How to Avoid Background Location Access Not Declared Error in Your Android App

Learn how to navigate the infamous "Background location access not declared" error in Android when your app should only access location data in the foreground.
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This video is based on the question https://stackoverflow.com/q/65976756/ asked by the user 'Laurent D.' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/1467494/ ) and on the answer https://stackoverflow.com/a/66096988/ provided by the user 'Laurent D.' ( https://stackoverflow.com/u/1467494/ ) at 'Stack Overflow' website. Thanks to these great users and Stackexchange community for their contributions.

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Understanding the Background Location Access Error in Your Android App

As developers, we often find ourselves facing unexpected errors, and one of the more perplexing ones lately is the "Background location access not declared" error. You may have designed your app to access location data only in the foreground, perhaps to record GPS positions when the user clicks a button. However, despite having the correct permissions set up, the Google Play Store might deny your app due to this error.

The Problem

Imagine your app has been running smoothly for years, gathering location data only when in use. You’ve ensured that your Android Manifest includes:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

But suddenly, the Play Store refuses your APK submission with the dreaded message about background location access needing to be declared. This situation can be both frustrating and confusing, particularly when no recent changes have been made to the code.

Dissecting the Solution

1. Understanding Location Permissions

To get to the root of the issue, it’s crucial to understand how Android manages location permissions. Here’s a quick breakdown:

ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION: Grants access to precise location data (GPS).

ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION: Allows location access even when the app is not in the foreground.

Since your app is designed for foreground use only, you would naturally not want to add ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION. Furthermore, you have tried adding:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

This attempts to ensure that even if the system checks for background access, it is effectively ignored. However, it doesn’t seem to be addressing your immediate issue.

2. Utilizing the LocationManager

Given your usage of LocationManager, it’s essential that you are managing updates correctly within your activity lifecycle. Your approach of:

In onCreate(): Getting the location service

In onResume(): Calling requestLocationUpdates(...)

In onPause(): Calling removeUpdates(...)

is correct for managing location access.

3. A Temporary Frustration

After reaching out to Google support and trying various other methods with no direct response or improvement, you might be left feeling helpless. Impressively, sometimes these issues can resolve themselves without any direct action on your part. As the issue resolved itself for our developer friend, it's a reminder that some app behavior can be influenced by broader system or service states.

4. Tips for the Future

To mitigate such problems in the future, consider following these best practices:

Keep Your API Updated: Always ensure you’re utilizing the latest Google Play Services and SDK versions.

Test Thoroughly: Conduct rigorous testing, especially after updates to see how the app interacts with location services.

Monitor Play Store Policies: Stay updated on Google Play Store policies around location access, as guidelines can frequently change.

Conclusion

The "Background location access not declared" error may seem daunting, especially if you’re confident in your foreground-only permissions. However, it’s essential to stay informed about API changes and testing regularly. If you find yourself in the middle of such frustrations, remember that sometimes, patience is key, and issues can resolve themselves.

Whether you’ve faced this error before or are learning about it for the first time, you now have a clearer understanding of how to handle similar situations effectively, ensuring a smoother experience when it comes time to submit your app to the Play Store.

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