Automate instance parameters
You can use user data parameters, to configure the following instance settings during your deployment process:
- Toggle ADB connection
- Configure Authentication
- Root the device
- Not available for all Android versions. Check Root Access for more details.
- Change the Device display settings
- Set a Domain name for the SSL certificate
- More parameters will be added in the future.
Parameters and code
User parameters are in JSON format: { "parameter": "value" }.
Supported objects and parameters are as follows.
Top-level parameters
| Key/Object | Type | Description | Default | |---|---|---|---| | applyEveryBoot | Boolean | If true, parameters values are applied after every boot. | false | | configuration | Object | Instance specific configuration (see configuration object) | {} | | hwProfile | Object | Virtual device specific configuration (see hwprofile object) | {} | | user_dns | String | Domain name for SSL certificate. | |
configuration object
| Key (Parameter) | Type | Description | Default | |---|---|---|---| | root.active | Boolean | If true, the device is "rooted". | false | | adb.active | Boolean | If true, ADB access is enabled for the device. | false | | authentication.enable | Boolean | If true, authentication is required. | true | | authentication.username | String | Sets a username (SHA-1)*. | | | authentication.password | String | Sets a password (SHA-1)*. | |
*The username and password objects values must be strings encoded in SHA-1. For example, if you wish to set "genymotion" username with "genYm01!" password: 1. Encode the strings into SHA-1: $ echo -n "genymotion" | openssl sha1 (stdin) = 0db0f30519f66ad6c9f4b42df56a7e08102e8374
$ echo -n "genYm01!" | openssl sha1 (stdin) = 2eaa80a32c113dfe583f3d6120425fec54b89dd8
2. Copy and paste the SHA-1 strings in your JSON:
{
"configuration": {
"authentication": {
"enable": true,
"username": "0db0f30519f66ad6c9f4b42df56a7e08102e8374",
"password": "2eaa80a32c113dfe583f3d6120425fec54b89dd8"
}
}
}
hwprofile object
| Key (Parameter) | Type | Description | Default | |---|---|---|---| | displaySettings.displays | Array | Device display settings. | {} | | width | Integer | Display width (px). | 600 | | height | Integer | Display height (px). | 1024 | | density | Integer | Display density (ddp). | 180 | | contentPadding | Integer | Display padding (px). | 0 | | topCornerRadius | Integer | Radius of the top display rounded corners. | 0 | | bottomCornerRadius | Integer | Radius of the bottom display rounded corners. | 0 |
JSON Example
{ "applyEveryBoot": true, "configuration": { "adb": { "active": true }, "authentication": { "enable": true, "username": "0db0f30519f66ad6c9f4b42df56a7e08102e8374", "password": "2eaa80a32c113dfe583f3d6120425fec54b89dd8" }, "root": { "active": true } }, "hwProfile": { "displaySettings": { "displays": [ { "width": 768, "height": 1280, "density": 160, "contentPadding": 125, "topCornerRadius": 125, "bottomCornerRadius": 0 } ] } }, "user_dns": "genymotion.com" }
Usage by provider
Each Cloud provider has its own way to handle user data parameters. Please follow these tutorials to learn how to use them.
> This feature is not available on Azure.
When creating an instance
AWS | Alibaba | GCP
The parameters can be set when creating the instance, in the Advanced details section at step 3 (Configure Instance):
- You can then copy and paste your code, or import a file containing the code in JSON format.
- The parameters can only be set from an existing instance when it is stopped. See On an existing instance below.
The parameters can be set when creating the instance, in the Management > Metadata section:
- Click ADD ITEM
- In the Key field, input the string genymotionConfig
- In the Value field, copy and paste your JSON code:
Create your instance. Your parameters will be displayed in the VM instance details, in the Custom metadata section:
In an existing instance
AWS | Alibaba | GCP
Make sure the instance is stopped and go to Actions > Instance Settings > Edit user data:
- You can then copy and paste your code, or import a file containing the code in JSON format.
From the Aliyun console, go to Elastic Compute Service > Instances & Images > Instances
- Click on a stopped instance to access its details:
- Click All Operations and select Set user data:
- Copy and paste your JSON code:
- Click Ok to apply the parameters.
Stop the instance if it is running and follow these steps:
- In VM instance details, click EDIT
- In Custom metadata, click Add item
- Set the Key to genymotionConfig and copy and paste your JSON code in the Value field:
- Click Save
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JSON Example (repeatable usage)
[Code blocks above contain the JSON configuration sample.]
[JSON-LD] { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "TechArticle", "headline": "Device image User Guide", "description": "Guide for configuring Genymotion device images via user data and hardware profile parameters.", "datePublished": "2025-12-02", "contentFreshness": "assumed-current", "inLanguage": "en", "keywords": ["Genymotion", "device image", "user data", "configuration object", "hwprofile", "AWS", "GCP", "Azure"], "about": { "@type": "SoftwareApplication", "name": "Genymotion", "applicationCategory": "Android Emulator / Cloud-based virtualization", "description": "Genymotion device image configuration and user data guide" }, "mainEntity": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Device image User Guide" } } [/JSON-LD]