How to Get the Time spent on an application in Android Programmatically

Question

I want to get the Usage time of all those applications which i have used today.

As i am getting the those details by dialing *#*#4636#*#*. But i want these details programmatically in android. please help me out in this.

we can see how these play store apps are able to show the usage Statistics

Break free

App Usage

Quantic

I think this can help #31098099 – Motherwell

Please tell me if u get solution ..in Pre-lollipop – Toenail

Answer 1

Apps with usage access settings

Activity Classes :-

package com.example.android.appusagestatistics;

import android.app.Activity;
import android.app.usage.UsageStats;
import android.app.usage.UsageStatsManager;
import android.content.Context;
import android.content.pm.ApplicationInfo;
import android.content.pm.PackageManager;
import android.content.pm.PackageManager.NameNotFoundException;
import android.os.Bundle;

import java.text.DateFormat;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.Calendar;
import java.util.Collections;
import java.util.Comparator;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.Map;

import android.text.format.DateUtils;
import android.util.ArrayMap;
import android.util.Log;
import android.view.LayoutInflater;
import android.view.View;
import android.view.ViewGroup;
import android.widget.AdapterView;
import android.widget.BaseAdapter;
import android.widget.ListView;
import android.widget.Spinner;
import android.widget.TextView;
import android.widget.AdapterView.OnItemSelectedListener;

/**
 * Activity to display package usage statistics.
 */
public class UsageStatsActivity extends Activity implements OnItemSelectedListener {
    private static final String TAG = "UsageStatsActivity";
    private static final boolean localLOGV = false;
    private UsageStatsManager mUsageStatsManager;
    private LayoutInflater mInflater;
    private UsageStatsAdapter mAdapter;
    private PackageManager mPm;

    public static class AppNameComparator implements Comparator<UsageStats> {
        private Map<String, String> mAppLabelList;

        AppNameComparator(Map<String, String> appList) {
            mAppLabelList = appList;
        }

        @Override
        public final int compare(UsageStats a, UsageStats b) {
            String alabel = mAppLabelList.get(a.getPackageName());
            String blabel = mAppLabelList.get(b.getPackageName());
            return alabel.compareTo(blabel);
        }
    }

    public static class LastTimeUsedComparator implements Comparator<UsageStats> {
        @Override
        public final int compare(UsageStats a, UsageStats b) {
            // return by descending order
            return (int)(b.getLastTimeUsed() - a.getLastTimeUsed());
        }
    }

    public static class UsageTimeComparator implements Comparator<UsageStats> {
        @Override
        public final int compare(UsageStats a, UsageStats b) {
            return (int)(b.getTotalTimeInForeground() - a.getTotalTimeInForeground());
        }
    }

    // View Holder used when displaying views
    static class AppViewHolder {
        TextView pkgName;
        TextView lastTimeUsed;
        TextView usageTime;
    }

    class UsageStatsAdapter extends BaseAdapter {
        // Constants defining order for display order
        private static final int _DISPLAY_ORDER_USAGE_TIME = 0;
        private static final int _DISPLAY_ORDER_LAST_TIME_USED = 1;
        private static final int _DISPLAY_ORDER_APP_NAME = 2;

        private int mDisplayOrder = _DISPLAY_ORDER_USAGE_TIME;
        private LastTimeUsedComparator mLastTimeUsedComparator = new LastTimeUsedComparator();
        private UsageTimeComparator mUsageTimeComparator = new UsageTimeComparator();
        private AppNameComparator mAppLabelComparator;
        private final ArrayMap<String, String> mAppLabelMap = new ArrayMap<>();
        private final ArrayList<UsageStats> mPackageStats = new ArrayList<>();

        UsageStatsAdapter() {
            Calendar cal = Calendar.getInstance();
            cal.add(Calendar.DAY_OF_YEAR, -5);

            final List<UsageStats> stats =
                    mUsageStatsManager.queryUsageStats(UsageStatsManager.INTERVAL_BEST,
                            cal.getTimeInMillis(), System.currentTimeMillis());
            if (stats == null) {
                return;
            }

            ArrayMap<String, UsageStats> map = new ArrayMap<>();
            final int statCount = stats.size();
            for (int i = 0; i < statCount; i++) {
                final android.app.usage.UsageStats pkgStats = stats.get(i);

                // load application labels for each application
                try {
                    ApplicationInfo appInfo = mPm.getApplicationInfo(pkgStats.getPackageName(), 0);
                    String label = appInfo.loadLabel(mPm).toString();
                    mAppLabelMap.put(pkgStats.getPackageName(), label);

