Hello everyone. It is common for Microsoft Entra ID administrators to run into the need to analyze an access problem to applications in Azure via mobile devices, or to need to validate a user’s behavior on different device versions. To help these administrators, I decided to explain in today’s article how to emulate an Android device using the Android Studio software.
What is Android Studio?
The Android Studio software is a piece of software that allows you to emulate several versions of the Android operating system for app development. It can also be used to validate conditional access policies created in Microsoft Entra ID or even Intune.
Downloading the Android Studio application
To download the Android Studio application, go to this link.
On the screen below, click DOWNLOAD ANDROID STUDIO.
Accept the terms and conditions and click Download Android Studio for Windows.
Installing the Android Studio application
Run the file android-studio-ide-192.6392135-windows.exe.
Click Next.
Let’s keep the Android Virtual Device option selected and click Next.
Let’s keep the default application installation folder and click Next.
On the screen below, let’s keep the default and click Install.
On the screen below, click Next.
Let’s keep the Start Android Studio option selected and click Finish.
Configuring Android Studio
Skip the option to import settings, keeping the Do not import settings option, and click OK.
Let’s start setting up the Android mobile device by clicking Next on the screen below.
Keep the (default) installation option selected and click Next.
Let’s select the dark mode via the Darcula option (choose the best theme for your use) and click Next.
On the screen below, click Finish.
Let’s finish downloading the binaries and the configuration by clicking Finish.
Creating a new project
To create a new project, select the + Start a new Android Studio project option.
Since we don’t intend to develop, create a new empty project by selecting the No Activity option and clicking Next.
On the screen below, give the project a name and select the version of the Android OS you intend to emulate. After selecting these options, click Finish.
Creating the virtual mobile device
To create the virtual device, select AVD Manager by clicking the icon below.
Click Create Virtual device…
For lab purposes, let’s keep the phone option selected and click Next.
Select the image related to the version of the Android OS you want to use and click Download.
Accept the terms and conditions and click Next.
With the installation complete, click Finish.
With the components installed, click Next.
Let’s name the device for future reference and click Finish.
With the virtual device created, let’s start it by clicking the Launch this AVD in the emulator option as shown below:
With the AVD started, we have an Android device on which to install the Microsoft Authenticator and Company Portal applications, and to validate access policies for applications hosted in Azure.
Summary
In today’s article, we showed how to install and configure the Android Studio software, which allows us to emulate several versions of Android mobile devices. These devices can be used for testing conditional access policies in Microsoft Entra ID and also Intune.
I hope this content has contributed to enriching your knowledge of Microsoft Entra ID.
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If you have any suggestions or comments, let us know.
[ ]’s
Ulysses Neves
