How to `getTopActivity` name or get currently running application package name in lollipop?

Question

I am creating a app lock application. How to get current running task in lollipop? getRunningTaskinfo method is deprecated in lollipop API, then how to overcome this problem?

You could use the UsageStatsManager to query for events (not usage stats), but as per documentation, the last minutes (actually seconds) are cut off to prevent non-system applications to know what application is currently running. — David Corsalini, Jan 21 '15 at 12:00

KomalG · Accepted Answer · 2016-03-21T13:12:05.853

try this:

ActivityManager mActivityManager =(ActivityManager)this.getSystemService(Context.ACTIVITY_SERVICE);

if(Build.VERSION.SDK_INT > 20){
String mPackageName = mActivityManager.getRunningAppProcesses().get(0).processName;
}
else{
  String mpackageName = mActivityManager.getRunningTasks(1).get(0).topActivity.getPackageName();
}

we can get using UsageStats:

public static String getTopAppName(Context context) {
    ActivityManager mActivityManager = (ActivityManager) context.getSystemService(Context.ACTIVITY_SERVICE);
    String strName = "";
    try {
        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.LOLLIPOP) {
            strName = getLollipopFGAppPackageName(context);
        } else {
            strName = mActivityManager.getRunningTasks(1).get(0).topActivity.getClassName();
        }
    } catch (Exception e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
    return strName;
}


private static String getLollipopFGAppPackageName(Context ctx) {

    try {
        UsageStatsManager usageStatsManager = (UsageStatsManager) ctx.getSystemService("usagestats");
        long milliSecs = 60 * 1000;
        Date date = new Date();
        List<UsageStats> queryUsageStats = usageStatsManager.queryUsageStats(UsageStatsManager.INTERVAL_DAILY, date.getTime() - milliSecs, date.getTime());
        if (queryUsageStats.size() > 0) {
            Log.i("LPU", "queryUsageStats size: " + queryUsageStats.size());
        }
        long recentTime = 0;
        String recentPkg = "";
        for (int i = 0; i < queryUsageStats.size(); i++) {
            UsageStats stats = queryUsageStats.get(i);
            if (i == 0 && !"org.pervacio.pvadiag".equals(stats.getPackageName())) {
                Log.i("LPU", "PackageName: " + stats.getPackageName() + " " + stats.getLastTimeStamp());
            }
            if (stats.getLastTimeStamp() > recentTime) {
                recentTime = stats.getLastTimeStamp();
                recentPkg = stats.getPackageName();
            }
        }
        return recentPkg;
    } catch (Exception e) {
        e.printStackTrace();
    }
    return "";
}

// TO ENABLE USAGE_STATS

    // Declare USAGE_STATS permisssion in manifest

    <uses-permission
    android:name="android.permission.PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS"
    tools:ignore="ProtectedPermissions" />


    Intent intent = new Intent(Settings.ACTION_USAGE_ACCESS_SETTINGS);
    startActivity(intent);

This returns the process name instead of the package name. They're sometimes different. — Sam, May 16 '15 at 03:15
This seems to use the base activity instead of the top activity for API 20-. Shouldn't it be the top activity? — Sam, May 16 '15 at 03:16
@WenChao, note the bit in the code that says `.processName`. The default process name for an app's components is the app's package name. However, an app can specify a different process name for its components. The correct way to get the packages associated with a process is to use the `.pkgList` property. — Sam, Nov 04 '16 at 22:06
@Sam I'm facing difficulties as you mentioned in first comment . got different name rather than package name above 21. Is there any work around ? — Tejas Pandya, Jan 17 '18 at 07:50
@Tej, see https://stackoverflow.com/questions/3873659/android-how-can-i-get-the-current-foreground-activity-from-a-service for a number of options. But the simple answer is that this is not supported by Android and you shouldn't do it. — Sam, Jan 17 '18 at 08:13
@Tej, oh, it looks like I found a workaround in [my second comment](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/28066231/how-to-gettopactivity-name-or-get-current-running-application-package-name-in-lo/28066580?noredirect=1#comment68113245_28066580). — Sam, Jan 17 '18 at 08:14

