How to keep ZEGO SDK's audio and video functions running normally when the application goes to the background?

2025-09-28

Products / Plugins:Video Call / In-app chat / Live streaming

Platform / Framework:Android

This article describes how to keep ZEGO SDK's audio and video functions running normally when the application goes to the background.

System Restrictions

Privacy Restrictions on Android 9.0 and Above

With the increasing requirements for privacy protection, Android 9.0 and later versions have imposed restrictions on audio and video permissions for background applications:

Microphone Restrictions
- After the application goes to the background for one minute, the microphone will return silent data
- It will automatically recover when returning to the foreground without additional operations
Camera Restrictions
- After the application goes to the background for one minute, the camera will be released by the system
- When returning to the foreground, the SDK will automatically recover the camera

Power Consumption Management Restrictions

To optimize device battery life, Android 9.0 and above systems have added background application management features:

After the application goes to the background for a period of time, the system will restrict network access
After network restriction, audio and video data cannot be sent and received normally
After a period of time, the application process may be suspended by the system

Impact on Audio and Video Services

After the streaming end goes to the background for one minute:
- Audio and video data cannot be sent normally
- Due to network restrictions, the heartbeat with the server may be disconnected
- The playback end may receive a stream deletion notification
After the playback end goes to the background:
- Due to network restrictions, audio and video data cannot be received normally

Solution

To keep the application's audio and video functions running normally in the background, you can use foreground services. The following are the specific implementation steps:

1. Declare Permissions

Add foreground service permissions in AndroidManifest.xml:

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

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

2. Register Service

<application>
    ...
    <service android:name=".ForegroundNotificationService"
    android:foregroundServiceType="microphone"
    android:enabled="true"
    android:exported="false"/>
</application>

<application>
    ...
    <service android:name=".ForegroundNotificationService"
    android:foregroundServiceType="microphone"
    android:enabled="true"
    android:exported="false"/>
</application>

3. Create Foreground Service Class

public class ForegroundNotificationService extends Service {
    public static final String FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID = "foreground_channel_id";
    public static final String FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_NAME = "Foreground Service Notification";
    public static final int FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_IMPORTANCE = NotificationManagerCompat.IMPORTANCE_LOW;
    private static final int FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_PENDING_INTENT_REQUEST_CODE = 0x10;
    private static final int FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_ID = 0xc000;
    private NotificationManager mNotificationManager;

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        mNotificationManager = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
        showNotification();
    }

    @Nullable
    @Override
    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
        return null;
    }

    @Override
    public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
        return super.onStartCommand(intent, flags, startId);
    }

    @Override
    public void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        mNotificationManager.cancel(FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_ID);
    }

    private void showNotification() {
        PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(this,
            FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_PENDING_INTENT_REQUEST_CODE,
            new Intent(this, MainActivity.class),
            PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);

        Notification notification = new NotificationCompat.Builder(this, FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID)
            .setContentText("Application is running in the background")
            .setContentIntent(pendingIntent)
            .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_launcher_foreground)
            .build();

        mNotificationManager.notify(FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_ID, notification);
        startForeground(FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_ID, notification);
    }
}

public class ForegroundNotificationService extends Service {
    public static final String FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID = "foreground_channel_id";
    public static final String FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_NAME = "Foreground Service Notification";
    public static final int FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_IMPORTANCE = NotificationManagerCompat.IMPORTANCE_LOW;
    private static final int FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_PENDING_INTENT_REQUEST_CODE = 0x10;
    private static final int FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_ID = 0xc000;
    private NotificationManager mNotificationManager;

    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        mNotificationManager = (NotificationManager) getSystemService(NOTIFICATION_SERVICE);
        showNotification();
    }

    @Nullable
    @Override
    public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
        return null;
    }

    @Override
    public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) {
        return super.onStartCommand(intent, flags, startId);
    }

    @Override
    public void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        mNotificationManager.cancel(FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_ID);
    }

    private void showNotification() {
        PendingIntent pendingIntent = PendingIntent.getActivity(this,
            FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_PENDING_INTENT_REQUEST_CODE,
            new Intent(this, MainActivity.class),
            PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);

        Notification notification = new NotificationCompat.Builder(this, FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID)
            .setContentText("Application is running in the background")
            .setContentIntent(pendingIntent)
            .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_launcher_foreground)
            .build();

        mNotificationManager.notify(FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_ID, notification);
        startForeground(FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_ID, notification);
    }
}

4. Create Notification Channel

Create a notification channel in the Application class:

public class YourApplication extends Application {
    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        createNotificationChannel();
    }

    private void createNotificationChannel() {
        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
            NotificationChannel channel = new NotificationChannel(
                ForegroundNotificationService.FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID,
                ForegroundNotificationService.FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_NAME,
                ForegroundNotificationService.FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_IMPORTANCE);
            NotificationManager notificationManager = getSystemService(NotificationManager.class);
            notificationManager.createNotificationChannel(channel);
        }
    }
}

public class YourApplication extends Application {
    @Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        createNotificationChannel();
    }

    private void createNotificationChannel() {
        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
            NotificationChannel channel = new NotificationChannel(
                ForegroundNotificationService.FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_ID,
                ForegroundNotificationService.FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_NAME,
                ForegroundNotificationService.FOREGROUND_NOTIFICATION_CHANNEL_IMPORTANCE);
            NotificationManager notificationManager = getSystemService(NotificationManager.class);
            notificationManager.createNotificationChannel(channel);
        }
    }
}

5. Start and Stop Foreground Service

In the Activity where you need to keep running in the background:

public class YourActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
        startForegroundNotificationService();
    }

    private void startForegroundNotificationService() {
        startService(new Intent(this, ForegroundNotificationService.class));
    }

    @Override
    protected void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        stopService(new Intent(this, ForegroundNotificationService.class));
    }
}

public class YourActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(@Nullable Bundle savedInstanceState) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
        startForegroundNotificationService();
    }

    private void startForegroundNotificationService() {
        startService(new Intent(this, ForegroundNotificationService.class));
    }

    @Override
    protected void onDestroy() {
        super.onDestroy();
        stopService(new Intent(this, ForegroundNotificationService.class));
    }
}

Precautions

Foreground services need to display persistent notifications in the notification bar, which is a system requirement
This solution applies to Android 6.0 and above
Even with foreground services, you still need to comply with system privacy restrictions
It is recommended to enable foreground services only when necessary to reduce power consumption