How to Programmatically check and open an existing app in - Swift 4

Question

I want to check whether an app is installed in my phone or not. If it is already installed I want to launch the same. If it not installed I need to open the Appstore link.

I could opened the Appstore from the url,

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stack-ar/id1269638287?mt=8

by using the below code,

let urlString = "https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/stack-ar/id1269638287?mt=8"
UIApplication.shared.open(URL(string: urlString)!, options: [:]) { (success) in

        }

How can I open the app if it is installed?

see this https://kitefaster.com/2016/07/13/how-to-open-ios-app-with-custom-url/ — Prashant Tukadiya, Jan 03 '18 at 07:03
Possible duplicate of [How to open fb and instagram app by tapping on button in Swift](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29902534/how-to-open-fb-and-instagram-app-by-tapping-on-button-in-swift) — Adamsor, Jan 03 '18 at 07:03
chekc this -> https://stackoverflow.com/questions/433907/how-to-link-to-apps-on-the-app-store — dahiya_boy, Jan 03 '18 at 07:04
Is there any way to find installed app from appstore contains URLScheme. — Vineesh TP, Jan 03 '18 at 10:07

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 03 '18 at 09:30

To open another App from your App the target App needs to implement a URL Scheme. Some Apps document their URL Schemes while others don't. You may need to ask the Developer of the Target App or check the Info.plist file.

If an app does not implement a URL Scheme, there is no way of starting it (that I know of).

If it does implement an URL Scheme, you need to whitelist that scheme in your app. You do that by adding LSApplicationQueriesSchemes to your Info.plist like shown here:

The image shows the whitelisting of the URL Schemes corresponding with Facebook and Twitter. Adapt this for the app that you want to open.

Once you have done that, you can use UIApplication.sharedApplication().canOpenURL(...) to check if the app is installed and UIApplication.sharedApplication().openURL(...) to open the target app.

I'd also like to suggest using SKStoreProductViewController to show the app in the App Store instead of opening Safari. This way it is possible to present an App Store like view directly in your App without leaving it.

Kathiresan Murugan · Answer 2 · 2018-01-03T07:46:44.127

2

Use Url schemes to open third party application.

var profile = "instagram://user?username=johndoe"
var instagramUrl = NSURL(string: profile)

if UIApplication.sharedApplication().canOpenURL(instagramUrl!) {  
    UIApplication.sharedApplication().openURL(instagramUrl!)

} else {
    //redirect to safari because the user doesn't have Instagram
    UIApplication.sharedApplication().openURL(NSURL(string: "http://instagram.com/")!)
}

edited Jan 03 '18 at 07:46

answered Jan 03 '18 at 07:05

Kathiresan Murugan

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It is not a proper answer. – dahiya_boy Jan 03 '18 at 07:11
Url scheme is only a way to open a third party app from another application. – Kathiresan Murugan Jan 03 '18 at 07:41
It is not going to work unless you whitelist the desired app. canOpenURL(:) will be always false otherwise. You can find more here. https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/uiapplication/1622952-canopenurl – Kumar Reddy Jan 03 '18 at 07:41
How can I get the scheme of another third party app ? – Vineesh TP Jan 03 '18 at 07:51
An app may not even have a scheme. To get it ask the developer or failing that you can snoop inside it but if the developer hasn't published it that's a pretty sneaky thing to do. Is this a specific app you are talking about? – Upholder Of Truth Jan 03 '18 at 08:38
Yes, If Url Scheme is not implemented means have to open a app in AppStore. User will open that app by clicking the open button – Kathiresan Murugan Jan 03 '18 at 09:24

How to Programmatically check and open an existing app in - Swift 4

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