[KNOWN ISSUE] App does not receive boot completed after restart unless it's unlocked

[hossain-khan]

Q: I got RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED permission in this Android app.
However, when phone restarts, it does not receive it until the phone is unlocked. Why is that?

A:

The RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED permission is declared in your AndroidManifest.xml file, and the BootCompleteReceiver is implemented to handle the BOOT_COMPLETED broadcast. However, modern versions of Android have security measures and restrictions that delay the delivery of certain broadcasts, like BOOT_COMPLETED, until the device is unlocked for the first time after reboot.

To address this issue, consider the following steps:

1. Ensure that the BootCompleteReceiver is correctly enabled and exported in the manifest.
2. Check for any device-specific settings or restrictions that might delay the broadcast.
3. Optionally, explore using the Direct Boot feature to access certain functionalities before the device is unlocked.

For more details, refer to the Android documentation on Direct Boot.

[hossain-khan]

To implement Direct Boot in your android-keep-alive app, follow these steps:

1. Update Manifest:

   • Add android:directBootAware="true" to the BootCompleteReceiver declaration in your AndroidManifest.xml.

2. Implement Key-Value Storage:

   • Use DeviceProtectedStorage for any data you need to access during Direct Boot mode.

3. Modify Receiver:

   • Ensure your BootCompleteReceiver can handle Direct Boot by checking the storage context.

For more details, refer to the Android documentation on Direct Boot.

[hossain-khan]

To implement Direct Boot in your android-keep-alive app, follow these steps:

1. Update AndroidManifest.xml

Add android:directBootAware="true" to the BootCompleteReceiver declaration in your AndroidManifest.xml.

<receiver
    android:name=".broadcast.BootCompleteReceiver"
    android:enabled="true"
    android:exported="true"
    android:directBootAware="true">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MY_PACKAGE_REPLACED" />
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

2. Use DeviceProtectedStorage

Ensure that any data you need to access during Direct Boot is stored in device-protected storage.

// In your BootCompleteReceiver
class BootCompleteReceiver : BroadcastReceiver() {
    override fun onReceive(context: Context, intent: Intent) {
        // Use device protected storage context
        val directBootContext = context.createDeviceProtectedStorageContext()
        
        if (intent.action == Intent.ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED || intent.action == Intent.ACTION_MY_PACKAGE_REPLACED) {
            // Start the WatchdogService
            val serviceIntent = Intent(directBootContext, WatchdogService::class.java)
            directBootContext.startForegroundService(serviceIntent)
        }
    }
}

3. Modify Data Storage (if applicable)

Ensure that your app's data storage complies with Direct Boot requirements.

// Example of accessing shared preferences in DeviceProtectedStorage
val directBootContext = context.createDeviceProtectedStorageContext()
val sharedPreferences = directBootContext.getSharedPreferences("my_prefs", Context.MODE_PRIVATE)

By following these steps, your app should be able to handle the BOOT_COMPLETED broadcast even before the device is unlocked.

[hossain-khan]

Related article https://developer.zebra.com/blog/androidtm-13-security-overview-direct-boot-fbe-and-more

[hossain-khan]

To implement Direct Boot in your app without using storage, ensure your BootCompleteReceiver is set up to handle Direct Boot. Here is how you can update your code:

1. Update AndroidManifest.xml

Add android:directBootAware="true" to the BootCompleteReceiver declaration.

<receiver
    android:name=".broadcast.BootCompleteReceiver"
    android:enabled="true"
    android:exported="true"
    android:directBootAware="true">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MY_PACKAGE_REPLACED" />
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

2. Modify BootCompleteReceiver

Ensure your BootCompleteReceiver can handle Direct Boot by using the device-protected context.

class BootCompleteReceiver : BroadcastReceiver() {
    override fun onReceive(context: Context, intent: Intent) {
        Timber.d("BootCompleteReceiver onReceive() called with: context = $context, intent = $intent")
        
        // Use device protected storage context
        val directBootContext = context.createDeviceProtectedStorageContext()
        
        if (intent.action == Intent.ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED || intent.action == Intent.ACTION_MY_PACKAGE_REPLACED) {
            Timber.d("BootCompleteReceiver onReceive: Starting WatchdogService")
            val serviceIntent = Intent(directBootContext, WatchdogService::class.java)
            directBootContext.startForegroundService(serviceIntent)
        }
    }
}

This setup ensures that your BootCompleteReceiver will be able to start the WatchdogService even before the device is unlocked.

