Opening email client via Intent (but not to send a message)

Question

Is there a way to programically open email client, without a need to forcing message send? I just want the app to let user open his email client for email checking purposes

Answer 1

In Kotlin, but this version creates a chooser for user to pick which email app to use. You basically do what Oved does in his answer, except create an actual chooser using LabeledIntent.

fun emailAppIntent(): Intent? {
    val emailIntent = Intent(Intent.ACTION_VIEW, Uri.parse("mailto:"))
    val packageManager = appLaunchContext.packageManager

    val activitiesHandlingEmails = packageManager.queryIntentActivities(emailIntent, 0)
    if (activitiesHandlingEmails.isNotEmpty()) {
        // use the first email package to create the chooserIntent
        val firstEmailPackageName = activitiesHandlingEmails.first().activityInfo.packageName
        val firstEmailInboxIntent = packageManager.getLaunchIntentForPackage(firstEmailPackageName)
        val emailAppChooserIntent = Intent.createChooser(firstEmailInboxIntent, "")

        // created UI for other email packages and add them to the chooser
        val emailInboxIntents = mutableListOf()
        for (i in 1 until activitiesHandlingEmails.size) {
            val activityHandlingEmail = activitiesHandlingEmails[i]
            val packageName = activityHandlingEmail.activityInfo.packageName
            val intent = packageManager.getLaunchIntentForPackage(packageName)
            emailInboxIntents.add(
                LabeledIntent(
                    intent,
                    packageName,
                    activityHandlingEmail.loadLabel(packageManager),
                    activityHandlingEmail.icon
                )
            )
        }
        val extraEmailInboxIntents = emailInboxIntents.toTypedArray()
        return emailAppChooserIntent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_INITIAL_INTENTS, extraEmailInboxIntents)
    } else {
        return null
    }
}

.. then later call it with

val emailChooserIntent = emailAppIntent()

if (emailChooserIntent != null) {
    startActivity(emailAppIntent())
}

or handle null however you want.