A scheduled recording didn't start — the checklist

Work the list in this order

1. Was the app force-closed or swiped away before the window? This is the single most common cause. Force-stopping an Android app cancels its pending background work until you open it again. Swiping it from recents can do the same.

2. Did the device restart? A reboot clears scheduled work on both platforms until the app has been opened once.

3. Are notifications allowed? Scheduled starts surface through notifications, and on Android the ongoing notification is what keeps a recording service alive.

4. Are alarm permissions allowed? On recent Android versions, precise scheduling needs Alarms & reminders under Special app access.

5. Are battery restrictions in the way? Unrestricted battery usage, no Battery Saver, and no manufacturer sleeping or auto-start restriction. Auto-start matters especially: some skins block an app from starting work on its own.

6. Was the schedule what you thought? Check start time, end time, repeating days, and whether a window that crosses midnight is configured the way you expect.

7. Time zone and clock. Travel, an automatic clock update or a manual change all shift a schedule.

8. Storage. A full device can't start a recording.

9. Microphone busy. If a call or another app held the microphone at the start time, the window can be missed.

10. Recent app or OS update. Updates can reset permissions and clear pending work — reopen the app after every update.

Menu names vary by device and OS version, so treat the paths below as a guide and search your Settings app if one doesn't match.

Test the schedule, not just the recorder

Continuous recording working perfectly says nothing about scheduling — they use different mechanisms. Test the actual path:

1. Set a schedule to start five minutes from now.
2. Leave the app in the background and lock the screen.
3. Wait without touching the phone.
4. Check whether recording started and a notification appeared.
5. Repeat the test after a restart, and once overnight for a morning schedule.

The overnight run is the one that matters, because deep-sleep restrictions only show up after hours.

Recurring schedules need re-checking

Weekday/weekend windows, phones that reboot for updates overnight, and battery lists that re-apply themselves all mean a schedule that worked in March can fail in July. If a schedule matters, check it monthly and after every system update.

Where BlackBox fits

BlackBox supports scheduled recording windows with separate weekday and weekend times and posts a notification when a window opens. If the app was force-closed or the device restarted, open it once to re-arm the schedule — background scheduling always depends on the operating system's permissions.