                    UsageStats existingStats =
                            map.get(pkgStats.getPackageName());
                    if (existingStats == null) {
                        map.put(pkgStats.getPackageName(), pkgStats);
                    } else {
                        existingStats.add(pkgStats);
                    }

                } catch (NameNotFoundException e) {
                    // This package may be gone.
                }
            }
            mPackageStats.addAll(map.values());

            // Sort list
            mAppLabelComparator = new AppNameComparator(mAppLabelMap);
            sortList();
        }

        @Override
        public int getCount() {
            return mPackageStats.size();
        }

        @Override
        public Object getItem(int position) {
            return mPackageStats.get(position);
        }

        @Override
        public long getItemId(int position) {
            return position;
        }

        @Override
        public View getView(int position, View convertView, ViewGroup parent) {
            // A ViewHolder keeps references to children views to avoid unneccessary calls
            // to findViewById() on each row.
            AppViewHolder holder;

            // When convertView is not null, we can reuse it directly, there is no need
            // to reinflate it. We only inflate a new View when the convertView supplied
            // by ListView is null.
            if (convertView == null) {
                convertView = mInflater.inflate(R.layout.usage_stats_item, null);

                // Creates a ViewHolder and store references to the two children views
                // we want to bind data to.
                holder = new AppViewHolder();
                holder.pkgName = (TextView) convertView.findViewById(R.id.package_name);
                holder.lastTimeUsed = (TextView) convertView.findViewById(R.id.last_time_used);
                holder.usageTime = (TextView) convertView.findViewById(R.id.usage_time);
                convertView.setTag(holder);
            } else {
                // Get the ViewHolder back to get fast access to the TextView
                // and the ImageView.
                holder = (AppViewHolder) convertView.getTag();
            }

            // Bind the data efficiently with the holder
            UsageStats pkgStats = mPackageStats.get(position);
            if (pkgStats != null) {
                String label = mAppLabelMap.get(pkgStats.getPackageName());
                holder.pkgName.setText(label);
                holder.lastTimeUsed.setText(DateUtils.formatSameDayTime(pkgStats.getLastTimeUsed(),
                        System.currentTimeMillis(), DateFormat.MEDIUM, DateFormat.MEDIUM));
                holder.usageTime.setText(
                        DateUtils.formatElapsedTime(pkgStats.getTotalTimeInForeground() / 1000));
            } else {
                Log.w(TAG, "No usage stats info for package:" + position);
            }
            return convertView;
        }

        void sortList(int sortOrder) {
            if (mDisplayOrder == sortOrder) {
                // do nothing
                return;
            }
            mDisplayOrder= sortOrder;
            sortList();
        }
        private void sortList() {
            if (mDisplayOrder == _DISPLAY_ORDER_USAGE_TIME) {
                if (localLOGV) Log.i(TAG, "Sorting by usage time");
                Collections.sort(mPackageStats, mUsageTimeComparator);
            } else if (mDisplayOrder == _DISPLAY_ORDER_LAST_TIME_USED) {
                if (localLOGV) Log.i(TAG, "Sorting by last time used");
                Collections.sort(mPackageStats, mLastTimeUsedComparator);
            } else if (mDisplayOrder == _DISPLAY_ORDER_APP_NAME) {
                if (localLOGV) Log.i(TAG, "Sorting by application name");
                Collections.sort(mPackageStats, mAppLabelComparator);
            }
            notifyDataSetChanged();
        }
    }

    /** Called when the activity is first created. */
    @Override
    protected void onCreate(Bundle icicle) {
        super.onCreate(icicle);
        setContentView(R.layout.usage_stats);

        mUsageStatsManager = (UsageStatsManager) getSystemService(Context.USAGE_STATS_SERVICE);
        mInflater = (LayoutInflater)getSystemService(Context.LAYOUT_INFLATER_SERVICE);
        mPm = getPackageManager();

        Spinner typeSpinner = (Spinner) findViewById(R.id.typeSpinner);
        typeSpinner.setOnItemSelectedListener(this);

        ListView listView = (ListView) findViewById(R.id.pkg_list);
        mAdapter = new UsageStatsAdapter();
        listView.setAdapter(mAdapter);
    }

    @Override
    public void onItemSelected(AdapterView<?> parent, View view, int position, long id) {
        mAdapter.sortList(position);
    }

