react-native-accessibility-services-detector

react-native-accessibility-services-detector

🔍 A React Native module for detecting enabled accessibility services on Android devices with real-time monitoring capabilities.

Features

• ✅ Detect enabled accessibility services - Get detailed information about all active accessibility services
• 🔄 Real-time monitoring - Listen for changes when services are enabled/disabled
• 📱 Android focused - Designed specifically for Android platform (iOS returns empty results)
• 🏗️ Architecture support - Compatible with both old and new React Native architecture
• 📝 TypeScript support - Comprehensive type definitions included
• 🎯 Rich service information - App name, package name, feedback types, and more

Installation

npm install react-native-accessibility-services-detector

For React Native 0.60+

The package will automatically link. Run the following commands:

# For iOS (even though it's a no-op on iOS, it's still needed for linking)
cd ios && pod install

# For Android, rebuild the project
npx react-native run-android

For React Native < 0.60

npx react-native link react-native-accessibility-services-detector

Usage

Basic Usage

import AccessibilityServicesDetector, {
  getEnabledAccessibilityServices,
  hasEnabledAccessibilityServices,
  getInstalledRemoteAccessApps,
  type AccessibilityServiceInfo,
  type RemoteAccessApp,
} from 'react-native-accessibility-services-detector';

// Check if any accessibility services are enabled
const checkServices = async () => {
  const hasServices = await hasEnabledAccessibilityServices();
  console.log('Has enabled services:', hasServices);
  
  if (hasServices) {
    const services = await getEnabledAccessibilityServices();
    console.log('Enabled services:', services);
  }
};

// Check for installed remote access apps
const checkRemoteAccessApps = async () => {
  const installedApps = await getInstalledRemoteAccessApps();
  console.log('Installed remote access apps:', installedApps);
};

Real-time Monitoring

import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';
import type { EmitterSubscription } from 'react-native';
import AccessibilityServicesDetector, {
  getEnabledAccessibilityServices,
  type AccessibilityServiceInfo,
} from 'react-native-accessibility-services-detector';

const useAccessibilityServices = () => {
  const [services, setServices] = useState<AccessibilityServiceInfo[]>([]);

  useEffect(() => {
    let listener: EmitterSubscription | null = null;
    const setupListener = async () => {
      // Add listener for accessibility services changes
      listener = await AccessibilityServicesDetector.addAccessibilityServicesListener((enabledServices) => {
        setServices(enabledServices);
        console.log('Services changed:', enabledServices);
      });

      // Get initial state
      const initialServices = getEnabledAccessibilityServices();
      setServices(initialServices);
    };

    setupListener();

    // Cleanup on unmount
    return () => {
      if (listener) {
        AccessibilityServicesDetector.removeAccessibilityServicesListener(listener);
        // or simply call listener.remove();
      }
    };
  }, []);

  return services;
};

Manual Listener Management

import AccessibilityServicesDetector from 'react-native-accessibility-services-detector';

// Manual control over listening
const startMonitoring = async () => {
  await AccessibilityServicesDetector.startListening();
  console.log('Started listening for accessibility service changes');
};

const stopMonitoring = async () => {
  await AccessibilityServicesDetector.stopListening();
  console.log('Stopped listening for accessibility service changes');
};

API Reference

Functions

Method	Signature	Description	Android	iOS
getEnabledAccessibilityServices()	(): Promise<AccessibilityServiceInfo[]>	Returns list of enabled accessibility services	✅ Array of services	❌ Empty array
hasEnabledAccessibilityServices()	(): Promise<boolean>	Checks if any accessibility services are enabled	✅ true/false	❌ Always false
getInstalledRemoteAccessApps()	(): Promise<RemoteAccessApp[]>	Returns detected remote access applications¹	✅ Array of apps	❌ Empty array
openAccessibilitySettings()	(): void	Opens system accessibility settings	✅ Opens settings	❌ No-op

¹ Android 11+ Requirements: Requires manifest queries configuration for package visibility.

AccessibilityServicesDetector

Real-time monitoring class for accessibility service changes.

Method	Signature	Description	Android	iOS
addAccessibilityServicesListener()	(callback: (services: AccessibilityServiceInfo[]) => void): Promise<EmitterSubscription | null>	Adds listener and starts monitoring automatically	✅ Returns subscription	❌ Returns null
removeAccessibilityServicesListener()	(subscription: EmitterSubscription | null): void	Removes a previously added listener	✅ Removes listener	❌ No-op
startListening()	(): Promise<void>	Manually starts listening for changes²	✅ Starts monitoring	❌ No-op
stopListening()	(): Promise<void>	Manually stops listening for changes	✅ Stops monitoring	❌ No-op
getListenerCount()	(): number	Returns number of active listeners	✅ Listener count	❌ Always 0
getIsListening()	(): boolean	Checks if currently listening for changes	✅ true/false	❌ Always false

² Note: Listeners added with addAccessibilityServicesListener() start automatically.

Type Definitions

AccessibilityServiceInfo

Information about an accessibility service.

Property	Type	Description
id	string	Unique service identifier (e.g., "com.example.app/.MyService")
label	string	Human-readable name of the service
appLabel	string	Human-readable name of the app that owns this service
appIcon	string	PNG data URL for the app icon (optional, Android only)
packageName	string	Package name of the app that owns this service
serviceName	string	Package name of the service
feedbackType	AccessibilityServiceFeedbackType	Feedback types supported by this service
feedbackTypeNames	string	Human-readable name for the feedback type
isAccessibilityTool	boolean	Whether this service is an accessibility tool (optional)
isSystemApp	boolean	Whether this service is a system app
sourceDir	string	Source directory of the app that owns this service (optional)

RemoteAccessApp

Information about a detected remote access application.

