BOOTCOMPLETED

BOOT_COMPLETED refers to a broadcast action in the Android operating system that is sent by the system when the device has finished its boot process. Applications can listen for this event to perform initialization tasks, restore state, or schedule ongoing operations that should occur after the device starts up.

Receiving the broadcast requires specific configuration. To receive BOOT_COMPLETED, an app must declare the RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED permission in its manifest and register a BroadcastReceiver that listens for the android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED action. The receiver can be declared in the manifest with an intent-filter for that action. When the device finishes booting, the system delivers this broadcast to eligible receivers.

Security and scope considerations are important. BOOT_COMPLETED is a protected broadcast, meaning the system will deliver it only to applications that have requested the RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED permission and are properly configured to receive it. The broadcast is delivered once the system has completed its startup sequence, and the receiver’s onReceive method should execute quickly, deferring long-running work to other components or scheduling mechanisms.

Best practices and limitations have evolved with newer Android versions. Since Android 8.0 (API level 26), background execution limits restrict starting long-running background services directly from a BOOT_COMPLETED receiver. If substantial work is needed at boot, developers are advised to use foreground services (with user-visible UI) or schedule work via WorkManager or JobScheduler to run after boot.

In summary, BOOT_COMPLETED enables apps to kick off boot-time initialization, but it should be used judiciously, with appropriate permissions and modern background work patterns.