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I recently tried to use the WorkManager's PeriodicWorkRequests as a surefire way of getting user location updates periodically in the background. The library met my requirements and this particular detail got my attention:

Guarantees task execution, even if the app or device restarts

Having implemented and tested it, I tried rebooting my device and noticed the Log message and App Notification never showed up.

Naturally, I did some research and stumbled upon this: PeriodicWorkRequest not working after device reboot in android oreo

So I tried using the BOOT_COMPLETED broadcast receiver to trigger the WorkRequest on device reboot but it didn't work. I checked numerous BOOT_COMPLETED receivers questions on SO but none worked, other than this here: Broadcast Receiver Not Working After Device Reboot in Android but that involved making the user select your app as an AccessibilityService which is a hinderance to the UX in my opinion.

After some research I found out that the WorkManager uses the BOOT_COMPLETED BroadcastReceiver under the hood. I have been testing on Android Nougat and Oreo devices so far, so I tested the BroadcastReceiver on a Samsung running API 16, and also on an HTC running API 22. The Receiver worked and I removed them and also tested the WorkRequests on reboot; they worked too!

Here's how I implemented my PeriodicWorkRequest 

PeriodicWorkRequest request =
                new PeriodicWorkRequest.Builder(LocationListenerWorker.class,
                        12, HOURS)
                        .build();

        mWorkManager.enqueueUniquePeriodicWork(Constants.LOCATION_TASK_ID,
                ExistingPeriodicWorkPolicy.REPLACE, request);

Would appreciate any help on how to ensure the Requests also get called on device reboot on devices running API 24+

Mofe Ejegi
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    Update: I found out it wasn't an API issue but something that had to do with the device manufacturer. HiOS and XOS android flavours from Tecno and Infinix restrict the access to listening to the BOOT_COMPLETED broadcast and it affected the WorkManager too. – Mofe Ejegi Oct 20 '19 at 19:13
  • Did you find a solution? I am wondering the same. – IgorGanapolsky Jun 08 '20 at 20:19
  • Try to manually enable "Auto start" from settings, if it works then implement this library https://github.com/judemanutd/AutoStarter – Rajesh Koshti Sep 28 '22 at 09:51

1 Answers1

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Let Say you have defined a RebootWorker class that extends Worker and do some particular job after device get rebooted. 1st Approach :

public class RebootWorker extends Worker {
...............................
}

In that case defined this worker inside manifest 

<service
    android:name=".RebootWorker"
    android:process=":worker"/>

This will help to get Workmanger run your worker service after device reboot. Because due to device reboot your app is cleared from task manager.

2nd Approach : You can also use BroadcastReceiver to listen Boot completed action 

public class MyReceiver extends BroadcastReceiver {
    WorkManager mWorkManager;
    PeriodicWorkRequest rebootRequest;

    @Override
    public void onReceive(Context context, Intent intent) {
        Log.i(MainActivity.TAG, "intent.getAction(): "+intent.getAction());

        //Reboot worker
        mWorkManager = WorkManager.getInstance(context);
        rebootRequest = new PeriodicWorkRequest.Builder(RebootWorker.class,
                MainActivity.REPEAT_INTERVAL, MainActivity.TIME).build();

        if ("android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED".equals(intent.getAction())) {
           //do your work and enqueue it 
            mWorkManager.enqueue(rebootRequest);
}
}
}
SAURABH_12
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