Can a mobile app programmatically trigger the OneDrive mobile app?

Interacting with OneDrive Mobile App from Third-Party Apps

 1. Directly Triggering the OneDrive Mobile App

No Supported Method Exists:
Microsoft does not provide any documented or supported mechanisms (like Android Intents, iOS URL schemes, or similar) for third-party apps to programmatically trigger the OneDrive mobile app to perform actions (e.g., creating folders or uploading files).

• Android: No Intent-based interactions are supported for OneDrive operations.
• iOS: No URL schemes (e.g., onedrive://) are published for file/folder creation or uploads.
• Rationale: Allowing third-party apps to directly invoke OneDrive’s UI for operations would bypass critical security controls (e.g., user consent, permissions) and create inconsistent experiences.

 2. Supported Approach: Microsoft Graph API

The Only Officially Supported Method:
The Microsoft Graph API is the definitive, platform-agnostic solution for programmatic interactions with OneDrive/SharePoint. This includes:

• Creating folders
• Uploading files
• Managing permissions
• Querying content
• Access via REST API or SDKs (Android/iOS).

Authentication:
Requires OAuth 2.0 with the Files.ReadWrite.All or Sites.ReadWrite.All scope (for SharePoint). Users must authenticate and grant consent via Microsoft Identity.

Mobile Integration:
Use the Microsoft Graph SDKs for Android/iOS to streamline API calls, token handling, and error management.

 3. Alternative: OneDrive Picker (Limited Scope)

File/Folder Selection Only:
The OneDrive File Picker allows users to select files/folders from OneDrive within your app (not trigger OneDrive’s app). It supports:

• Web and mobile (via OAuth).
• Read access (download), but not write operations (create folders/upload files).
• Not for Programmatic Writes: This is user-driven selection, not automation.

 4. Deep Linking (View-Only)

• View-Only Links:
  You can generate deep links to open specific files/folders in the OneDrive mobile app (e.g., for viewing). For example:
• iOS: msauth://v2.0?path=/drive/root/children
• Android: https://onedrive.live.com/redir?path={encoded-path}
• Limitation: Only supports navigation, not creation/modification.
• Not for CRUD Operations: Deep links cannot create folders or upload files.

Official Recommendations

• Use Microsoft Graph for Writes: For creating folders/uploading files, always use Microsoft Graph. This ensures:
• Compliance with Microsoft’s security model.
• Cross-platform consistency (Android/iOS/web).
• Access to advanced features (permissions, versioning, etc.).
• Avoid Undocumented Hacks: Reverse-engineering URL schemes/Intents violates platform policies and risks app rejection (Apple App Store/Google Play) or breaking with future updates.
• Leverage SDKs: Use the Microsoft Authentication Library (MSAL) and Graph SDKs for secure integration.

Resources

Graph API Documentation:

• Create a folder in OneDrive
• Upload files to OneDrive

SDKs:

• Android SDK
• iOS SDK

Authentication:

• MSAL for Android/iOS

In summary: The Microsoft Graph API is the only supported method for programmatically creating folders/uploading files to OneDrive/SharePoint from mobile apps. No direct interaction with the OneDrive mobile app for these operations is officially supported.

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