Chrome Custom Tabs EXTRA_REFERRER is not working

user_2535875 0
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As per the documentation google, Chrome Custom Tabs support app as the referrer. But when I checked on google analytics the traffic not refer to the app it's showing as direct. Resource: https://developer.chrome.com/multidevice/android/customtabs#add-your%20app%20as%20the%20referrer

Here is my code:

fun browseUrlCustomTab(context: Context, url: String) {
        var url = url
        if (!url.startsWith("http") && !url.startsWith("https"))
            url = "http://$url"
        val builder = CustomTabsIntent.Builder()
                .addDefaultShareMenuItem()
                .setToolbarColor(ContextCompat.getColor(context, getThemePrimaryDarkColor()))
                .setShowTitle(true)
                .enableUrlBarHiding()
                //.setStartAnimations(context, android.R.anim.slide_in_right, R.anim.slide_out_left)
                .setExitAnimations(context, android.R.anim.slide_in_left, android.R.anim.slide_out_right)
                .setCloseButtonIcon(getBitmapFromVectorDrawable(context, R.drawable.ic_back)!!)
        val customTabsIntent = builder.build()
        customTabsIntent.intent.setPackage("com.android.chrome")
        //customTabsIntent.intent.flags = Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NO_HISTORY or Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK
        customTabsIntent.intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_REFERRER,
                Uri.parse(""+Intent.URI_ANDROID_APP_SCHEME + "//" + context.packageName))
        customTabsIntent.launchUrl(context, Uri.parse(url))
    }

My query is there anything I missed or any way to get a referral on google analytics.

chrome-custom-tabs kotlin webview google-analytics android
2 Answers

So first thing first, I spent a lot of time thinking about the problem and tried a lot of things. So what I observed is this

The URL that I tried was https://www.whatismybrowser.com/ it just shows the referrer.

Snippet 1: In my first attempt, I used this one

customTabsIntent.intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_REFERRER,"android-app://"+context.packageName)

but the site didn't show me the referrer at all. I said No Referrer / Hidden

Snippet 2: So Next I tried this one

customTabsIntent.intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_REFERRER_NAME,"android-app://"+context.packageName)

by using EXTRA_REFERRER_NAME I was able to see the referrer i.e my package to be clear android-app://com.mypackage.something/

So, Now I replaced https://www.whatismybrowser.com/ with my original website which is already linked with google analytics account I was expecting it to show the traffic source as my app package name but unfortunately for no reason, I still got the traffic as direct instead of my package

So what is the alternative for this one?

So, I checked this blog : A Handy Guide to UTM Codes: Know Which of Your Campaigns Really Work

So, What they mentioned is just use utm_source & utm_medium in the URL while launching the URL using chrome custom tabs

I tried like this

browseUrlCustomTab(this,"https://www.mysitename.com?utm_medium=MyAndroidApp&utm_source=in.mypackage.app")

and it worked the package name shown up in the google analytics

enter image description here

My Conclusion:

I guess it is something to do with the google analytics itself. Because the https://www.whatismyreferer.com/ site shows the referrer i.e my package when I used the second snippet

So I guess and my assumption is, either I must setup google analytics account not properly or this EXTRA_REFERRER thing mentioned in docs is no more working.

And I don't know the workaround I mentioned is good or bad and I know nothing about its pros and cons. But I believe it would work as expected

user_93652120

In Chrome Custom Tabs : Add your app as the referrer mention to use Intent.URI_ANDROID_APP_SCHEME for get traffic source but it is an integer flag that has the value 2 which makes the referrer URI "2://com.example.app" and I think that's not valid so as you can refer Intent class of android Android : URI_ANDROID_APP_SCHEME you can use android-app: instead of Intent.URI_ANDROID_APP_SCHEME

fun browseUrlCustomTab(context: Context, url: String) {
    var url = url
    if (!url.startsWith("http") && !url.startsWith("https"))
        url = "http://$url"
    val builder = CustomTabsIntent.Builder()
            .addDefaultShareMenuItem()
            .setToolbarColor(ContextCompat.getColor(context, getThemePrimaryDarkColor()))
            .setShowTitle(true)
            .enableUrlBarHiding()
            //.setStartAnimations(context, android.R.anim.slide_in_right, R.anim.slide_out_left)
            .setExitAnimations(context, android.R.anim.slide_in_left, android.R.anim.slide_out_right)
            .setCloseButtonIcon(getBitmapFromVectorDrawable(context, R.drawable.ic_back)!!)
    val customTabsIntent = builder.build()
    //customTabsIntent.intent.flags = Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NO_HISTORY or Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK
    customTabsIntent.intent.putExtra(Intent.EXTRA_REFERRER,
            Uri.parse("android-app://" + context.packageName))
    customTabsIntent.launchUrl(context, Uri.parse(url))
}
user_60413650
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