Android TV OS 14 cannot enable accessibility service

[EricChan1989]

Developer TODO (don't remove)

• create new branch. put issue number at start of name if not a very quick fix.
• write tests. put issue number in comment
• update documentation
• merge and delete branch (don't squash because want commit history to see why I made changes)

Discord message link/email recipient [email protected]

Describe the bug
This may not be judged as a bug, the better description is an issue.
On Android TV OS 14, the newly released google tv streamer, there is no way to enable the related accessibility service.
If I try to enable it, it will be disabled immediately automatically.
I tried to use adb to grant the permission using the commands below, but it simply does not working.

adb shell pm grant io.github.sds100.keymapper android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS
adb shell settings put secure enabled_accessibility_services io.github.sds100.keymapper/io.github.sds100.keymapper.service.MyAccessibilityService

May I know if there is a way to make it work on this new TV OS?

Thanks.

To Reproduce
Steps to reproduce the behavior: try to enable the accessibility service from settings.

Upload a backup of your keymaps. Follow the guide here

Expected behavior
The service can be enabled.

Screenshots
I don't think there is need to have a screenshot for this, and it is hard to take a screenshot on the TV os.

Smartphone (please complete the following information):

• Device: Google TV Streamer
• Android version: Android TV OS 14

Additional context
N/A

[EricChan1989]

By the way, it seems this new OS only allow the apps installed from play store to enable accessibility services. Is it possible that you can make this app available in the TV play store? It is only available in the phone's play store at this moment. Thanks

[sds100]

Oh right, thats a weird restriction. Are there any ADB commands to override the whitelist? See #488. I haven't released it to TV because there are stricter requirements on optimizing the UI for TVs, the app isnt fully navigable either?

[EricChan1989]

Oh right, thats a weird restriction. Are there any ADB commands to override the whitelist? See #488. I haven't released it to TV because there are stricter requirements on optimizing the UI for TVs, the app isnt fully navigable either?

I personally do not know if there is truly a whitelist or something. Maybe there is a variable in the system related to all the apps to mark them as installed from play store, built in or side loaded etc?
If there is no way to enable the service via adb, maybe finally we have to rely on you to release it to the TV os as new os versions are always thr trend. The app itself works very well on TV os, even if there are some clicking issues to specified buttons, we can plug in a mouse to deal with this, very easy. We do not need to run this app every day anyway... Thanks

[EricChan1989]

i found a workaround on this!!!
Not to install the apk directly from any file explorer etc (via another app), just install it via adb install command.
And then android tv os 14 may judge this as a safe way to install it, then I can enable accessibility service for it!!!

[sds100]

Oh wow, that's weird 😂