Haven

Haven is a Free and Open-Source Android Work Profile isolation app. It is a modernized fork in the Shelter / Island lineage, focused on maintaining the practical app-isolation workflow while bringing the codebase up to date with current Android security expectations, modern build tooling, and a Material Design 3 Expressive UI.

Haven lets you install, clone, freeze, and run apps inside a managed Work Profile so they stay separate from your main profile. This fork uses the application id io.github.kennethchoinfosec.haven, so it installs as a separate app and does not upgrade or replace existing installs of Shelter, Island, or other Work Profile managers.

Case Study

Problem: Work Profile managers remain useful for Android privacy, but older Shelter / Island lineage code needs modern SDK targeting, dependency maintenance, and a cleaner user experience to remain credible on current devices.

Approach: Haven preserves the proven managed-profile workflow while refreshing the Android build stack, package identity, UI surfaces, and compatibility assumptions around newer platform behavior.

Result: The project demonstrates practical Android security maintenance: keeping a privacy tool auditable, installable beside its predecessors, and aligned with current Android expectations.

Screenshots

Main profile	Work Profile	Clone flow

Features

• Install apps inside a managed Work Profile for isolation
• Clone compatible apps between the main profile and the Work Profile
• Freeze apps inside the Work Profile to prevent background activity
• Create shortcuts for unfreezing, launching, and batch-freezing apps
• Shuttle files across profiles through Android's Documents UI
• Optionally pick individual files from the other profile through Android's system pickers
• Edit apps' manifest-declared managed restrictions in the Work Profile
• Allow Work Profile widgets in the main profile and allow compatible apps to request connected experiences
• Updated Android target SDK, Gradle/AGP stack, and dependency set
• Material Design 3 Expressive app theme, setup wizard, iconography, and navigation surfaces
• Modernized app identity and launcher icon for the Haven rebrand

Security and Maintenance

Haven keeps the original Work Profile isolation model while applying modern security and compatibility maintenance:

• Current Android SDK targeting for newer platform behavior
• Updated dependency versions and build tooling
• Hardened manifest/package identity for the Haven fork
• Compatibility fixes for recent Android permission and provisioning flows
• Continued GPLv3 source availability for auditability

Architecture Snapshot

• Android Device Policy APIs own Work Profile provisioning and profile state.
• The app layer coordinates profile app listing, cloning, freezing, shortcuts, and cross-profile document handoff.
• The Haven package identity isolates this fork from existing Shelter or Island installs.

Status and Roadmap

Current status: active modernization fork.

Near-term roadmap:

• Keep target SDK, AGP, and AndroidX dependencies current.
• Expand device compatibility notes for vendor-specific Work Profile behavior.
• Continue UI polish around setup, clone, freeze, and profile-management flows.

Build

Requirements:

• JDK 17
• Android SDK Platform 37
• Android Build Tools 37.0.0 or newer

Build commands:

./gradlew assembleDebug
./gradlew lintDebug
./gradlew testDebugUnitTest

On Windows, use gradlew.bat instead of ./gradlew.

Important Notes

• Haven depends on Android's Work Profile and Device Policy APIs. Vendor ROMs that break or heavily customize Work Profiles may not work correctly.
• Because Haven uses a new application id, it will not inherit data, profile ownership, shortcuts, or permissions from another Work Profile manager.
• App discovery across the personal and Work Profiles requires QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES. File Shuttle currently accesses shared storage paths directly and requires MANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE. Both permissions are restricted for Google Play distribution and require a policy eligibility review before publishing there; F-Droid and other distribution channels have separate rules.
• The v0.1.5 APK uses a new Haven release certificate with SHA-256 digest 3f041588698bcd386a9f9bc0ab06ef0cf6b32f226e1cb53510a48bbb3f6cfef5. It differs from the Android Debug certificate on v0.1.4, so users must uninstall v0.1.4 before installing v0.1.5; see release signing.
• To uninstall Haven after provisioning, remove the Work Profile in Android Settings first, then uninstall the app normally.

Source and Issues

• Source: https://github.com/Kenneth-Cho-InfoSec/Haven
• Issues: https://github.com/Kenneth-Cho-InfoSec/Haven/issues
• Issue implementation status: docs/ISSUE_REMEDIATION.md

License

Haven remains licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0. See LICENSE.