Use the Add Version feature to update versions of your internal applications to incorporate new features and fixes, test beta versions, and comply with organizational compliance standards. Versioning has many benefits for testing and for compliance. You can push beta versions for testing purposes, allow Apple iOS devices to ‘roll back’ to a previous version. and also push approved or compliant versions of applications to devices. The system can recognize a different version of an application without using the Add Version option. However, EXE, ZIP files can be some of the exceptions since the UEM console cannot interpret the package. If you add a different version of the application as if it were new, the system displays the Retire Previous Versions check box on the Details tab.

Workspace ONE UEM displays the version on the Details tab of the application record.
  • Latest Version - This identifier is usually the highest numbered version and it gets deployed to devices that enroll in the assigned group.
  • Previous Version - This identifier is usually a lower version than the latest version.
  • New Version - This identifier is the version you are uploading to the console. You can upload numbers lower than the latest version and higher than the previous version.

Sourcing the Actual File Version Value

Workspace ONE UEM gets the application version that displays in the actual file version field from various places depending on the platform. These values must increment to allow the application version to override the current version in Workspace ONE UEM.

Table 1. Location of File Version Value by Platform
Platform Parameter Found In
Android versionName displays actual file version but versionCode controls the ability to version .apk package

iOS

macOS

 CFBundleVersion

CFBuildShortVersionString

info.plist
Windows Desktop Version="X.X.X.X" but Workspace ONE UEM only displays three decimal places AppManifest.xml
Windows Phone Version="X.X.X.X" but Workspace ONE UEM only displays three decimal places WMAppManifest.xml

Actual File Version and Incrementation

You can upload multiple versions of an application no matter the actual file version number, but for most platforms, the actual file version controls the application's deployment. Workspace ONE UEM manages the new version depending on its actual file version value.

Table 2. Actual File Version Incrementation Behaviors
Platform Actual File Version
Android versionCode must increment up because downgrading versions is not supported.

Workspace ONE UEM can accept applications with lower versionCode values. However, it manages the assignments based on the order of the actual file version.

For example, if you have deployed an actual file version 3.1 of an application, you have an older actual file version 1.1 still in the console, and you upload actual file version 2.1, Workspace ONE UEM manages the versions with these behaviors.
  • Migrates assignments from version 1.1 (previous version) to 2.1 (new version).
  • If devices have 2.1 and 3.1 assigned (and both are active), Workspace ONE UEM sends install commands for 3.1 (latest version) since that is the highest version that devices are eligible to receive.
  • When you select Retire Previous Version at the time of uploading 2.1, the console retires 1.1 (previous version) and not 3.1 (latest version).

iOS

macOS

 BundleVersion or the BuildShortVersionString can increment up or down because downgrading versions is supported.
Note: macOS does not support downgrading to a lower version of an app.

You can upload a lower version of the application and push it as the available version.
Windows Desktop Actual file version="X.X.X", the first three decimals, must increment up because downgrading versions is not supported.
Workspace ONE UEM can accept applications with lower actual file version values. However, it manages the assignments based on the order of the actual file version.
  • Migrates assignments from the previous version to the new version (the one you are uploading).
  • If devices have the new version and the latest version assigned (and both are active), Workspace ONE UEM sends install commands for the latest file version since that is the highest version that devices are eligible to receive.
  • When you select Retire Previous Version at the time of uploading the new file version, the console retires the previous version and not the latest version.
Windows Phone Version="X.X.X", the first three decimals, must increment up because downgrading versions is not supported.
Workspace ONE UEM can accept applications with lower actual file version values. However, it manages the assignments based on the order of the actual file version.
  • Migrates assignments from the previous version to the new version (the one you are uploading).
  • If devices have the new version and the latest version assigned (and both are active), Workspace ONE UEM sends install commands for the latest file version since that is the highest version that devices are eligible to receive.
  • When you select Retire Previous Version at the time of uploading the new file version, the console retires the previous version and not the latest version.

Workspace ONE UEM supports application version numbers with three numbers and two decimal places: <MajorNumber > .<MinorNumber > .<Number > or 9.1.1. You can deploy multiple versions to test applications. Upload a beta version of an application and deploy it to beta users at the same time you have a non-beta version available to your regular users. After you test the beta version, you can replace the existing, non-beta, version with the tested version.

Manage Version Control of your Internal Application

Version control allows you to manage changes to files over time. Workspace ONE UEM uses two different version values to manage version control of internal applications, the actual file version, which is the coded version of the application set by the developer of the application and the internal version of the application set by the Workspace ONE UEM console for management. When you upload an internal app version to the console, this number is identified as Latest Version, New Version, and Previous Version.

Maintain Multiple Versions of your Internal Application

You can control versions of internal applications with Add Version and Retire Previous Versions. Workspace ONE UEM can replace an internal application on devices but it does not deploy multiple versions to devices. You can have multiple, active versions in the console for management. Replacing a retired version depends on the Actual File Version value. If you want multiple versions of an application in the UEM console console do not select the Retire Previous Version check box on the Details tab. This check displays when you add a version of an application.If you do not select Retire Previous Version, and you add an application version, Workspace ONE UEM assigns the higher Actual File Version to devices. You can Deactivate application versions rather than retiring them to remove them from device assignments.

Complete the following steps to manage multiple versions of internal application in the Workspace ONE UEM console:

  1. Navigate to Resources > Apps > Native and select the Internal tab.
  2. Click the application, and go to Detail view and select Add Version.
  3. Upload the updated file.
  4. Configure the Retire Previous Versions check box on the Details tab.
    Setting Description
    Enable Retire Previous Version Workspace ONE UEM unassigns the lower Actual File Version and assigns the higher Actual File Version to devices. The lower version is not available for deployment in the Workspace ONE UEM console.

    Apple iOS is the exception. These devices can receive lower Actual File Versions assigned through retiring previous versions in the Workspace ONE UEM console.
    Disable Retire Previous Version Workspace ONE UEM unassigns the lower Actual File Version and assigns the higher Actual File Version to devices. If it is still Active, the lower version is available for deployment in the Workspace ONE UEM console
  5. Select Save & Assign to use the flexible deployment feature.

Roll Back Versions using Retire and Deactivate

Workspace ONE UEM uses the Retire Previous Version option to roll Apple iOS applications back to a previous version that is marked active. Rolling back versions depends on the Version value. Workspace ONE UEM pushes the application version with the previous Version number, not the previous Actual File Version number.

You can roll back versions using Retire and Deactivate.

  • When you Retire an application, the results might vary depending on the presence of other active versions and the Push Mode of the active versions.
  • When you Deactivate an application, Workspace ONE UEM removes it from the devices it is assigned to at the specified organization group and all its child organization groups.

    If there is a lower, active version of the application, then that lower version pushes to devices. If there is a higher numbered version in a higher organization group, that version is still available to devices.