How do I check if an app is a non-system app in Android?

Question

I am getting a list of ApplicationInfo Objects with packageManager.getInstalledApplications(0) and attempting to categorize them by whether or not they are a sy

Answer 1

You can check the signature of application which it signed with system. Like below

/**
 * Match signature of application to identify that if it is signed by system
 * or not.
 * 
 * @param packageName
 *            package of application. Can not be blank.
 * @return true if application is signed by system certificate,
 *         otherwise false
 */
public boolean isSystemApp(String packageName) {
    try {
        // Get packageinfo for target application
        PackageInfo targetPkgInfo = mPackageManager.getPackageInfo(
                packageName, PackageManager.GET_SIGNATURES);
        // Get packageinfo for system package
        PackageInfo sys = mPackageManager.getPackageInfo(
                "android", PackageManager.GET_SIGNATURES);
        // Match both packageinfo for there signatures
        return (targetPkgInfo != null && targetPkgInfo.signatures != null && sys.signatures[0]
                .equals(targetPkgInfo.signatures[0]));
    } catch (PackageManager.NameNotFoundException e) {
        return false;
    }
}

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You can get more code on my blog How to check if application is system app or not (By signed signature)