Permission Denial: not allowed to send broadcast android.intent.action.AIRPLANE_MODE

Question

I am trying to programmatically set the aeroplane mode on.

Settings.System.putInt(context.getContentResolver(), Settings.Global.AIRPLANE_MODE_ON, 1);

Intent aeroPlaneIntent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_AIRPLANE_MODE_CHANGED);
aeroPlaneIntent.putExtra("state", true);
context.sendBroadcast(aeroPlaneIntent);

Setting the Global.AIRPLANE_MODE_ON is failing as if I check the status it returns 0 (OFF)

Trying to broadcast the intent it raises the following exception:

03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579): java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start receiver com.example.toggleaeroplanemode.AeroplaneModeReceiver: java.lang.SecurityException: Permission Denial: not allowed to send broadcast android.intent.action.AIRPLANE_MODE from pid=1579, uid=10050
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.app.ActivityThread.handleReceiver(ActivityThread.java:2431)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.app.ActivityThread.access$1500(ActivityThread.java:141)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1332)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:137)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:5103)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invokeNative(Native Method)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:525)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:737)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:553)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at dalvik.system.NativeStart.main(Native Method)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579): Caused by: java.lang.SecurityException: Permission Denial: not allowed to send broadcast android.intent.action.AIRPLANE_MODE from pid=1579, uid=10050
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1431)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.os.Parcel.readException(Parcel.java:1385)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.app.ActivityManagerProxy.broadcastIntent(ActivityManagerNative.java:2224)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.app.ContextImpl.sendBroadcast(ContextImpl.java:1046)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.content.ContextWrapper.sendBroadcast(ContextWrapper.java:344)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.content.ContextWrapper.sendBroadcast(ContextWrapper.java:344)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at com.example.toggleaeroplanemode.AeroplaneModeReceiver.onReceive(AeroplaneModeReceiver.java:31) 
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     at android.app.ActivityThread.handleReceiver(ActivityThread.java:2424)
03-12 07:01:18.747: E/AndroidRuntime(1579):     ... 10 more

Is there a way to set the airplane mode ON/OFF? Please help

Answer 1

For little info:

Use this Permission first..

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

further info: Just check this conversation

Answer 2

The below was tested and verified on Android API 23 & 26 Emulators;

The manifest permission needed is as follows;

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

The code is as follows;

boolean turnOnOffAirplaneMode(boolean isTurnOn) {
    boolean result = true;
    try {
        Settings.Global.putInt(context.getContentResolver(),
                Settings.Global.AIRPLANE_MODE_ON, isTurnOn ? 1 : 0);
        // The below old code is now not necessary @ API Level 23, 26 ...
        //Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_AIRPLANE_MODE_CHANGED);
        //context.sendBroadcast(intent);
    } catch (Exception e) {
        result = false;
    }
    return result;
}

The APK should be signed with the relevant platform key for above to work. In the Emulator test, the APK was signed with Google Sign Keys. The keys depend on the OEM of the device.

Answer 3

$ adb shell
$ su
# settings put global airplane_mode_on 0
# am broadcast -a android.intent.action.AIRPLANE_MODE --ez state false