[Android] Supported Links not Opening in External Apps

[Hazbelll]

Description

When following a link that is supported (and configured to open) in an installed app, the link is not passed to that app, but instead Brave opens it instead.

For simplicity, the reproduction steps below will demonstrate the issue for YouTube specifically, however all links and their corresponding apps are affected the same way.

Steps to reproduce

1. Ensure the official YouTube app is installed and set to open supported links (Settings > Apps and notifications > YouTube > Open by default > Open supported links > Allow app to open supported links).
2. Visit a search engine (DuckDuckGo, Google, Bing, etc.).
3. Search for something that returns video results from YouTube (Such as "cool videos").
4. Tap on any YouTube video link to open it.

Actual result

The selected link will open in Brave (m.youtube.com).

Expected result

The selected link will open in the YouTube app (com.google.android.youtube).

Issue reproduces how often

Easily reproduced.

Version/Channel Information:

• Can you reproduce this issue with the current Play Store version?: Yes.
• Can you reproduce this issue with the current Play Store Beta version?: Yes (According to other users).
• Can you reproduce this issue with the current Play Store Nightly version?: Yes (According to other users).

Device details

• Install type (ARM, x86): ARM64
• Device type (Phone, Tablet, Phablet): Phone (Google Pixel 3a)
• Android version: 11 (RP1A.201005.004)

Brave version

1.15.76

Website problems only

• Does the issue resolve itself when disabling Brave Shields?: No.
• Does the issue resolve itself when disabling Brave Rewards?: No.
• Is the issue reproducible on the latest version of Chrome?: No (According to other users).

Additional information

Others facing the same issue can be found on Brave's Subreddit here and here.

[Hazbelll]

Found various other users who have reported this issue on Brave's own forum here, here and here.

It seems this bug might be cause of a regression introduced in Brave version 1.15.76 from reading.

[srirambv]

Can you try disabling Video playback in Brave under site settings (last option). This is enabled by default.

[Hazbelll]

@srirambv This has already been disabled, and others have confirmed the same in the above links.

As stated in the OP, this issue is not specifically related to YouTube links. Links to Wikipedia articles, Facebook posts, Twitter posts, etc. all suffer the same issue, not opening in their corresponding apps when configured to anymore.

[jordanbtucker]

I have this same issue on a Pixel 3a. I also have Video playback in Brave disabled.

[Hazbelll]

@srirambv Please remove the 'needs-more-info' tag from this issue as it has been provided, unless further clarification is required?

[Hazbelll]

Another user facing this issue can be found Here.

As they mention, it seems certain links that open the Play Store to recommend the user to download an app that can handle such links still work.

I just tested by opening a link to a Reddit thread in Brave, to which the webpage nags me to download the Reddit app. When tapping the link to do so, the Play Store is opened to the official Reddit app's download page successfully. Tested with Imgur too, same result.

Unsure if this might be related, although following any links that would normally open a corresponding installed app still fail. Brave might incorrectly open the Play Store of a recommended app when following such links instead of opening in an installed app that can already handle/set to open the followed link (In my case, Boost for Reddit would launch when following Reddit links).

[Hazbelll]

@srirambv Has anyone from the Brave Team been able to successfully reproduce this issue?

Is there anything else we could do to assist?

[srirambv]

I can't reproduce with YT links. This is what I see on the current release build

@Hazbelll let me know if I am doing anything different?

opening a link to a Reddit thread in Brave, to which the webpage nags me to download the Reddit app

Unfortunately, that is something the site has made up mind to annoy users with and opening playstore is right if you don't have the app installed. If installed it should switch to the app

[jordanbtucker]

I've followed those same steps, and it's still not opening m.youtube.com links in the YouTube app.

[Hazbelll]

@srirambv I too have followed your steps, same as @jordanbtucker and too experience links opening in m.youtube.com instead of the YouTube app.

Are you able to test with other apps other than YouTube? For example, Wikipedia using the same steps.

Very interesting to see this issue has suddenly appeared for some users, but not all. I wonder why.

I would appreciate anyone who might be reading this attempt to reproduce it on their devices if possible.

[Hazbelll]

@srirambv @jordanbtucker Would you mind stating what version of Android is running on your devices?

I'm on 11 myself.

[jordanbtucker]

Android 11 on a Pixel 3a.

[Hazbelll]

Another user facing this issue Here.

I'm starting to believe this issue only occurs for Android 11 users. It looks like everyone affected is running a device with the latest Android OS anyway.

@srirambv Please comment.

[Hazbelll]

Another report Here.

Again, running Android 11.

[Dayofthejackalope]

Same issue here. Tested with both YouTube and Wikipedia apps. Works in Chrome.
Brave 1.15.76
Android 11; build RP1A.201005.006
Pixel 4a

[Hazbelll]

@bsclifton Perhaps you could elevate the severity of this issue?

