Understanding the Basics of Android Notifications

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 23 views

Troubleshooting the Issue

Are you experiencing issues with your Android reminder app not sending notifications? You've updated the notification sending method, but the notifications are still not being posted. This is a frustrating problem that can be caused by a variety of factors. In this article, we'll explore the possible causes and solutions to get your app sending notifications again.

Understanding the Basics of Android Notifications

Before we dive into the troubleshooting process, let's quickly review the basics of Android notifications. Android notifications are a way for your app to alert the user of important events or updates. They can be displayed in the notification shade, on the lock screen, or even as a heads-up notification. To send notifications, your app needs to register a broadcast receiver and handle the ACTION_NOTIFICATION_CLICKED and ACTION_NOTIFICATION_DISMISS intents.

The Receiver Class: NewAlarmReceiver

You've provided the NewAlarmReceiver class, which is responsible for handling the notification sending process. Let's take a closer look at this class:

class NewAlarmReceiver : BroadcastReceiver() {
    override fun onReceive(context: Context, intent: Intent) {
        // Notification sending logic goes here
    }
}

As you can see, the onReceive method is where the notification sending logic is implemented. However, it seems like the notifications are not being sent, even though you've updated the notification sending method.

Possible Causes of the Issue

There are several possible causes of this issue. Let's explore them one by one:

1. Manifest File Issues

The first possible cause is a manifest file issue. Make sure that the NewAlarmReceiver class is registered in the manifest file:

<receiver android:name=".NewAlarmReceiver">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

Also, ensure that the android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED permission is declared in the manifest file:

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

2. Intent Filter Issues

Another possible cause is an intent filter issue. Make sure that the intent filter is correctly configured to handle the ACTION_NOTIFICATION_CLICKED and ACTION_NOTIFICATION_DISMISS intents:

<intent-filter>
    <action android:name="android.intent.action.ACTION_NOTIFICATION_CLICKED" />
    <action android:name="android.intent.action.ACTION_NOTIFICATION_DISMISS" />
</intent-filter>

3. Notification Channel Issues

If you're using Android Oreo (API level 26) or later, you need to create a notification channel to send notifications. Make sure that the notification channel is created correctly:

val notificationChannel = NotificationChannel(
    "my_channel_id",
    "My Channel",
    NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT
)
notificationChannel.description = "This is my channel description"
notificationChannel.enableLights(true)
notificationChannel.lightColor = Color.RED
notificationChannel.enableVibration(true)
notificationChannel.vibrationPattern = longArrayOf(100, 200, 300)

4. Notification Builder Issues

Finally, make sure that the notification builder is correctly configured to send notifications:

val notificationBuilder = NotificationCompat.Builder(context)
    .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_notification)
    .setContentTitle("My Notification")
    .setContentText("This is my notification text")
    .setPriority(NotificationCompat.PRIORITY_DEFAULT)
    .setAutoCancel(true)
    .setChannelId("my_channel_id")

Troubleshooting Steps

To troubleshoot the issue, follow these steps:

Check the Logcat Output: Check the logcat output to see if there are any errors or warnings related to the notification sending process.
Verify the Manifest File: Verify that the NewAlarmReceiver class is registered in the manifest file and that the android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED permission is declared.
Check the Intent Filter: Check the intent filter to ensure that it's correctly configured to handle the ACTION_NOTIFICATION_CLICKED and ACTION_NOTIFICATION_DISMISS intents.
Verify the Notification Channel: Verify that the notification channel is created correctly and that the notification builder is configured to use the correct channel ID.
Test the App: Test the app to see if the notifications are being sent correctly.

Conclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

In our previous article, we explored the possible causes of the issue where your Android reminder app never sends notifications. In this article, we'll answer some of the most frequently asked questions related to this issue.

Q: Why are my notifications not being sent?

A: There are several possible reasons why your notifications are not being sent. Some of the most common reasons include:

The NewAlarmReceiver class is not registered in the manifest file.
The android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED permission is not declared in the manifest file.
The intent filter is not correctly configured to handle the ACTION_NOTIFICATION_CLICKED and ACTION_NOTIFICATION_DISMISS intents.
The notification channel is not created correctly.
The notification builder is not configured to use the correct channel ID.

Q: How do I register the `NewAlarmReceiver` class in the manifest file?

A: To register the NewAlarmReceiver class in the manifest file, you need to add the following code:

<receiver android:name=".NewAlarmReceiver">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED" />
    </intent-filter>
</receiver>

Q: How do I declare the `android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED` permission in the manifest file?

A: To declare the android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED permission in the manifest file, you need to add the following code:

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

Q: How do I create a notification channel?

A: To create a notification channel, you need to add the following code:

val notificationChannel = NotificationChannel(
    "my_channel_id",
    "My Channel",
    NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT
)
notificationChannel.description = "This is my channel description"
notificationChannel.enableLights(true)
notificationChannel.lightColor = Color.RED
notificationChannel.enableVibration(true)
notificationChannel.vibrationPattern = longArrayOf(100, 200, 300)

Q: How do I configure the notification builder to use the correct channel ID?

A: To configure the notification builder to use the correct channel ID, you need to add the following code:

val notificationBuilder = NotificationCompat.Builder(context)
    .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_notification)
    .setContentTitle("My Notification")
    .setContentText("This is my notification text")
    .setPriority(NotificationCompat.PRIORITY_DEFAULT)
    .setAutoCancel(true)
    .setChannelId("my_channel_id")

Q: Why are my notifications not being displayed on the lock screen?

A: There are several possible reasons why your notifications are not being displayed on the lock screen. Some of the most common reasons include:

The notification channel is not created correctly.
The notification builder is not configured to use the correct channel ID.
The notification is not set to be displayed on the lock screen.

Q: How do I set a notification to be displayed on the lock screen?

A: To set a notification to be displayed on the lock screen, you need to add the following code:

val notificationBuilder = NotificationCompat.Builder(context)
    .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_notification)
    .setContentTitle("My Notification")
    .setContentText("This is my notification text")
    .setPriority(NotificationCompat.PRIORITY_DEFAULT)
    .setAutoCancel(true)
    .setChannelId("my_channel_id")
    .setVisibility(NotificationCompat.VISIBILITY_PUBLIC)

Q: Why are my notifications not being displayed in the notification shade?

A: There are several possible reasons why your notifications are not being displayed in the notification shade. Some of the most common reasons include:

The notification channel is not created correctly.
The notification builder is not configured to use the correct channel ID.
The notification is not set to be displayed in the notification shade.

Q: How do I set a notification to be displayed in the notification shade?

A: To set a notification to be displayed in the notification shade, you need to add the following code:

val notificationBuilder = NotificationCompat.Builder(context)
    .setSmallIcon(R.drawable.ic_notification)
    .setContentTitle("My Notification")
    .setContentText("This is my notification text")
    .setPriority(NotificationCompat.PRIORITY_DEFAULT)
    .setAutoCancel(true)
    .setChannelId("my_channel_id")
    .setVisibility(NotificationCompat.VISIBILITY_PUBLIC)

Conclusion

In this article, we've answered some of the most frequently asked questions related to the issue where your Android reminder app never sends notifications. We've discussed the importance of the manifest file, intent filter, notification channel, and notification builder in the notification sending process. By following the troubleshooting steps outlined in this article, you should be able to identify and fix the issue and get your app sending notifications again.