Question

Lately we have suddenly been seeing a few of the following stack traces. Why could that be? This is from when the app tries to move an audio commentary service into the foreground with a media notification and everything.

java.lang.SecurityException: Permission Denial: startForeground from pid=1824, uid=10479 requires android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE
    at android.os.Parcel.createException(Parcel.java:1942)
    at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1910)
    at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1860)
    at android.app.IActivityManager$Stub$Proxy.setServiceForeground(IActivityManager.java:5198)
    at android.app.Service.startForeground(Service.java:695)
    at com.example.app.services.AudioService.setUpMediaNotification(AudioService.java:372)
    at com.example.app.services.AudioService.setUpAndStartAudioFeed(AudioService.java:328)
    at com.example.app.services.AudioService.onStartCommand(AudioService.java:228)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.handleServiceArgs(ActivityThread.java:3667)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1600(ActivityThread.java:199)
    at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1681)
    at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:106)
    at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:193)
    at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6669)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
    at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:493)
    at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:858)
 Caused by: android.os.RemoteException: Remote stack trace:
    at com.android.server.am.ActivityManagerService.enforcePermission(ActivityManagerService.java:9186)
    at com.android.server.am.ActiveServices.setServiceForegroundInnerLocked(ActiveServices.java:1189)
    at com.android.server.am.ActiveServices.setServiceForegroundLocked(ActiveServices.java:870)
    at com.android.server.am.ActivityManagerService.setServiceForeground(ActivityManagerService.java:20434)
    at android.app.IActivityManager$Stub.onTransact(IActivityManager.java:976)

Roy Solberg · Accepted Answer · 2018-12-19 08:19:07Z

This is what you get for not reading the release notes properly. This started happening when setting targetSdkVersion = 28 (Android 9 / Pie) and is clearly stated in e.g. the migration notes:

Apps wanting to use foreground services must now request the FOREGROUND_SERVICE permission first. This is a normal permission, so the system automatically grants it to the requesting app. Starting a foreground service without the permission throws a SecurityException.

So the solution is to just add the following in AndroidManifest.xml:

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

Does that mean if our targetSdkVersion is lower than 28, we don't need any permission to run the Foreground services in devices running 28? — Volleyball, Sep 27 '18 at 7:39
That sounds like a weird solution to me, to lower the targetSdkVersion — Denny, Nov 18 '18 at 15:17
@Volleyball your app won't install on devices running 28 if your targetSdkVersion is lower than 28 — Sjd, Feb 19 at 13:34
@Sjd They will install just fine. It's not like it's maxSdkVersion. — Roy Solberg, Feb 19 at 14:45

score 18 · Answer 2

Permission Denial: startForeground requires android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE

Apps that target Android 9 (API level 28) or higher and use foreground services must request the FOREGROUND_SERVICE permission.

So now we need to add Foreground service permission in manifest file

it Allows a regular application to use Service.startForeground

SAMPLE

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

FOREGROUND_SERVICE is a normal permission, so the system automatically grants it to the requesting app.

Check this the migration notes of Android 9 / Pie

Change

Foreground service permission

Summary

Apps wanting to use foreground services must now request the FOREGROUND_SERVICE permission first. This is a normal permission, so the system automatically grants it to the requesting app. Starting a foreground service without the permission throws a SecurityException.

Coding

android 9 startForeground requires android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE

2 Answers

`FOREGROUND_SERVICE` is a normal permission, so the system automatically grants it to the requesting app.

Coding

android 9 startForeground requires android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE

2 Answers

FOREGROUND_SERVICE is a normal permission, so the system automatically grants it to the requesting app.

`FOREGROUND_SERVICE` is a normal permission, so the system automatically grants it to the requesting app.