Trying to start a service on boot on Android

Question

I've been trying to start a service when a device boots up on android, but I cannot get it to work. I've looked at a number of links online but none of the code works. Am I forgetting something?

AndroidManifest.xml

<receiver
    android:name=".StartServiceAtBootReceiver"
    android:enabled="true"
    android:exported="false"
    android:label="StartServiceAtBootReceiver" >
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action._BOOT_COMPLETED" />
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

<service
    android:name="com.test.RunService"
    android:enabled="true" />

BroadcastReceiver

public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
    if ("android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED".equals(intent.getAction())) {
        Intent serviceLauncher = new Intent(context, RunService.class);
        context.startService(serviceLauncher);
        Log.v("TEST", "Service loaded at start");
    }
}

Solution 1

The other answers look good, but I thought I'd wrap everything up into one complete answer.

You need the following in your AndroidManifest.xml file:

1. In your <manifest> element:

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

2. In your <application> element (be sure to use a fully-qualified [or relative] class name for your BroadcastReceiver):

   <receiver android:name="com.example.MyBroadcastReceiver">  
       <intent-filter>  
           <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />  
       </intent-filter>  
   </receiver>
   

   (you don't need the android:enabled, exported, etc., attributes: the Android defaults are correct)

   In MyBroadcastReceiver.java:

   package com.example;
   
   public class MyBroadcastReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
       @Override
       public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
           Intent startServiceIntent = new Intent(context, MyService.class);
           context.startService(startServiceIntent);
       }
   }
   

From the original question:

• it's not clear if the <receiver> element was in the <application> element
• it's not clear if the correct fully-qualified (or relative) class name for the BroadcastReceiver was specified
• there was a typo in the <intent-filter>

Solution 2

As an additional info: BOOT_COMPLETE is sent to applications before external storage is mounted. So if application is installed to external storage it won't receive BOOT_COMPLETE broadcast message.

More details here in section Broadcast Receivers listening for "boot completed"

Solution 3

How to start service on device boot(autorun app, etc.)

For first: since version Android 3.1+ you don't receive BOOT_COMPLETE if user never started your app at least once or user "force closed" application. This was done to prevent malware automatically register service. This security hole was closed in newer versions of Android.

Solution:

Create app with activity. When user run it once app can receive BOOT_COMPLETE broadcast message.

For second: BOOT_COMPLETE is sent before external storage is mounted. If app is installed to external storage it won't receive BOOT_COMPLETE broadcast message.

In this case there is two solution:

1. Install your app to internal storage
2. Install another small app in internal storage. This app receives BOOT_COMPLETE and run second app on external storage.

If your app already installed in internal storage then code below can help you understand how to start service on device boot.

---

In Manifest.xml

Permission:

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

Register your BOOT_COMPLETED receiver:

<receiver android:name="org.yourapp.OnBoot">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED"/>
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

Register your service:

<service android:name="org.yourapp.YourCoolService" />

---

In receiver OnBoot.java:

public class OnBoot extends BroadcastReceiver
{

    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) 
    {
        // Create Intent
        Intent serviceIntent = new Intent(context, YourCoolService.class);
        // Start service
        context.startService(serviceIntent);

    }

 }

---

For HTC you maybe need also add in Manifest this code if device don't catch RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED:

<action android:name="android.intent.action.QUICKBOOT_POWERON" />

Receiver now look like this:

<receiver android:name="org.yourapp.OnBoot">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED"/>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.QUICKBOOT_POWERON" />
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

---

How to test BOOT_COMPLETED without restart emulator or real device? It's easy. Try this:

adb -s device-or-emulator-id shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED

How to get device id? Get list of connected devices with id's:

adb devices

adb in ADT by default you can find in:

adt-installation-dir/sdk/platform-tools

Enjoy! )

Solution 4

Along with

<action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />  

also use,

<action android:name="android.intent.action.QUICKBOOT_POWERON" />

HTC devices dont seem to catch BOOT_COMPLETED

Solution 5

note that at the beginning of the question, there is a typo mistake:

<action android:name="android.intent.action._BOOT_COMPLETED"/>

instead of :

<action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED"/>

one small "_" and all this trouble :)

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