It's affecting many users that are using a combination of Brave Version 1.15.76 (Or newer) and Android 11 (On any device).

We are happy to assist in any way possible.

[Hazbelll]

Issue persists in Brave Version 1.16.70.

@srirambv @bsclifton Would greatly appreciate this issue not be ignored considering this isn't BAT/Rewards related...

[bsclifton]

@deeppandya are you able to reproduce this on Android 11?

[srirambv]

I have tried the steps on Pixel 3xl with Android 11 and OnePlus 6T with Android 10 and can't reproduce. For YT it always switches to the YouTube app. Tried disabling and force stop Brave and tried again it works. I do notice this prompt for Wiki page and selecting Wikipedia always opens the links in the dedicated app.

The one thing that folks can try is force stop Brave and clear storage and try again but it would be like resetting the app so everything will be nuked(bookmarks/history/rewards)

[jordanbtucker]

I have already tried resetting the app and configuring the proper settings, but it still won't open YouTube links in the YouTube app.

[srirambv]

+1 from @eturk1 via #12446

[said50]

Also banking site that has a button "Click here to pay with your banking app" doesn't work. Nothing happens when I spam that button. Disabled Brave shield, issue still persists. It's working fine on chrome. The url is bancontact.girogate.be
Same with Philips Hue app. The app asks me to sign in, it opens brave, when I sign in it doesn't redirect me back to the app.

[Hazbelll]

Thank you @bsclifton and @srirambv for casting attention to this issue! Incredibly strange you are not experiencing this issue @srirambv, even on Android 11.

I and others can confirm (@jordanbtucker and a User Here) that resetting Brave to its initial state does not correct the issue.

This issue began with the release of Brave Version 1.15.76 so perhaps might be worth looking into what - changed that could be causing this?

[LaurenWags]

Verification passed on Asus Zenfone (x86) with Android 6.0 running 1.16.75 Bravex86.apk

• Verified test plan from introduces a new permission for Android 11 to allow open links in ext… brave-core#7080

---

Verification PASSED on Pixel 2 XL running Android 11 using 1.16.75 CR: 86.0.4240.193

• Verified the STR/Cases outlined via introduces a new permission for Android 11 to allow open links in ext… brave-core#7080 (comment)
  • Checked with both Video playback in Brave enabled/disabled

---

Verification passed on Brave v1.16.75 on Samsung Galaxy Tab S5e (Android 9.0)

• Verified test plan from introduces a new permission for Android 11 to allow open links in ext… brave-core#7080

[eturk1]

Please reopen this big report

It's broken again in all 3 versions: release, beta, nightly.
Facebook & other links failing to open in app

Tap these links in Brave app, with apps installed, they just go to website
https://facebook.com
https://www.washingtonpost.com

But an Instagram link will ask "open with"

Fail: stays in browser, doesn't even ask what app to open link with

(Yes, I even tried resetting spp by clearing data)

[blogmangit]

on android go to settings > site settings > video playback on brave (disable this).

brave android has a default settings of running videos on browser if that's enabled then videos will not be played on external apps.

[yurighensev]

Just recently I came across this problem again. Android 11.
I found out that just disabling video playback in Brave isn't enough, you also need to allow the app to open those links. Not sure why my YouTube had that disabled, this is how I fixed it:

Settings > Apps > Default apps > YouTube > Open by default > Open supported links (enable it)

[bonecountysheriff]

Settings -> Default Apps -> Opening Links
All apps are supposed to be listed. Brave is the only one that seems to be missing.

[CZTeo]

Tried all the solutions listed here,none worked,Brave only opens link in browser only

[CZTeo]

for me,it seems to work some apps but not youtube.Video playback is already turned off

[spyro2000]

Deinstalled Brave, tired of this. Congratulations to Chrome where it just works.

[nudeln]

Edit: I'm an idiot. Dunno if I pocket pressed or kids did something, but my problem was fixed by just enabling "Allow app links to open in apps outside of Brave" under Settings -> Brave Shields & privacy and under section Other privacy settings. Sorry for the fuz!

I face the same issue since yesterday. Brave is no longer able to open links which are intended to trigger an external app. The issue is confirmed with at least two apps, namely WhatsApp and (Swedish) BankID. It all works fine with Chrome. E.g. this link opens up WhatsApp fine for Chrome, but not Brave:
https://api.whatsapp.com/send?phone=+1234567890

Made an OS update yesterday, which is suspected to have introduced the problem, so now I am on (Brave and Android). On a Pixel 6.

[ZANX3Y]

Must have been caused by the update two days ago, as this setting was disabled on both of my phones (also Android 13).
Glad that you figured it out though, definitely saved me some time, thanks.

