Unable to Clear FCM Notification Badge Count on Android in Ionic Angular App? We’ve Got You Covered!

Are you tired of seeing that annoying red dot on your Android app’s icon, stubbornly refusing to disappear even after you’ve dismissed the notifications? You’re not alone! In this article, we’ll dive into the world of Firebase Cloud Messaging (FCM) and Ionic Angular apps, exploring the reasons behind this frustrating issue and providing a step-by-step guide on how to clear that pesky notification badge count once and for all.

The Problem: FCM Notification Badge Count Won’t Clear

Before we dive into the solution, let’s understand what’s causing this issue. When you receive a notification through FCM in your Ionic Angular app, the notification badge count is incremented accordingly. However, when you dismiss the notification, the badge count doesn’t always clear. This is because the FCM SDK doesn’t automatically reset the badge count when a notification is dismissed.

Why Does This Happen?

• Lack of explicit badge count reset**: Unlike iOS, Android doesn’t have a built-in mechanism to reset the badge count when a notification is dismissed. It’s up to the app developer to handle this manually.
• FCM SDK limitations**: The FCM SDK doesn’t provide a direct way to reset the badge count. You need to use a combination of FCM and Android’s NotificationManager to achieve this.
• Ionic Angular app architecture**: The complexities of Ionic Angular apps can sometimes lead to issues with notification handling, making it difficult to clear the badge count.

The Solution: Clearing the FCM Notification Badge Count

Fear not, dear developer! We’ll walk you through the steps to clear the FCM notification badge count on Android in your Ionic Angular app.

Step 1: Add the Required Dependencies

In your Ionic Angular project, make sure you have the following dependencies installed:

cordova-plugin-firebase-messaging
cordova-plugin-android-badge

If you haven’t already, add these plugins to your project using the following commands:

ionic cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-firebase-messaging
ionic cordova plugin add cordova-plugin-android-badge

Step 2: Configure FCM in Your App

In your app’s `app.module.ts` file, import the `FirebaseMessaging` module:

import { FirebaseMessaging } from '@ionic-native/firebase-messaging/ngx';

Then, in your app’s `app.component.ts` file, initialize FCM and request permission:

import { Component } from '@angular/core';
import { FirebaseMessaging } from '@ionic-native/firebase-messaging/ngx';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-root',
  templateUrl: 'app.component.html',
  styleUrls: ['app.component.css']
})
export class AppComponent {
  constructor(private firebaseMessaging: FirebaseMessaging) {}

  async ngOnInit() {
    await this.firebaseMessaging.requestPermission();
  }
}

Step 3: Handle Notifications and Reset Badge Count

In your app’s `app.component.ts` file, add the following code to handle FCM notifications and reset the badge count:

import { Component } from '@angular/core';
import { FirebaseMessaging } from '@ionic-native/firebase-messaging/ngx';
import { AndroidBadge } from '@ionic-native/android-badge/ngx';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-root',
  templateUrl: 'app.component.html',
  styleUrls: ['app.component.css']
})
export class AppComponent {
  constructor(private firebaseMessaging: FirebaseMessaging, private androidBadge: AndroidBadge) {}

  async ngOnInit() {
    await this.firebaseMessaging.requestPermission();

    this.firebaseMessaging.onNotification().subscribe((data) => {
      console.log('Received notification:', data);

      // Reset badge count when notification is received
      this.androidBadge.setBadge(0);
    });

    this.firebaseMessaging.onTokenRefresh().subscribe((token) => {
      console.log('Token refreshed:', token);
    });
  }
}

Step 4: Handle Notification Dismissal

In your app’s `app.component.ts` file, add the following code to handle notification dismissal and reset the badge count:

import { Component } from '@angular/core';
import { FirebaseMessaging } from '@ionic-native/firebase-messaging/ngx';
import { AndroidBadge } from '@ionic-native/android-badge/ngx';

@Component({
  selector: 'app-root',
  templateUrl: 'app.component.html',
  styleUrls: ['app.component.css']
})
export class AppComponent {
  constructor(private firebaseMessaging: FirebaseMessaging, private androidBadge: AndroidBadge) {}

  async ngOnInit() {
    await this.firebaseMessaging.requestPermission();

    this.firebaseMessaging.onNotification().subscribe((data) => {
      console.log('Received notification:', data);

      // Reset badge count when notification is received
      this.androidBadge.setBadge(0);
    });

    this.firebaseMessaging.onTokenRefresh().subscribe((token) => {
      console.log('Token refreshed:', token);
    });

    // Handle notification dismissal
    document.addEventListener('notificationdismiss', (event) => {
      console.log('Notification dismissed:', event);

      // Reset badge count when notification is dismissed
      this.androidBadge.setBadge(0);
    });
  }
}

Conclusion

Voilà! With these simple steps, you should now be able to clear the FCM notification badge count on Android in your Ionic Angular app. By understanding the underlying causes of this issue and implementing the necessary solutions, you can provide a seamless user experience for your app users.

Plugin	Purpose
cordova-plugin-firebase-messaging	Handles FCM notifications in your app
cordova-plugin-android-badge	Allows you to set and reset the badge count on Android

Bonus: Troubleshooting Tips

If you’re still experiencing issues with clearing the FCM notification badge count, try the following:

1. Check your FCM implementation: Ensure you’ve implemented FCM correctly in your app, including initializing the SDK and requesting permission.
2. Verify plugin installation: Make sure you’ve installed the required plugins (cordova-plugin-firebase-messaging and cordova-plugin-android-badge) correctly.
3. Check AndroidManifest.xml: Ensure the `AndroidBadge` plugin is configured correctly in your app’s `AndroidManifest.xml` file.
4. Test on different devices: Try testing your app on different Android devices to rule out device-specific issues.

With these troubleshooting tips and the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to troubleshoot and resolve any issues related to clearing the FCM notification badge count on Android in your Ionic Angular app.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, clearing the FCM notification badge count on Android in Ionic Angular apps requires a combination of FCM SDK, Android’s NotificationManager, and the `cordova-plugin-android-badge` plugin. By following the steps outlined in this article, you should be able to resolve this issue and provide a better user experience for your app users. Happy coding!

Frequently Asked Question

Stuck with the FCM notification badge count on your Android app? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!