Pre-install measurement with Google Play Auto Install (PAI)

When a user activates a new device for the first time, it auto-installs predefined apps from the cloud. Set up Google Play Auto Install to measure these preinstalled apps accurately.

How it works

  1. The Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) need to format values using the required parameters and insert them into the utm_campaign.
  2. When a user launches a preinstalled app for the first time, the Adjust SDK retrieves the encoded utm_campaign value via the Google Play referrer API.
  3. Adjust then makes the attribution decision based on the data appended within the utm_campaign parameter. The default attribution window is 30 days.

The parameters available to OEMs are:

ParameterRequirementExplanation
adj_trackerMandatoryAdjust link token
adj_campaignOptionalAdjust campaign parameter
adj_adgroupOptionalAdjust adgroup parameter
adj_creativeOptionalAdjust creative parameter
install_callbackOptionalPartner install callback URL

Supported partners

Google Play Auto Install is currently supported by these partners:

  • Oppo
  • Transsion | 传音
  • Vivo
  • Xiaomi

Setup

To set up pre-install measurement with Google Play Auto Install, follow the steps below.

1. Set up the install referrer

You need to set up the Google Play Install Referrer within the Adjust SDK. You app needs to be on Adjust SDK v4.12.0 or newer.

2. Retrieve the link token

Create a link and share the link token with your preinstall partner.

For example, https://app.adjust.com/abc123 where abc123 is the link token. Link tokens may be six to eight characters long and you always need to share the full link token.

3. Partner formatting

The OEM need to format the value using the required parameters and insert into the utm_campaign parameter. For example:

adj_tracker=abc123&adj_campaign=oem_pai&install_callback=https%3A%2F%2Fmyserver.com%3Fgaid%3D%7Bgps_adid%7D

4. Google encoding

Now, Google encodes the utm_campaign automatically and relays this information back to Adjust.

This is an example of the referrer Adjust receives:

utm_source=play-auto-installs&utm_medium=preload&utm_campaign=adj_tracker%3Dabc123%26adj_campaign%3Doem_pai%26install_callback%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fmyserver.com%253Fgaid%253D%257Bgps_adid%257D

You're all set! Adjust can now measures preinstalls using Google Play Auto Install.