Citrix Workspace app for Android - Preview

This documentation describes the features and configuration of Citrix Workspace app 26.3.0. This version is the preview of the latest version of Citrix Workspace app for Android.

Early Adopter Release (EAR) build for 26.3.0 is available on the Google Play Store for the purpose of testing or validation. The intent is to make organizations ready for the upcoming release and is NOT advised to be deployed in production environments.

To access the EAR build on the Google Play Store, search Citrix Workspace app and open the app. Scroll to the Join the beta section, and click Join.

What’s new in 2603

The following are the features:

• Always On Tracing (AOT)
• Smarter control using Mobile Device Management and Global App Configuration service
• Mobile Device Management (MDM) nested JSON configuration support
• Enhanced automatic keyboard show-hide with Windows VDA
• Improved support for EDT Lossy connections with Secure HDX
• Anti-keylogging support for Web Interface
• Real-time keyboard settings in Citrix Workspace app for Android
• IdP chained logout on inactivity timeout
• Session toolbar configuration through Global App Configuration service and Mobile Device Management
• Deprecation announcement of Android 13
• Deprecation notification of legacy features

Always On Tracing (AOT)

Citrix Workspace app for Android now supports Always On Tracing (AOT), continuously capturing readable diagnostic logs for user sessions and system events to simplify troubleshooting and reduce reliance on Citrix Support.

For more information, see Uploading the AOT logs from Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops core components in Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops™ documentation.

Smarter control of reconnection alert dialog after SR/ACR expiry using Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Global App Configuration Service (GACS)

When the internet connection is lost and the app attempts to reconnect, the app triggers Session Reliability (SR) and AutoClientReconnect (ACR). If the session does not resume before SR/ACR expiry, the app displays a Reconnection Alert dialog prompting the user to reconnect.

Mobile Device Management (MDM) and Global App Configuration Service (GACS) can now control this reconnection alert dialog. MDM and GACS policies determine whether the system shows the Reconnection Alert dialog after SR and ACR have both expired.

The app respects Mobile Device Management and Global App Configuration service policies to determine whether to display the Reconnection Alert dialog when a session ends due to Session Reliability (SR) or AutoClientReconnect (ACR) expiry.

Administrators configure this behavior using the settings_manual_reconnect key:

• Key: settings_manual_reconnect

• Type: Boolean (true or false)

Behavior:

• settings_manual_reconnect = true

  • The app displays the Reconnection Alert dialog when a session ends due to SR-ACR expiry, allowing users to manually decide whether to reconnect.

  • Note: The dialog appears only if the corresponding feature is also enabled internally (through feature flag).

• settings_manual_reconnect = false

  • The app doesn’t show the Reconnection Alert dialog in this scenario and terminates the session.

    This setting allows administrators to centrally control whether users see the Reconnection Alert dialog, tailoring the reconnection experience to their environment.

Clearer, more user-friendly reconnection messages

When the app attempts to reconnect, users see context-aware messages that explain why the session was interrupted and what the app is doing. This enhancement makes the experience more transparent and reduces confusion.

Examples:

• Network interruption

  “Network interruption. Trying to reconnect for 00:30”*

  The app displays this message when connectivity issues cause the session to drop and the app attempts to restore it.

• Device locked

  “Your device locked. Trying to reconnect for 00:30”

  The app displays this message when the session is interrupted because the device was locked, and the app tries to resume the session.

• App in background for a long time

  “App moved to the background. Trying to reconnect for 00:30”

  This message appears when the app has been in the background long enough for the session to be disrupted, and it re-establishes the connection.

• Fallback (generic) error

  “Lost connection. Trying to reconnect for 00:30”

  The app uses this message when the exact cause of the disconnection is unknown, but the app still attempts to reconnect.

Mobile Device Management (MDM) nested JSON configuration support

Citrix Workspace app for Android supports nested JSON structures for Mobile Device Management (MDM) configuration and complies with the AppConfig (appconfig.org) guidelines. Organizations can define structured, hierarchical configuration values for advanced use cases, following industry standards for managed app configuration on both platforms.

Your MDM provider’s capabilities determine nested JSON support. The application correctly parses and applies nested JSON payloads, but some MDM solutions do not fully support or correctly deliver nested JSON structures as part of their AppConfig implementation.

If you require nested JSON configuration and experience issues such as:

• Configuration values not being applied as expected
• Nested keys being flattened, ignored, or rejected
• Errors while saving or deploying AppConfig payloads

Contact your MDM provider directly to confirm their level of support for nested JSON AppConfig payloads and any applicable limitations or required formatting.

The supported configuration schema and keys remain aligned with AppConfig standards, and you do not need to make application-side changes when using an MDM solution that fully supports nested JSON delivery.

Enhanced automatic keyboard show-hide with Windows VDA

Citrix Workspace app for Android version 26.3.0 improves the automatic keyboard show-hide behavior when connecting to Windows Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA). This enhancement provides more intelligent keyboard management that responds to user interaction patterns, reducing unintended keyboard dismissals during active input sessions.

