Mobile properties

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 2 minutes to read
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    Summary of Mobile properties

    Mobile properties in ServiceNow allow administrators to enable or disable features in ServiceNow mobile apps dynamically without needing to upgrade the entire instance. These properties act as feature flags, configured as key/value pairs in thesyssgpropertiestable, and are communicated to mobile client apps after user authentication. Introduced in the San Diego release, mobile properties provide flexibility in managing mobile app functionalities aligned with monthly app releases that include bug fixes and feature updates.

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    Application Scope and Precedence

    When creating mobile properties, admins assign them to specific application scopes, which determines their availability. The selection of which property applies follows precedence rules:

    • Global scope takes precedence: If a property is defined globally and in other scopes, the global definition overrides others.
    • Most recently updated scope applies: If no global property exists, the system uses the property from the application scope that was updated most recently.

    Key Mobile Properties and Their Uses

    • clientRefresh: Controls automatic refreshing of the mobile app and can adjust the refresh scope.
    • sncexternal role attachments: Allows external users with this role to view, upload, and download attachments via the mobile app.
    • ShowDateTimeInUTC: Switches date/time fields between the device's time zone (default) and UTC.
    • useDeviceSettingsForDateTimeFormats: Configures mobile apps to use the date/time format of the user's device.
    • mobileCardsShowSeconds, recordScreenDetailsShowSeconds, activityStreamShowSeconds: Hide seconds in date/time fields on various mobile UI components.
    • Extend embedded web sessions: Keeps mobile users logged in until the OAuth token expires, improving session continuity.
    • EnableCameraFocusEnhancement, EnableMaxCameraResolution: Enhance barcode scanning capabilities on Android devices.
    • externalScanEnabled: Enables barcode scanning via external scanners while the device camera remains available.
    • Role-based attachment capabilities on Android: Combine system and mobile properties to control sharing, downloading, and viewing attachments externally based on user roles.
    • preventAppKillOnAuth: Prevents Android apps from being killed during background authentication for smoother login experiences.
    • Zero Trust Access (ZTA) banner: Option to disable the ZTA banner on mobile app screens where enabled.
    • PINIdleTimeout: Defines inactivity timeout for PIN entry, enhancing mobile app security.
    • AsyncAttachmentsUploadEnabled: Enables asynchronous (background) uploading of attachments in the mobile app.

    Practical Benefits for ServiceNow Customers

    By leveraging mobile properties, customers can:

    • Rapidly toggle mobile app features on or off without waiting for instance upgrades.
    • Customize mobile app behavior and appearance based on organizational needs and user roles.
    • Improve mobile user experience with enhanced security settings, session management, and device-specific configurations.
    • Optimize mobile app performance and functionality, including barcode scanning and attachment handling.

    These capabilities enable customers to maintain control over their mobile environment, delivering tailored and secure mobile experiences aligned with business requirements.

    Mobile properties enable admins to turn on or turn off features in ServiceNow apps without upgrading the ServiceNow instance.

    The ServiceNow Platform server controls the features that are available on your mobile app. The server instance is released with new features for every family release. New versions of the mobile apps are released to the Apple Store and the Google Play Store every month. These monthly releases of mobile apps usually contain bug fixes but can also contain new features. These new features can be turned on or off with mobile properties.

    Mobile properties can be configured to set flags on your ServiceNow instance. These "flags" are records structured as key/value pairs in the sys_sg_properties table. They can turn on or turn off features on your mobile client apps. The ServiceNow instance sends the mobile property to mobile client apps after authentication.

    Mobile properties are available starting with the San Diego release.

    Application scope and mobile properties

    When you create a mobile property, you select the application scope for which the property is available in the Mobile Properties New record form. To change the list of available application scopes, select the globe icon (Globe icon.) on the instance banner and then select Application scope:application_scope.

    Application scope precedence

    When multiple mobile properties of the same name are defined for multiple application scopes, the system applies precedence rules to select a mobile property to use. The following scenarios use the clientRefresh mobile property as an example to show how the precedence rules work.

    Scenario 1: Global application scope always takes precedence
    If a mobile property is defined for multiple application scopes and one of those is the global application scope, then the property defined for global application scope always takes precedence. In this case, the following actions occur:
    1. The system calls for the clientRefresh property on an instance.
    2. The system finds three clientRefresh properties defined for this instance:
      Property name Application scope Updated (date and time)
      clientRefresh Global 2021-12-06 10:41:00
      clientRefresh Now Mobile 2021-12-06 10:38:41
      clientRefresh Agent Workspace 2021-12-06 10:42:06
    3. The system chooses the clientRefresh property defined for the global application scope.

    In scenario 1, the clientRefresh property defined for the global application scope takes precedence.

    Scenario 2: If the mobile property isn't defined for global application scope, then the most recently updated property takes precedence
    If a mobile property is defined for multiple application scopes but if there is no property with global application scope, then the system uses the most recently updated property. In this case, the following actions occur:
    1. The system calls for the clientRefresh property on an instance.
    2. The system finds three clientRefresh properties defined for this instance:
      Property name Application scope Updated (date and time)
      clientRefresh Now Mobile 2021-12-06 10:38:41
      clientRefresh Asset Management for mobile 2021-12-06 10:42:06
      clientRefresh Agent Workspace 2021-12-06 12:06:20
    3. The system chooses the clientRefresh property that was most recently updated.

    In scenario 2, the clientRefresh property defined for the agent workspace application scope was the most recently updated. All three mobile properties were updated on 2021-12-06. The property defined for the agent workspace application scope was updated at 12:06:20. That time is almost one and a half hours after the other two. The system chooses the clientRefresh property defined for the agent workspace application scope because it's the most recently updated clientRefresh property.