    @Override
    public void onNothingSelected(AdapterView<?> parent) {
        // do nothing
    }
}

Layout :-

1. usage_stats.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent">

    <TextView
        android:text="@string/display_order_text"
        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceLarge"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" />

    <Spinner
        android:id="@+id/typeSpinner"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:entries="@array/usage_stats_display_order_types" />

    <LinearLayout
        android:orientation="horizontal"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content" >
        <TextView
            android:text="@string/app_name_label"
            android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:paddingEnd="6dip"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
        <TextView
            android:text="@string/last_time_used_label"
            android:paddingEnd="6dip"
            android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
        <TextView
            android:text="@string/usage_time_label"
            android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium"
            android:layout_width="wrap_content"
            android:layout_height="wrap_content" />
    </LinearLayout>
    <ListView android:id="@+id/pkg_list"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent"
        android:drawSelectorOnTop="false" />
</LinearLayout> 

2. usage_stats_item.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?><!--
/*
** Copyright 2008, The Android Open Source Project
**
** Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
** you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
** You may obtain a copy of the License at
**
**     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
**
** Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
** distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
** WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
** See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
** limitations under the License.
*/
-->

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:minHeight="?android:attr/listPreferredItemHeight"
    android:orientation="horizontal">

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/package_name"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:maxLines="1"
        android:paddingEnd="6dip"
        android:paddingStart="12dip"
        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/last_time_used"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:maxLines="1"
        android:paddingEnd="6dip"
        android:paddingStart="12dip"
        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/usage_time"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:maxLines="1"
        android:paddingEnd="6dip"
        android:paddingStart="12dip"
        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceMedium" />
</LinearLayout>

Values :-

arrays.xml

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<resources>


    <string-array name="usage_stats_display_order_types">
        <item>Usage time</item>
        <item>Last time used</item>
        <item>App name</item>
    </string-array>
</resources>

string.xml

 <string name="open_app_usage_setting">Open Apps with usage access settings</string>
<string name="last_time_used">"Last time used: "</string>
<string name="time_span">"Time span: "</string>

<string name="display_order_text">Sort by:</string>
<string name="app_name_label">App</string>
<string name="last_time_used_label">Last time used</string>
<!-- label for usage time -->
<string name="usage_time_label">Usage time</string> 

user permissions :-

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

Memoirs

GREAT WORK!! +1 but why it is not displayed all the installed applications of device(Lenovo K50a40)? – Cutlip

Can you plz check that app having the permission to access the application – Memoirs

If same app is used twice after an interval, will this produce two different result or one result with merged duration? – Lyonnais

"android.permission. PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS is a system-level permission and will not be granted to third-party apps. However, declaring the permission implies intention to use the API and the user of the device can grant permission through the Settings application." – Woodsman

@chandbecse do you have a Github repo for this code? – Subtend

It could be thought about incorporating to this provided answer the following addition: https://mcmap.net/q/604123/-how-to-get-the-time-spent-on-an-application-in-android-programmatically – Rodger

This query will get all of the records. To prevent multiple data, add data in some temporary array and check if contains previously then add timestamp of all the data in single one. Now, this one will show the proper time usage of the app. – Wilcox

Answer 2

From Android 5.0 we can use android.app.usage.usageStats to get the total time an app has been used by accessing getTotalTimeInForeground(). For more details, refer here

Elyn

can we get whole screen time spent by the user on the device using gettotaltimeinforeground() – Barry

Answer 3

TLDR if you used @chand_becse's code and your list is empty just add this reguestPermissions method and call this in your onCreate method(right after UsageStatsManager is initialized)

Chand becse's answer is completely valid, though you have to bear in mind that your application needs permission to use stats from other apps. Because permision.PACKAGE_USAGE is something that you can't just simply ask user for, you have to redirect him to ACTION_USAGE_ACCESS_SETTINGS view and let him turn on those permissions manually. I've also noticed that every time I'm getting -1 when I check if my application already got permissions(even if it has already obtained them), so I'm checking if the stats list is empty. If it is I assume my application needs permissions for this functionality.

    private void requestPermissions() {
        List<UsageStats> stats = mUsageStatsManager
                .queryUsageStats(UsageStatsManager.INTERVAL_DAILY, 0, System.currentTimeMillis());
        boolean isEmpty = stats.isEmpty();
        if (isEmpty) {
            startActivity(new Intent(Settings.ACTION_USAGE_ACCESS_SETTINGS));
        }
    }

Herries