In earlier versions, Citrix Workspace app for Android immediately hid the on-screen keyboard whenever the Windows VDA sent a hide keyboard request, regardless of the user’s current interaction context. This approach sometimes caused the keyboard to disappear unexpectedly during active typing sessions, interrupting user workflows and requiring manual keyboard reactivation.

The improved functionality introduces intelligent context analysis before running keyboard hide requests from Windows VDA. When Citrix Workspace app for Android receives a hide keyboard request, the app now evaluates recent user interaction:

• Active user interaction detected: If the app detects a valid user single-tap event, the keyboard hides immediately to maintain responsive behavior
• No recent user interaction: If no valid single-tap event occurred, the hide request remains pending rather than executing immediately
• Deferred execution: The pending hide request runs when the user performs their next single-tap in a non-editable area, ensuring the action aligns with user intent

Benefits

• Reduced workflow interruption: Users experience fewer unintended keyboard dismissals during active typing sessions
• Improved user experience: The keyboard remains visible when users need it most, maintaining focus on input tasks
• Intelligent interaction handling: The feature distinguishes between system-generated requests and user-initiated actions
• Seamless VDA integration: Enhanced behavior works transparently with Windows VDA keyboard management

This enhancement specifically benefits users who frequently interact with text fields, forms, and applications requiring sustained keyboard input within their Windows VDA sessions.

Improved support for EDT Lossy connections with Secure HDX

Citrix Workspace app for Android now includes enhanced logic for EDT (Enlightened Data Transport) lossy connections in direct communication scenarios between the client and the Virtual Delivery Agent (VDA). Previously, enabling EDT lossy for audio and graphics transmission required DTLS. Now, this requirement has been removed, simplifying configuration and improving flexibility.

With this update, Secure HDX 2.0 is now recognized as a valid encryption method for lossy packets, eliminating the dependency on DTLS when Secure HDX is in use. This improvement delivers a more secure and flexible connection experience. It is beneficial for environments using HDX Direct or Secure HDX configurations, while encryption standards are maintained without relying solely on DTLS.

Anti-keylogging support for Web Interface

Citrix Workspace app for Android now provides anti-keylogging support for Web Interface (Custom Portal) environments. This feature protects sensitive information by preventing malware keyboards and custom keyboards from capturing keystrokes on the sign-in screen, resource enumeration screen, and during Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops sessions. Anti-keylogging support was previously available only for cloud store and on-premises store configurations, and now extends to Web Interface deployments for enhanced security across all Workspace app environments.

Real-time keyboard settings in Citrix Workspace app for Android

Citrix Workspace app for Android now applies keyboard setting changes immediately during active sessions without requiring a session reconnection. This enhancement eliminates the previous workflow where users needed to disconnect and reconnect their sessions for keyboard configuration changes to take effect.

Previously, users who modified keyboard-related settings in Citrix Workspace app for Android such as Keyboard Layout Sync, External Keyboard Input Mode (Scancode/Unicode), or other keyboard preferences experienced workflow interruptions. These changes required ending the current session and establishing a new connection before the updated settings became active. This process disrupted productivity and created friction in the user experience, particularly for users who frequently adjust their keyboard configurations to match different work contexts or VDA environments.

The real-time keyboard settings feature provides immediate application of configuration changes across all supported keyboard settings:

• Keyboard Layout Synchronization: Enable or disable automatic keyboard layout synchronization between the Android device and VDA without session interruption
• External Keyboard Input Mode: Switch between Scancode and Unicode modes for external keyboards instantly during active sessions
• Keyboard shortcuts and hotkeys: Modify how system shortcuts behave between local device and remote session
• IME (Input Method Editor) settings: Adjust language input methods and keyboard layouts on-the-fly

Benefits

• Improved productivity - Users maintain their workflow continuity by applying keyboard settings immediately without losing session state, unsaved work, or active applications.

• Enhanced user experience - The feature eliminates the friction of session reconnection, creating a seamless configuration experience that matches user expectations from modern applications.

• Flexible configuration management - Users can test and adjust keyboard settings in real-time to find optimal configurations for their specific use cases without multiple session restarts.

• Better support for mixed environments - Organizations with diverse keyboard requirements benefit from users’ ability to quickly adapt their input methods when switching between different VDA environments or tasks.

Feature limitations

• Changes apply to the current active session; multiple concurrent sessions require individual configuration.
• Some advanced keyboard features might have brief synchronization delays depending on network conditions.
• External keyboard detection occurs at connection time; hot-swapping keyboards might require a brief configuration refresh.

Additional information

For additional information about keyboard configuration options, see:

• Scancode input mode for external keyboard.
• Keyboard layout synchronization.
• Enhanced on-screen keyboard experience.

IdP chained logout on inactivity timeout

Citrix Workspace app for Android now supports Identity Provider (IdP) chained logout when Workspace sessions time out due to inactivity. This enhancement ensures that both the Workspace session and the associated IdP session terminate when inactivity timeout occurs, requiring users to re-authenticate with the IdP for subsequent login attempts.

