Activities
Updated on March 31, 2026
Understand how Signalgrid Activities appear on iOS and Android
Signalgrid Activities are designed for long-running processes that should stay visible on a device while work is in progress. Instead of sending multiple separate notifications, one activity can be started, updated over time, and then ended when the process finishes.
On iOS, Activities appear as Live Activities. On Android, they appear as Ongoing Notifications. Both represent the same Signalgrid feature, but the operating systems present them differently and apply different platform rules.
Use Activities for long-running processes
Activities work best for deployments, CI pipelines, backups, imports, and other workflows that stay active for a while.
They are not meant to replace every normal push notification.
What an Activity is
An Activity has three typical phases:
- Start — create a visible activity on the device
- Update — refresh progress, text, or status while the task is running
- End — finish the activity and optionally keep it visible for a short time
If you need the request format, parameters, and token handling, use the Activity API documentation. This page focuses on user-facing behavior and platform expectations instead of raw API usage.
Platform Overview
On iOS, Signalgrid Activities are shown as Apple Live Activities. They are intended for something that is currently happening and changing over time. Depending on the device and iOS version, users may see them on the Lock Screen or in the Dynamic Island.
Helpful things for users to know on iOS:
- Live Activities are a system-controlled iPhone feature, so final presentation depends on the device model and iOS behavior.
- They are best for active progress, not for permanent status dashboards.
- If too many updates are sent too quickly, iOS may delay or ignore some visible updates.
- Live Activities should be updated thoughtfully instead of being spammed with high-frequency changes.
- When an Activity ends, it may remain visible for a short period depending on dismissal behavior and platform handling.
For the best result on iOS, keep titles and body text short, keep progress meaningful, and avoid sending tiny cosmetic updates that do not really help the user.
On Android, the same Signalgrid feature is presented as an Ongoing Notification. This keeps the process visible in the notification shade while it is active and makes it suitable for workflows that users may want to glance at repeatedly.
Helpful things for users to know on Android:
- Android manufacturers can customize notification behavior, so presentation can vary slightly between devices.
- Battery optimization settings may influence how aggressively the system limits background work or updates.
- Ongoing notifications are useful for persistent progress, but they should still be updated at a sensible interval.
- Very frequent updates can reduce clarity and may also be deprioritized by the platform.
- Text should stay concise so the notification remains readable in the limited space available.
Sadly, browsers do not support activities.
Update Frequency and Reliability
Both Apple and Android apply platform limits to reduce battery drain and unnecessary background churn. Signalgrid does not control those internal operating-system budgets.
Do not update too aggressively
If activities are updated too frequently, devices may ignore or delay updates.
Prefer meaningful progress changes over noisy, second-by-second updates.
Practical guidance:
- Use Activities for workflows that users actually want to monitor live.
- Update when the visible state meaningfully changes.
- Reuse an existing Activity instead of starting new ones repeatedly for the same job.
- End the Activity cleanly when the work is done.
Recommended Content for Activities
Good Activities are easy to understand at a glance. Users should be able to see what is happening, how far it has progressed, and whether anything still needs attention.
- Use a clear title that names the process.
- Use body text for the current step or current state.
- Include progress only when it is meaningful and stable enough to help.
- Keep the wording short so it works well on both iOS and Android surfaces.