[hossain-khan]

Yes, you should account for ACTION_LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED to ensure your app can start services during Direct Boot mode. Here is how you can update your BootCompleteReceiver to handle both BOOT_COMPLETED and LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED actions:

Update AndroidManifest.xml

Add android:directBootAware="true" to the BootCompleteReceiver declaration and include the LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED action.

<receiver
    android:name=".broadcast.BootCompleteReceiver"
    android:enabled="true"
    android:exported="true"
    android:directBootAware="true">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED" />
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MY_PACKAGE_REPLACED" />
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

Modify BootCompleteReceiver

Handle both BOOT_COMPLETED and LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED actions in your BootCompleteReceiver.

class BootCompleteReceiver : BroadcastReceiver() {
    override fun onReceive(context: Context, intent: Intent) {
        Timber.d("BootCompleteReceiver onReceive() called with: context = $context, intent = $intent")
        
        // Use device protected storage context
        val directBootContext = context.createDeviceProtectedStorageContext()
        
        if (intent.action == Intent.ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED || 
            intent.action == Intent.ACTION_LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED || 
            intent.action == Intent.ACTION_MY_PACKAGE_REPLACED) {
            Timber.d("BootCompleteReceiver onReceive: Starting WatchdogService")
            val serviceIntent = Intent(directBootContext, WatchdogService::class.java)
            directBootContext.startForegroundService(serviceIntent)
        }
    }
}

This will ensure your app starts the WatchdogService immediately after the device boots, even if it is still locked.

[hossain-khan]

Q: How do I test ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED and ACTION_LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED using android emulator?

---

To test ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED and ACTION_LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED using the Android emulator, follow these steps:

1. Update Manifest

Ensure that your BootCompleteReceiver handles both BOOT_COMPLETED and LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED actions and is marked as direct boot aware:

<receiver
    android:name=".broadcast.BootCompleteReceiver"
    android:enabled="true"
    android:exported="true"
    android:directBootAware="true">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED" />
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MY_PACKAGE_REPLACED" />
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

2. Modify BootCompleteReceiver

Update your BootCompleteReceiver to handle the LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED action:

class BootCompleteReceiver : BroadcastReceiver() {
    override fun onReceive(context: Context, intent: Intent) {
        Timber.d("BootCompleteReceiver onReceive() called with: context = $context, intent = $intent")
        
        val directBootContext = context.createDeviceProtectedStorageContext()
        
        if (intent.action == Intent.ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED || 
            intent.action == Intent.ACTION_LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED || 
            intent.action == Intent.ACTION_MY_PACKAGE_REPLACED) {
            Timber.d("BootCompleteReceiver onReceive: Starting WatchdogService")
            val serviceIntent = Intent(directBootContext, WatchdogService::class.java)
            directBootContext.startForegroundService(serviceIntent)
        }
    }
}

3. Testing with Android Emulator

To test these actions using the Android emulator:

1. Boot Completed:

   • Restart the emulator to test ACTION_BOOT_COMPLETED.
   • Verify that the WatchdogService starts correctly.

2. Locked Boot Completed:

   • Use the following ADB command to simulate ACTION_LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED:

     adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED

   • Verify that the WatchdogService starts correctly without unlocking the device.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your app correctly handles both BOOT_COMPLETED and LOCKED_BOOT_COMPLETED actions in the emulator.

[hossain-khan]

Can't fix this issue, unfortunately. See #72