How To Start An Activity From Background in Android 10?

Question

I am building an android app where I need to start an activity from background. I am using a ForegroundStarter which extends Service for accomplishing this. I have an activity Adscreen.class which I need to run from my Foreground service. The activity Adscreen.class works fine(starts from background) on all Android versions except Android 10.

ForeGroundStarter.class

public class ForeGroundStarter extends Service {     @Nullable     @Override     public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {         return null;     }        @Override     public void onCreate() {         super.onCreate();         Log.d("sK", "Inside Foreground");      }      @Override     public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {         Log.d("sK", "Inside Foreground onStartCommand");         Intent notificationIntent = new Intent(this, Adscreen.class);         PendingIntent pendingIntent =                 PendingIntent.getActivity(this, 0, notificationIntent, 0);           Notification notification =                 null;          //Launching Foreground Services From API 26+          notificationIntent = new Intent(this, Adscreen.class);         pendingIntent =                 PendingIntent.getActivity(this, 0, notificationIntent, 0);          if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {             String NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID = "com.currency.usdtoinr";             String channelName = "My Background Service";             NotificationChannel chan = null;             chan = new NotificationChannel(NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID, channelName, NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_NONE);             chan.setLightColor(Color.BLUE);             chan.setLockscreenVisibility(Notification.VISIBILITY_PRIVATE);             NotificationManager manager = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);             assert manager != null;             manager.createNotificationChannel(chan);              NotificationCompat.Builder notificationBuilder = new NotificationCompat.Builder(this, NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID);             notification = notificationBuilder.setOngoing(true)                     .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.nicon)                     .setContentTitle("")                     .setPriority(NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_MIN)                     .setCategory(Notification.CATEGORY_SERVICE)                     .build();             startForeground(2, notification);               Intent dialogIntent = new Intent(this, Adscreen.class);             dialogIntent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);             startActivity(dialogIntent);             Log.d("sk", "After startforeground executed");          }            else //API 26 and lower             {                 notificationIntent = new Intent(this, Adscreen.class);                 pendingIntent =                         PendingIntent.getActivity(this, 0, notificationIntent, 0);                  notification =                         new Notification.Builder(this)                                 .setContentTitle("")                                 .setContentText("")                                 .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.nicon)                                 .setContentIntent(pendingIntent)                                 .setTicker("")                                 .build();                  startForeground(2, notification);                 Intent dialogIntent = new Intent(this, Adscreen.class);                 dialogIntent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);                 startActivity(dialogIntent);             }             return super.onStartCommand(intent, flags, startId);      } } 

I read that there are some restrictions on starting activities from background on Android 10. This code doesnt seem to be working anymore. https://developer.android.com/guide/components/activities/background-starts

Intent dialogIntent = new Intent(this, Adscreen.class);             dialogIntent.addFlags(Intent.FLAG_ACTIVITY_NEW_TASK);             startActivity(dialogIntent); 

Any workarounds to start an activity from background on Android 10?

Answer 1

Not sure if it's right to do it this way, but I did not have enough time (app is only for company internal use).

I used permissions:

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

and then every user has to go to setting -> permissions of the app and then check box in advanced settings for function "show the app over others"

Sorry for my English or not exactly the right solution, but it worked, so good hotfix for me.

On Pixel 4 it will be looking like this:

Answer 2

As you mentioned Restrictions on starting activities from the background

It is stated that

Android 10 (API level 29) and higher place restrictions on when apps can start activities when the app is running in the background.

They also mentioned in their note is that.

Note: For the purposes of starting activities, an app running a foreground service is still considered to be "in the background"

This means if you're using a foreground service to start an Activity it still considers the App is in the background and won't launch an app Activity.

Solution: Firstly, You can't start the app if it is running in the background from Android 10 (API level 29) and higher. They have provided a new way to overcome this behavior which is that instead of calling app you can show a high-priority notification with a full-screen intent.

Full-Screen Intent behaves such as if your device screen is Off It will launch your app Activity which you desired. but if your app is in background and screen is on then it will just show a notification. If you click on the notification then it will open your app.

For more information on High-Priority Notification and Full-Screen Intent you can check it here Display time-sensitive notifications