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I would like to install an app called entrust (from the play store) and be able to use it. My last try was to use an emulator called "Genymotion", but the app can detect that the app is being run on an emulator because I get this error:

"Error: Manual Activation is not supported on an unsecured device." enter image description here

which I don't get if I'm running the app on a real device. Are there any ideas about how can I bypass this check and be able to run it using an emulator?

Thank you!

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  • Have you tried [Android-x86](android-x86.org)? You could install the ISO using Virtualbox.
    – Zackary
    May 31, 2018 at 0:54

2 Answers 2

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In general there are three ways to bypass an emulator check:

  1. Modify the app and remove the emulator check.
  2. Modify the emulator so that it pretends to be a real device.
  3. Modify the system calls the app does for detecting it is running on an emulator

As you can see all three ways are not that simple, however the third way may be the easiest as there are some tools that can help you.

Back to option 1 - it requires a lot of development skills to decompile the app (e.g. using apktool to decompile it to Smali code), identify the emulator checks (and to bypass app integrity checks that may exist).

Option 2 is even harder as it requires you to patch and recompile the Android emulator (which is available as source code).

Therefore from my point of view only option 3 is realistic for you. However it still may require some Java development.

You can install the XPosed framework onto your emulator. It allows to modify system calls the app uses for identifying that it is running on an emulator. There are a some existing XPosed modules for hiding that a device is rooted or that it is running on an emulator. If you are luck there is an existing module working out-of-the box, letting you run your app on an emulator.

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  • surprised to know there isn't an emulator out there yet that the app cannot tell. Supposedly, an emulator should be able to make it a virtual device, so the app shouldn't be able to tell
    – nonopolarity
    May 22, 2021 at 7:14
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The app needs a closed boot loader and doesn't allow root. The app doesn't know anything about the emulator.

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  • Your answer could be improved with additional supporting information. Please edit to add further details, such as citations or documentation, so that others can confirm that your answer is correct. You can find more information on how to write good answers in the help center.
    – Community Bot
    Nov 11, 2021 at 15:02
  • boot-loader state is only relevant if the app uses Google SafetyNet verification. And as an emulator never will get an Google Android certification by Google it will always fail the "CTS profile".
    – Robert
    Nov 11, 2021 at 15:18
  • Depending on how the emulator is built, an app can certainly detect if it's running on an emulator or not.
    – Andrew T. ♦
    Nov 12, 2021 at 3:19

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