling canOpenURL(scheme)

always return NO

syslog will show canOpenURL: failed for URL: "urlScheme://" - error: null

In iOS 9, the developer must add these info.plist LSApplicationQueriesSchemes

<array>
    <string>urlscheme</string>
    <string>urlscheme2</string>
    <string>urlscheme3</string>
    <string>urlscheme4</string>
</array>

50 max. unqiue URL scheme can be declared!

Bulbul

Answer 2

With iOS9, Apple is changing a few things concerning URL schemes. Here is an article about those changes.

Basically, you now have to register all URL schemes that are supported by your app in your .plist file.

Roomy

Eric, thanks for replying. I have 'URL Types' registered in the Info.plist. The article talks about 'canOpenURL' from inside objective-c/swift. I just want to open my app from Safari. – Ignore

What about the most common URL scheme? taking users to rate your app on the app store. Is that killed too? str = [NSString stringWithFormat:@"itms-apps://itunes.apple.com/app/id%@",appIDStr]; [[UIApplication sharedApplication] openURL:[NSURL URLWithString:str]]; – Freeboot

Also, here is another answer that might be helpful. – Roomy

I'm investigating this today and am somewhat confused. I haven't been able to find any documentation about it, but it seems that existing URI Schemes just entirely stop working. What you're referring to is outward calls (thus the "queries" thing in the plist), but what about incoming (from Safari to your app)? – Shadow

I submitted a bug report to Apple. It's broken for me in iOS 9 beta 3. – Sabrinasabsay

ios 9 beta4 has the same problem.Could not open app via url scheme in safari. – Acrosstheboard

@Acrosstheboard was this ever resolved? I'm unable to open my app via url scheme in iOS 9 right now, but in iOS 8 all is good --- and unfortunately universal links are not an option for me for the moment. – Earphone

Answer 3

With the general release of ios9 setting window.location to a custom url does launch the app, but only after the user hits open in a popup. I filed a bug with apple about this, and they responded saying that it was intended behavior for launching an app from safari. They said they would look into the issue where if you hit cancel it fails out on future attempts.

Linzy

Answer 4

Just assign a desired address to the href property, instead of trying to replace the whole window.location object:

window.location.href = 'myapp://do/xx';

It works for me on iOS 9.0.2, but now safari shows a confirmation dialog to ensure а user really wants open your link in the app.

Verein

Answer 5

this is how I have revised my Facebook/Google Login integration to get it work on latest update. which now user Safari web view.

<key>LSApplicationQueriesSchemes</key>
  <array>
      <string>fbapi</string>
      <string>fb-messenger-api</string>
      <string>fbauth2</string>
      <string>fbshareextension</string>
      <string>com.googleusercontent.apps.39373238582-opjuqokmar2i5t3sdk2vs5sifer4moen</string>
      <string>com-google-gidconsent-google</string>
      <string>com-google-gidconsent-youtube</string>
      <string>com-google-gidconsent</string>
      <string>com.google.gppconsent.2.4.1</string>
      <string>com.google.gppconsent.2.4.0</string>
      <string>googlechrome</string>
      <string>googlechrome-x-callback</string>
  </array>

Krakau