Auto read OTP/SMS in android

Question

I am working on an Android App, in which server sends an OTP and the user needs to enter this OTP in the App, to SignUp for my App. What I want is, that my App should be able to automatically read the OTP sent by the server. How can I achieve this? Any help or guidance in this regard would be highly appreciated.

Thanks..! In advance

Solution 1

Google Play doesn't allow RECIEVE_SMS permission anymore until and unless your app is default SMS handler.

So one possible solution as of now is to use SMS_RETRIEVE_API

you will need a BroadcastReceiver and a task that does SmsRetriever.getClient(context).startSmsRetriever();

In your receiver:

if(SmsRetriever.SMS_RETRIEVED_ACTION.equals(intent.getAction())) {
   Bundle extras = intent.getExtras();
   Status status = (Status) extras.get(SmsRetriever.EXTRA_STATUS);
   final String message = (String) extras.get(SmsRetriever.EXTRA_SMS_MESSAGE);
}

Solution 2

You have 3 options to automatically read the OTP SMS:

1. Read all the incoming SMS using the SMS permission:

https://androidwave.com/automatic-sms-verification-android/ http://androidbymaitri.blogspot.in/2016/08/read-sms-automatically-to-verify-otp.html

Not advised anymore, as this requires the user to explicitly grant the SMS permission.

2. Using SMS Retriever API in Google play services:

https://developers.google.com/identity/sms-retriever/overview

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzWYv8y2v1c

Advised. But this requires some server level changes in the OTP SMS format. And this works only in the devices that have Play services installed.

3. Using createAppSpecificSmsToken in the SmsManager class (from Android O only):

https://developer.android.com/reference/android/telephony/SmsManager.html#createAppSpecificSmsToken(android.app.PendingIntent

https://code.tutsplus.com/tutorials/android-o-phone-number-verification-with-sms-token--cms-29141

Not advised, because this works only in Android O, as of now.

Solution 3

Using SmsVerifyCatcher library

• In manifest , add these permissions

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

• In build.gradle (app gradle)

  implementation 'com.github.stfalcon:smsverifycatcher:0.3.2'
  

• Initialize SmsVerifyCatcher in onCreate activity

  smsVerifyCatcher = new SmsVerifyCatcher(getActivity(), new OnSmsCatchListener<String>() {
      @Override
      public void onSmsCatch(String message) {
          String code = parseCode(message);//Parse verification code
          Log.d("Agilanbu OTP", code);
          Toast.makeText(getActivity(), "Agilanbu OTP: " + code, Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
          et_otp.setText(code);//set code in edit text
      }
  });
  

• In activity lifecycle

  @Override
  protected void onStart() {
      super.onStart();
      smsVerifyCatcher.onStart();
  }
  
  @Override
  protected void onStop() {
      super.onStop();
      smsVerifyCatcher.onStop();
  }
  
  @Override
  public void onRequestPermissionsResult(int requestCode, @NonNull String[] permissions, @NonNull int[] grantResults) {
      super.onRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode, permissions, grantResults);
      smsVerifyCatcher.onRequestPermissionsResult(requestCode, permissions, grantResults);
  }
  

• Parse the message

  private String parseCode(String message) {
   Pattern p = Pattern.compile("\\b\\d{6}\\b");
   Matcher m = p.matcher(message);
   String code = "";
    while (m.find()) {
        code = m.group(0);
    }
   return code;
  }
  

  

Comments

[CommonsWare]

"How can I achieve this?" -- talk to the maintainers of the server and ask them. They are the only ones who know how their "server sends an OTP", whether it is appropriate for you to "automatically read the OTP sent by the server", etc.

[Uzair Mughal]

This library is not good to use now as Play Console ask you to provide reason and proper use-case to use read-sms permission.

[Avinash Shinde]

Please check below link :- Permissions and APIs that Access Sensitive Information support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/answer/98881‌​70