How do I start my app when the phone starts on Android?

Question

I tried using the sample code in this tutorial but it seems outdated and it did not work. So what changes do I have to make and to what files to have my app start automatically when Android finishes booting up?

Answer 1

First, you need the permission in your AndroidManifest.xml:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" /> 

Also, in yourAndroidManifest.xml, define your service and listen for the BOOT_COMPLETED action:

<service android:name=".MyService" android:label="My Service">     <intent-filter>         <action android:name="com.myapp.MyService" />     </intent-filter> </service>  <receiver     android:name=".receiver.StartMyServiceAtBootReceiver"     android:label="StartMyServiceAtBootReceiver">     <intent-filter>         <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />     </intent-filter> </receiver> 

Then you need to define the receiver that will get the BOOT_COMPLETED action and start your service.

public class StartMyServiceAtBootReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {      @Override     public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {         if (Intent.ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED.equals(intent.getAction())) {             Intent serviceIntent = new Intent(context, MyService.class);             context.startService(serviceIntent);         }     } } 

And now your service should be running when the phone starts up.

Answer 2

This is how to make an activity start running after android device reboot:

Insert this code in your AndroidManifest.xml file, within the <application> element (not within the <activity> element):

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" />  <receiver     android:enabled="true"     android:exported="true"      android:name="yourpackage.yourActivityRunOnStartup"     android:permission="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED">      <intent-filter>         <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />         <action android:name="android.intent.action.QUICKBOOT_POWERON" />         <category android:name="android.intent.category.DEFAULT" />     </intent-filter>  </receiver> 

Then create a new class yourActivityRunOnStartup (matching the android:name specified for the <receiver> element in the manifest):

package yourpackage;  import android.content.BroadcastReceiver; import android.content.Context; import android.content.Intent;  public class yourActivityRunOnStartup extends BroadcastReceiver {      @Override     public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {         if (intent.getAction().equals(Intent.ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED)) {             Intent i = new Intent(context, MainActivity.class);             i.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);             context.startActivity(i);         }     }  } 

Note: The call i.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK); is important because the activity is launched from a context outside the activity. Without this, the activity will not start.

Also, the values android:enabled, android:exported and android:permission in the <receiver> tag do not seem mandatory. The app receives the event without these values. See the example here.