Property	Type	Description
packageName	string	Package name of the remote access app
appName	string	Human-readable app name
appIcon	string	PNG data URL for the app icon (optional, Android only)

AccessibilityServiceFeedbackType

Feedback types that accessibility services can provide.

Constant	Value	Description
FEEDBACK_SPOKEN	1	Text-to-speech feedback
FEEDBACK_HAPTIC	2	Vibration feedback
FEEDBACK_AUDIBLE	4	Sound feedback
FEEDBACK_VISUAL	8	Visual feedback
FEEDBACK_GENERIC	16	Generic feedback
FEEDBACK_BRAILLE	32	Braille feedback
FEEDBACK_ALL_MASK	-1	All feedback types combined

Platform Support

Platform	Support	Notes
Android	✅ Full	Complete functionality with real-time monitoring
iOS	⚠️ Limited	Returns empty results (no accessibility services API available)

Android Requirements

• Minimum SDK: API level 33 (Android 13) for real-time monitoring
• Package Visibility: Android 11+ (API 30+) requires manifest queries for getInstalledRemoteAccessApps
• Permissions: No special permissions required

Android Manifest Configuration

For Android 11+ (API 30+), if you want to use the getInstalledRemoteAccessApps method to detect remote access applications, you need to declare package queries in your app's AndroidManifest.xml. This is required due to package visibility restrictions.

Option 1: Gradle Script (Recommended)

Add the Gradle script to automatically inject the required queries:

In android/app/build.gradle:

// Apply accessibility services detector gradle script
apply from: "../../node_modules/react-native-accessibility-services-detector/android/accessibility-queries.gradle"

// Optional: Add custom packages to detect
project.ext.accessibilityDetectorCustomPackages = [
    'com.custom.remoteapp1',
    'com.custom.remoteapp2'
]

// Optional: Disable logging (default: true)
project.ext.accessibilityDetectorEnableLogging = false

This script will automatically:

• Find your merged AndroidManifest.xml during build
• Add the required <queries> declarations if missing
• Include any custom packages you specify
• Handle both new and existing <queries> sections
• Work with any React Native project setup
• Support configurable logging

Option 2: Expo Config Plugin

For Expo projects using prebuild, add the config plugin:

Basic configuration in app.json:

{
  "expo": {
    "plugins": [
      "react-native-accessibility-services-detector/plugin"
    ]
  }
}

With custom packages in app.config.js:

export default {
  expo: {
    plugins: [
      [
        "react-native-accessibility-services-detector/plugin",
        {
          customPackages: [
            "com.custom.remoteapp1",
            "com.custom.remoteapp2"
          ],
          enableLogging: false // Optional, default: true
        }
      ]
    ]
  }
}

Then run:

npx expo prebuild --clean

Option 3: Manual Configuration

Add the following queries to your android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
  <queries>
    <package android:name="com.teamviewer.teamviewer.market.mobile"/>
    <package android:name="com.teamviewer.quicksupport.market"/>
    <package android:name="com.teamviewer.host.market"/>
    <package android:name="com.anydesk.anydeskandroid"/>
    <package android:name="com.rsupport.mvagent"/>
    <package android:name="com.airdroid.mirroring"/>
    <package android:name="com.sand.aircast"/>
    <package android:name="com.sand.airmirror"/>
    <package android:name="com.sand.airsos"/>
    <package android:name="com.sand.aircasttv"/>
    <package android:name="com.remotepc.viewer"/>
    <package android:name="com.google.android.apps.chromeremotedesktop"/>
    <package android:name="com.microsoft.rdc.android"/>
    <package android:name="com.microsoft.intune"/>
    <package android:name="com.realvnc.viewer.android"/>
    <package android:name="com.iiordanov.bVNC"/>
    <package android:name="com.logmein.rescue.mobileconsole"/>
    <package android:name="com.airwatch.rm.agent.cloud"/>
    <package android:name="com.splashtop.streamer.csrs"/>
    <package android:name="com.splashtop.sos"/>
    <package android:name="net.soti.mobicontrol.androidwork"/>
    <package android:name="com.example.app"/>
  </queries>
  
  <!-- Your existing manifest content -->
  <application>
    <!-- ... -->
  </application>
</manifest>

Note: The <queries> element must be placed at the root level of the manifest, outside the <application> tag.

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

• Module not linked properly

  Error: The package 'react-native-accessibility-services-detector' doesn't seem to be linked.
  

  • Make sure you ran pod install (iOS) and rebuilt the project
  • For RN < 0.60, run npx react-native link

• Build errors on Android

  • Ensure your project targets the correct Android SDK version
  • Clean and rebuild: cd android && ./gradlew clean && cd .. && npx react-native run-android

• TypeScript errors

  • Make sure TypeScript is properly configured in your project
  • The module includes comprehensive type definitions

• getInstalledRemoteAccessApps() returns empty array on Android 11+

  getInstalledRemoteAccessApps() returns [] even when remote access apps are installed
  

  • This is due to Android's package visibility restrictions (API 30+)
  • You must add the required <queries> declarations to your app's AndroidManifest.xml
  • Use the Gradle script, Expo config plugin, or manual configuration (see Android Manifest Configuration section)
  • Verify the queries are present in your merged manifest: android/app/build/intermediates/merged_manifests/debug/AndroidManifest.xml

• Gradle script not working

  • Make sure you're applying the script in the app module (android/app/build.gradle)
  • Ensure the path to the script is correct: "../../node_modules/react-native-accessibility-services-detector/android/accessibility-queries.gradle"
  • Clean and rebuild your project after adding the script
  • Check the build output for AccessibilityServicesDetector log messages

Contributing

See the contributing guide to learn how to contribute to the repository and the development workflow.

License

MIT © Earth Varis

Made with ❤️ and create-react-native-library