Previously, an inactive Workspace session terminated only the Workspace session itself. When users attempted to log back in and the system redirected them to an Identity Provider such as Entra ID, the IdP session remained active. This behavior allowed users to re-enter Workspace without providing credentials again, creating a security gap.

The IdP chained logout feature addresses this security concern by triggering an IdP logout when a Workspace session times out due to inactivity. This process terminates the IdP session completely, ensuring that users must re-authenticate with the IdP for any subsequent login attempts after an inactivity timeout.

Benefits

Organizations, including Allianz, require the IdP session to end when Citrix Workspace logs out. This feature aligns with security requirements by ensuring that inactive Workspace sessions properly terminate the associated IdP sessions, enhancing overall security and compliance.

Configuration

Administrators can enable or disable this functionality through a new configuration setting within the Workspace configuration. You can manage this setting to suit your organization’s security policies.

Important considerations

This implementation provides a chained IdP logout, which specifically logs users out of the IdP session. This approach differs from a federated IdP logout, which terminates sessions for other applications. This feature ensures that only the IdP session relevant to Citrix Workspace terminates.

For more information, see Workspace Sessions in Citrix Workspace documentation.

Session toolbar configuration through Global App Configuration service and Mobile Device Management

Citrix Workspace app for Android supports centralized session toolbar configuration through both Global App Configuration service (GACS) and Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions. This enhancement allows administrators to control which toolbar options users see during their sessions, standardizing user experiences across the organization while maintaining security and compliance requirements.

Configuration methods

Administrators can configure session toolbar options using the following two methods:

Global App Configuration service (GACS):

Administrators can configure toolbar settings through Citrix Cloud’s Client App management interface. The configuration process is as follows:

1. Sign in to Citrix Cloud and navigate to Client app management.
2. Select Citrix Workspace app > Session experience > Toolbar.
3. Choose the desired toolbar options and apply platform filters as needed.
4. Enable or disable specific toolbar features through checkboxes.

5. Click Save and Publish the configuration to make it effective.

   GACS configuration changes take up to 6 hours to take effect due to caching mechanisms.

Mobile Device Management (MDM):

MDM deploys configurations through enterprise mobility management solutions as managed configurations for Citrix Workspace app for Android. MDM settings override GACS configurations when both exist. Organizations add session toolbar configurations to appSettings as name-value key pairs within the managed configuration policy.

Supported toolbar options

The session toolbar configuration includes the following options:

Benefits

• Centralized management: Administrators can control toolbar configurations centrally through GACS or MDM, ensuring consistent user experiences across the organization.
• Enhanced security: Organizations can restrict access to specific toolbar functions based on security policies and compliance requirements.
• Flexible deployment: The feature supports both cloud-based GACS and on-premises MDM solutions, accommodating different organizational infrastructures.
• Priority-based configuration: MDM settings override GACS configurations, enabling granular control for specific device groups or users.
• Immediate application: Toolbar configuration changes apply to new sessions immediately after the configuration cache refreshes.

Deprecation announcement of Android 13

Starting with version 26.3.0, Citrix Workspace app for Android doesn’t support Android 13.

Citrix recommends updating devices to the latest available Android version to ensure optimal performance, security, and compatibility. For more information, see Deprecation.

Deprecation notification of legacy features

Starting with version 26.3.0, Citrix Workspace app for Android doesn’t support the legacy features like Metro Apps and Citrix Casting. For more information, see Deprecation.

Fixed issues in 2603

• When users launch Workspace on the native device screen and then move the session to an external monitor, UI elements display at an incorrect size that appears too large. The app fails to properly adjust font scaling and icon sizing when transitioning between displays with different DPI settings. [RFANDROID-13836]

• When users launch a desktop session on the Samsung DeX screen and click the Extend toolbar button after the session completes loading, the extended screen resizing progress indicator continues displaying indefinitely. The app fails to automatically dismiss the progress indicator when screen resizing finishes. [HDX-100587]

• When you enable the policy setting Use video codec for compression and set the value to For the entire screen, the multi-display support on Samsung DeX feature might not work. The app becomes unresponsive when you click the Extend button with this policy enabled. [HDX-94055]

• When users access the toolbar, the External Camera option always displays even when no USB camera is attached to the device. The app fails to dynamically check for USB camera presence before showing the toolbar option, causing users to see an unavailable feature. [HDX-96589]

• [https://citrix.atlassian.net/browse/HDX-96810] - Friendly Summary - Doc not required since it is low chance to happen on specific devices

Known issues in 2603

There are no known issues in this release.

Citrix Workspace app for Android - EAR feedback

You can give the EAR feedback at: https://forms.office.com/r/nWPg4D9C1G.

Important:

The Early Adopter Release (EAR) documentation is available for information purposes only. It isn’t a commitment, promise, or legal obligation to deliver any material, code, or functionality and must not be relied upon in making Citrix® product purchase decisions. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described in the EAR documentation remain at our sole discretion and are subject to change without notice or consultation. Citrix does not accept support cases for EAR but welcomes feedback for improving them. Citrix might act on feedback based on its severity, criticality, and importance.