[Android] Fix ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException for the DebugLogService

[Nicolas Pomepuy]

vlc-android | branch: master | Nicolas Pomepuy <nicolas at videolabs.io> | Wed Jun 17 08:04:40 2026 +0200| [ec0abb6ac1c3fa319e5c45eabe643bf65e39024d] | committer: Nicolas Pomepuy

Fix ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException for the DebugLogService

> https://code.videolan.org/videolan/vlc-android/commit/ec0abb6ac1c3fa319e5c45eabe643bf65e39024d
---

 application/vlc-android/AndroidManifest.xml          |  7 ++++++-
 .../src/org/videolan/vlc/DebugLogService.kt          | 20 +++++++++++++++++++-
 2 files changed, 25 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/application/vlc-android/AndroidManifest.xml b/application/vlc-android/AndroidManifest.xml
index f23beb5407..4f89a1b1cf 100644
--- a/application/vlc-android/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/application/vlc-android/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE"/> <!-- normal -->
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_MEDIA_PLAYBACK" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_DATA_SYNC" />
+    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_SPECIAL_USE" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CHANGE_NETWORK_STATE" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_MEDIA_AUDIO" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_MEDIA_VIDEO" />
@@ -1204,7 +1205,11 @@
                 android:launchMode="singleTop" />
         <service android:name=".DebugLogService"
                 android:process=":logger"
-                android:foregroundServiceType="dataSync" />
+                android:foregroundServiceType="specialUse">
+            <property
+                    android:name="android.app.PROPERTY_SPECIAL_USE_FGS_SUBTYPE"
+                    android:value="Collecting logs for debugging purposes" />
+        </service>
     </application>
 
 </manifest>
diff --git a/application/vlc-android/src/org/videolan/vlc/DebugLogService.kt b/application/vlc-android/src/org/videolan/vlc/DebugLogService.kt
index 5460a3bba8..3545447550 100644
--- a/application/vlc-android/src/org/videolan/vlc/DebugLogService.kt
+++ b/application/vlc-android/src/org/videolan/vlc/DebugLogService.kt
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 package org.videolan.vlc
 
 import android.annotation.TargetApi
+import android.app.ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException
 import android.app.PendingIntent
 import android.app.Service
 import android.content.ComponentName
@@ -35,6 +36,7 @@ import android.os.Looper
 import android.os.RemoteCallbackList
 import android.os.RemoteException
 import android.text.format.DateFormat
+import android.util.Log
 import androidx.core.app.NotificationCompat
 import org.videolan.libvlc.util.AndroidUtil
 import org.videolan.resources.AndroidDevices
@@ -65,6 +67,11 @@ class DebugLogService : Service(), Logcat.Callback, Runnable {
     private val callbacks = RemoteCallbackList<IDebugLogServiceCallback>()
     private val binder = DebugLogServiceStub(this)
 
+    override fun onCreate() {
+        super.onCreate()
+        if (AndroidUtil.isOOrLater) forceForeground()
+    }
+
     override fun attachBaseContext(newBase: Context?) {
         super.attachBaseContext(newBase?.getContextWithLocale(AppContextProvider.locale))
     }
@@ -148,7 +155,18 @@ class DebugLogService : Service(), Logcat.Callback, Runnable {
         builder.setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_stat_vlc)
         builder.setContentIntent(pi)
         val notification = builder.build()
-        startForegroundCompat(3, notification, ServiceInfo.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_TYPE_DATA_SYNC)
+        try {
+            val type = when {
+                Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.UPSIDE_DOWN_CAKE -> ServiceInfo.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_TYPE_SPECIAL_USE
+                Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.Q -> ServiceInfo.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_TYPE_DATA_SYNC
+                else -> 0
+            }
+            startForegroundCompat(46, notification, type)
+        } catch (e: Exception) {
+            if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.S && e is ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException) {
+                Log.w("DebugLogService", "ForegroundServiceStartNotAllowedException caught! ${e.message}", e)
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     @Synchronized