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Discover how to effectively manage Android app badge counts without relying on push notifications, specifically for Android Oreo and above.
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How to Update App Badge Count in Android Without Push Notifications on Oreo+

Managing an app's badge count can be particularly crucial for enhancing user engagement and keeping them updated. However, many Android developers find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to updating this count without using push notifications, especially on devices running Android Oreo or above. In this guide, we’ll explore how to handle badge count updates seamlessly and effectively.

The Challenge

The Problem

As developers, we often want to improve user experience by updating the app icon badge count based on user interaction, such as when they read notifications within the app. Unfortunately, Android does not offer a straightforward public API to update the app badge count without sending a notification.

Common approaches involve using silent push notifications.

However, when users clear notifications from the notification tray, the badge count disappears if not correctly managed.

So, how can we independently manage the badge count without pushing notifications every time a user interacts with the app? The solution lies in understanding how to manipulate notifications in tandem with the badge count.

Understanding Badge Management in Android

The Role of Notifications

In the Android ecosystem, updating the app badge count is primarily conducted through notifications. Here's how it works:

Each notification can carry additional information like badge count.

By notifying the system through the NotificationManager, you can control the badge count displayed on the app icon.

The Notification Builder

We utilize the NotificationCompat.Builder, which allows for the creation of notifications that can be displayed and help in updating the badge count. Here's an example of how to do this:

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The setNumber(messageCount) method updates the count displayed on the app badge.

Implementing a Solution

Step 1: Maintaining Notification ID

To effectively manage the badge count, it's essential to use the same notification ID every time you send a notification from your app. This ensures the new notification overrides the previous one instead of stacking counts. Here’s how to manage your notification ID:

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

By keeping the notification ID consistent, every call to update the badge count will effectively replace the old count, preventing it from stacking up.

Step 2: Creating a Silent Push Notification Channel

While normal notifications are visible, a silent push notification can be configured to remain undetected by the user while still updating the badge count in the background. Here’s how to set this up:

Configure a separate notification channel specifically for silent notifications.

Use this channel solely for updating badge counts whenever needed.

Conclusion

While Android does not provide a direct API for updating badge counts independently of notifications, by correctly utilizing NotificationManager and configuring silent notifications, you can keep track of your badge counts effectively.

Incorporating this solution will streamline your app's user experience, keeping users informed and engaged without overwhelming them with visible notifications. So, whether you're managing a messaging app or any other type that relies on user notifications, this approach will work wonders for maintaining an accurate badge count.

Feel free to explore and adapt these methods for your specific use case as you continue on your development journey!