Access Microphone / Camera in background in Android 11

Question

Access to the Microphone in the background is stopped in Android 11. There are only 3 options, Allow when in-use, Allow once, and Deny.

How to make the app get access to the microphone in the background all the time in Android 11? Is there any workaround?

Answer 1

The new Android Developer Policy restricts access to Microphone and Camera in the background.

Using Accessibility Service one can still use the feature in the background. However, the notification will always be on.

Answer 2

Now we have to specify a type for our foreground service (https://developer.android.com/guide/components/foreground-services#types):

<manifest>
    ...
    <service ...
        android:foregroundServiceType="camera|microphone" />
</manifest>

But in some cases our foreground service can't still access camera or microphone even if we specified android:foregroundServiceType:

If a foreground service was started while app was in background (wasn't visible to a user - no visible activities), for example on device boot (BOOT_COMPLETED) broadcast, then such service can't start using camera, microphone

If a foreground service was started while app was in foreground (was visible to a user - some visible activity) then such service can start using camera, microphone

Info from: https://developer.android.com/guide/components/foreground-services#bg-access-restrictions

My issue Camera2 cameraManager.openCamera exception from time to time on some devices

Answer 3

To access background mic / camera / location in Android 11 there are some exemptions given by Android , you need to qualify one of these conditions:

Refer: https://developer.android.com/guide/components/foreground-services#restrictions-exemptions

Exemptions to while-in-use restrictions:

• When a foreground service starts in one of the following situations, the service is exempt from the restrictions on while-in-use access to location, camera, and microphone:

• The service is started by a system component.

• The service is started by interacting with app widgets.

• The service is started by interacting with a notification.

• The service is started as a PendingIntent that is sent from a different, visible app.

• The service is started by an app that is a device policy controller that is running in device owner mode.

• The service is started by an app which provides the VoiceInteractionService.

• The service is started by an app that has the START_ACTIVITIES_FROM_BACKGROUND privileged permission.