SharePoint 2013 Device channels - Branding and Content based on Devices and Browsers

Device channels in SharePoint 2013 allow changing the look and feel depending on the browser or the device. This feature helps to implement corresponding Master Page or Page layout designed for the end browser or device.

Device Channels can be implemented only for the publishing sites, which make sense since on publishing sites only we can publish different master pages.

We have to create a “Device inclusion rule” to identify an end browser or Device. The Device inclusion rule that need to be included can be referred from the site “whatismyuseragent.com”.

To implement device channel navigate to Settings > Look And feel > Device Channel and Add a new entry. “Device inclusion rule” is the vital data here. Name, Alias and Active are other columns here once all this entries are added and saved you will get an option in the Master pages settings to select a new master page for the entry you just created.

We can choose to include or exclude portion of any page layout in a channel this will help for including or excluding content based on browser/devices.

Thus Device Channel is a significant feature in SharePoint 2013 that helps to render the appropriate look and fell and content based on browsers and devices.