score 12 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 08 '16 at 12:20

Best solution of get Running app in API 21 or up is below try it. this work for me

private String retriveNewApp() {
    if (VERSION.SDK_INT >= 21) {
        String currentApp = null;
        UsageStatsManager usm = (UsageStatsManager) this.getSystemService(Context.USAGE_STATS_SERVICE);
        long time = System.currentTimeMillis();
        List<UsageStats> applist = usm.queryUsageStats(UsageStatsManager.INTERVAL_DAILY, time - 1000 * 1000, time);
        if (applist != null && applist.size() > 0) {
            SortedMap<Long, UsageStats> mySortedMap = new TreeMap<>();
            for (UsageStats usageStats : applist) {
                mySortedMap.put(usageStats.getLastTimeUsed(), usageStats);
            }
            if (mySortedMap != null && !mySortedMap.isEmpty()) {
                currentApp = mySortedMap.get(mySortedMap.lastKey()).getPackageName();
            }
        }
        Log.e(TAG, "Current App in foreground is: " + currentApp);

        return currentApp;

    }
    else {

        ActivityManager manager = (ActivityManager) getSystemService(Context.ACTIVITY_SERVICE);
        String mm=(manager.getRunningTasks(1).get(0)).topActivity.getPackageName();
        Log.e(TAG, "Current App in foreground is: " + mm);
        return mm;
    }
}

About SDK_INT >=21 case, which of the apps there have their processes still alive ? — android developer, Sep 21 '16 at 06:39
public static final String USAGE_STATS_SERVICE Added in API level 22 Use with getSystemService(Class ) to retrieve a UsageStatsManager for querying device usage stats. — Ahmad Shahwaiz, Jul 26 '18 at 07:38
I used above code and applist is always null in my case..Android Version is 5.1, minSdkVersion 19, compileSdkVersion 28, targetSdkVersion 28...please how to solve this..?? — Bhavesh Moradiya, Oct 27 '18 at 06:32
run time permission for android.provider.Settings.ACTION_USAGE_ACCESS_SETTINGS solved problem — Bhavesh Moradiya, Oct 27 '18 at 11:12

score 7 · Answer 3 · edited Feb 20 '18 at 19:45

7

You can use the AccessibilityService to get current Running app. Accessibility Service provides the onAccessibilityEvent event.

Following is some sample code.

@Override
    public void onAccessibilityEvent(AccessibilityEvent event) {
        if (event.getEventType() == AccessibilityEvent.TYPE_WINDOW_STATE_CHANGED) {
            if (event.getPackageName() != null && event.getClassName() != null) {
                Log.d("Foreground App", event.getPackageName().toString());  

            }
        }
    }

You can find more info about Accessibility Service here

edited Feb 20 '18 at 19:45

Juli

961
7
16

answered Nov 02 '17 at 19:00

Sarthak Doshi

314
3
6

Unfortunately it may be incorrect. e.g. launcher app can be triggered suddenly after appearing of the foreground app – Vlad Mar 28 '21 at 17:08

score 5 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 20 '15 at 06:48

Are you sure? As I can see according to the latest Android docs, LOLLIPOP update doesnt allow you to know any info about other apps than your own!?

http://developer.android.com/reference/android/app/ActivityManager.html You can see that all those methods are deprecated!

Javad Shirkhani · Answer 5 · 2021-06-27T09:13:11.490

according to this ; the following code worked perfectly for me :

MOVE_TO_FOREGROUND and MOVE_TO_BACKGROUND added in sdk 21 and deprecated in sdk 29

ACTIVITY_RESUMED and ACTIVITY_PAUSED added in sdk 29

public static String getTopPkgName(Context context) {
    String pkgName = null;

