Can an Android Drive link specify which Google account to use?

Google Workspace Developers Q&A
1

Our web app, JobPin, opens files stored in Google Drive.

When opening files directly inside the Google Drive app, the appropriate app opens without asking us to select an account. For example, selecting a JPG opens it in the Google Photos editor, while selecting a Word document opens it in Google Docs.

We want the same behaviour from JobPin, using the Google account connected to it.

Instead, on an Android phone with multiple Google accounts, opening a Drive file from JobPin prompts the user to select an account each time.

We succeeded with Word files by linking directly to Google Docs. Opening the file from JobPin then worked without the account chooser.

For photos and PDFs, we tried:

  • Including the account email using authuser.

  • Selecting the correct account in Drive beforehand.

  • Launching Drive directly with a Chrome Android intent link.

All three still show the chooser. A browser-only link skips it, but opens a different viewer rather than the app launched from inside Drive.

Is there a supported link or Android intent option that selects the account and opens the same app that Drive would launch? If not, where should we request this feature?

2

This looks like expected Android behaviour rather than something you can solve with a clever intent. The account chooser appears because the system cannot infer which Google identity should handle the link. Word files work through Docs because that link carries enough context. For photos and PDFs, there may be no supported option, so filing a feature request through the Drive issue tracker is probably your best move.