[nudeln]

Must have been caused by the update two days ago, as this setting was disabled on both of my phones (also Android 13). Glad that you figured it out though, definitely saved me some time, thanks.

Glad it helped someone, maybe I wasn't the idiot after all 😊

[pateljoel]

This issue is still happening and needs to be reopened My Android phone doesn't recognise any app links so this issue isn't solved after I have tried everything here.

[pateljoel]

So I followed @nudeln's the above and links work again.

But the UX on this is very poor from Brave's side as nobody is going to do this at all and apps that rely on external links are broken everywhere.

I'm a visual learner so if you are looking at this from the future (hi there!) and you stumble across this silly issue Brave has caused, below is how you fix this:

1. Open the Brave app
2. Go to Brave's Settings
3. Tap "Brave Shields & Privacy" (Important)
4. Scroll to "Other Privacy Settings" where you see "Allow app links to open in apps outside of Brave"
5. Turn the switch on.

I can't imagine how many support teams have had their time wasted on this issue.

[ryanleec]

So turns out my issue was resolved by the guide @nudeln posted. And I agree with @pateljoel - this was handled poorly. Why was this setting turned on by default? It seems silly to assume that a person only wants to use Brave for links if they have the appropriate app installed. And to do all this without any explanation or warning?

[parkgrrr]

Hello, I am at developer at SoFi. After many user reports and many hours of tracking down a sudden inability for some users to login, we will likely block users from logging in with Brave entirely, and force them to switch browsers. Please consider reversing this decision, or at least at popup so users can change their setting.

[androidacy-user]

There's already a way to control apps opening links: it's called "open by default" in settings.

This decision from Brave to stop respecting existing user decisions and override them with their supposedly better one is a part of a pattern and why I no longer use and no longer recommend Brave to friends and users. Brave has shown itself to be anti user over and over and unwilling to cater to anyone but their most hardcore base.

Brave, unlike Google, doesn't have the user numbers or loyalty to try to throw away user decisions and tell users what they should be doing.

People don't install apps just to be forced to use the website, and this breaks apps that use a browser based sign in experience as stated above. Even Microsoft edge asks users and/or opts out of this feature by default, and it has a very similar feature. And we all know how pro user choices Microsoft is.

Who the f*** at Brave ok'd this design decision?

[SergeyZhukovsky]

sorry folks, we had a bug similar to that issue that happened recently and it's fixed and a new 1.57.60 version is already available in the Play Store #32586

[androidacy-user]

sorry folks, we had a bug similar to that issue that happened recently and it's fixed and a new 1.57.60 version is already available in the Play Store #32586

Having a single master switch is still a very crappy design, especially when you're replicating a switch android already has but doing it worse with less fine grained control. Maybe a website level permission or better yet, just respect the existing android settings

[ryanleec]

sorry folks, we had a bug similar to that issue that happened recently and it's fixed and a new 1.57.60 version is already available in the Play Store #32586

The problem is that this setting should not exist, period. It's a huge stroke of arrogance to say that the developers know how to be more secure and private than any other app developer in existence.

And then a double issue when it was turned on during an update. Multiple people, self included, know that it was off before that. If that was a mistake, it's a QA issue.

[deeppandya]

sorry folks, we had a bug similar to that issue that happened recently and it's fixed and a new 1.57.60 version is already available in the Play Store #32586

Having a single master switch is still a very crappy design, especially when you're replicating a switch android already has but doing it worse with less fine grained control. Maybe a website level permission or better yet, just respect the existing android settings

@androidacy-user we are actively working on the feature which would provide more granular options and control to the user. Please stay tuned.

[farran]

Came here whilst searching for a solution.
Found that it was broken by design and then fixed by overriding user's phone settings.
Joined Brave a few weeks ago in exodus from Chrome due to Google's enforcing of web DRM.
You think this is a good time to annoy new and existing users?
There are other browsers available you know!
I'll check back in a few days. If you haven't reverted to correct behaviour by then then, see ya ✌️

[eturk1]

1.57.60 still doesn't open many links in the installed app.

Just found problem with Nike app failing to load.

• Search for a Nike product.
• Tap an Amazon link and app opens.
• Tap link to Nike.com and web page opens.

[androidacy-user]

sorry folks, we had a bug similar to that issue that happened recently and it's fixed and a new 1.57.60 version is already available in the Play Store #32586

Having a single master switch is still a very crappy design, especially when you're replicating a switch android already has but doing it worse with less fine grained control. Maybe a website level permission or better yet, just respect the existing android settings

@androidacy-user we are actively working on the feature which would provide more granular options and control to the user. Please stay tuned.

Oh look, you must have already released it!

No, wait. That's the already existing android toggle.

Please, just respect that toggle like almost every other browser does. You don't need to override anything and it certainly seems an unpopular decision judging by the commentary.