    UsageStatsManager usageStatsManager = (UsageStatsManager) context
            .getSystemService(Context.USAGE_STATS_SERVICE);

    final long timeTnterval= 1000 * 600;
    final long endTime = System.currentTimeMillis();
    final long beginTime = endTime - timeTnterval;
    final UsageEvents myUsageEvents = usageStatsManager .queryEvents(beginTime , endTime );
    while (myUsageEvents .hasNextEvent()) {
        UsageEvents.Event myEvent = new UsageEvents.Event();
        myUsageEvents .getNextEvent(myEvent );
        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.Q) {
            switch (myEvent .getEventType()) {
                case UsageEvents.Event.ACTIVITY_RESUMED:
                    pkgName = myEvent .getPackageName();
                    break;
                case UsageEvents.Event.ACTIVITY_PAUSED:
                    if (myEvent .getPackageName().equals(pkgName )) {
                        pkgName = null;
                    }
            }
        }else {
            switch (event.getEventType()) {
                case UsageEvents.Event.MOVE_TO_FOREGROUND:
                    pkgName = myEvent .getPackageName();
                    break;
                case UsageEvents.Event.MOVE_TO_BACKGROUND:
                    if (myEvent .getPackageName().equals(pkgName )) {
                        pkgName = null;
                    }
            }
        }
    }

    return pkgName ;
}

Thanks a lot for the suggestion. Works reliably for me. – priojeet priyom Nov 20 '21 at 11:39 — priojeet priyom, Nov 20 '21 at 11:39
you're welcome, Good luck. – Javad Shirkhani Nov 23 '21 at 10:02 — Javad Shirkhani, Nov 23 '21 at 10:02

AmAnDroid · Answer 6 · 2016-04-16T05:33:10.637

2

Try this.. This worked for me.

ActivityManager activityManager = (ActivityManager) getSystemService (Context.ACTIVITY_SERVICE);

if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT == Build.VERSION_CODES.LOLLIPOP)    
{

String packageName = activityManager.getRunningAppProcesses().get(0).processName;
} 
else if(Build.VERSION.SDK_INT > Build.VERSION_CODES.LOLLIPOP)
{
String packageName =  ProcessManager.getRunningForegroundApps(getApplicationContext()).get(0).getPackageName();

}
else
{
String packageName = activityManager.getRunningTasks(1).get(0).topActivity.getPackageName();
}

edited Apr 16 '16 at 05:33

answered Apr 16 '16 at 05:21

AmAnDroid

236
2
11

6

what is ProcessManager ? – Nitesh Khosla Aug 29 '16 at 07:46
Note that `.processName` isn't always going to be the package name of the process. – Sam Nov 04 '16 at 22:08
3

I just did a quick Google search, and `ProcessManager` seems to be a deprecated class in the [`AndroidProcesses`](https://github.com/jaredrummler/AndroidProcesses) library. – Sam Nov 04 '16 at 22:12

score 1 · Answer 7 · answered May 14 '18 at 03:08

@Manish Godhani's answer (https://stackoverflow.com/a/38829083/8179249) works very well, but you have to give the right permissions for this !

See the two first points of that answer : https://stackoverflow.com/a/42560422/8179249

It works for me (before adding permissions I was getting 'null' too), as shown below :

Gagan · Answer 8 · 2015-08-26T09:44:49.203

Can be achieved like this.....

ActivityManager am =(ActivityManager)context.getSystemService(ACTIVITY_SERVICE);
List<ActivityManager.RunningTaskInfo> tasks = am.getRunningTasks(1);
ActivityManager.RunningTaskInfo task = tasks.get(0); // current task
ComponentName rootActivity = task.baseActivity;


rootActivity.getPackageName();//*currently active applications package name*

For lollipop:

ActivityManager mActivityManager =(ActivityManager)this.getSystemService(Context.ACTIVITY_SERVICE);

if(Build.VERSION.SDK_INT > 20){
    String activityName =mActivityManager.getRunningAppProcesses().get(0).processName;
 }
else{
 String activityName =   mActivityManager.getRunningTasks(1).get(0).topActivity.getPackageName();
}

for complete example check this out...

[getRunningAppProcesses](https://developer.android.com/reference/android/app/ActivityManager.html#getRunningAppProcesses()) comes with a warning of only using it when in debug mode — Clocker, Nov 26 '16 at 00:58

How to `getTopActivity` name or get currently running application package name in lollipop?

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