Zendesk was informed by Google about a series of changes which will require customers using Zendesk's Android SDKs for chat, messaging or Sunshine Conversations to take action soon to avoid disruption to their push notifications after June 1, 2024 when Google makes these changes.

What is changing?

In 2023, Google announced a series of changes to the way Firebase notifications work. Multiple Zendesk products that support push notifications for Android are impacted. Zendesk customers using one of the following products will be required to take action soon to avoid disruption to push notifications on Android mobile apps after May 31st, 2024:

  • Zendesk Chat (Android SDK)
  • Zendesk messaging (Android SDK)
  • Zendesk Sunshine Conversations (Android SDK)

Why is this change happening?

Google is changing how mobile apps and SDKs are authorized to use the Firebase Cloud Network (FCN), moving from static access keys, to shorter-lived OAuth 2.0-based tokens. In order to continue to operate with FCN on customers' behalf as we do today, Zendesk will require customers to upload new Google service account credentials that will replace the static access keys used for push notifications today. 

What do I need to do?

Customers using one or more of Zendesk’s Android SDKs for chat, messaging, or Sunshine Conversations will receive an email to their account’s owner and admins with the following instructions for how to upload new Google service account credentials. 

To determine if your account uses one of Zendesk’s Android SDKs for Chat, messaging, or Sunshine Conversations, view the Zendesk developer documentation corresponding to the SDK integrated on your end. Refer to the documentation for the Zendesk SDK, the Sunshine Conversations SDK, and the Chat SDK respectively. Note: If you use multiple SDKs, for example all three, an admin from your account must perform this for every SDK in use.

    • If you’re using Zendesk’s Chat Android SDK:
      • In the Chat dashboard, go to Settings > Account > API & SDKs.
      • In the Mobile SDK section, click the app you'd like to edit.
      • In the Android section, upload the JSON file containing privateKey, clientEmail and projectId.
      • Click Save Changes to complete the change.
      • Repeat for all apps with Android credentials. 
    • If you’re using Zendesk’s Messaging Android SDK:
      • Sign into Admin Center under your business subdomain:
        <your-subdomain>.zendesk.com/admin.
      • Click Channels in the sidebar, then select Messaging and social > Messaging.
      • Click the name of the Android channel to edit. The Edit Web Widget page opens.
      • Click the Notifications tab.
      • Enter the new credentials: privateKey, clientEmail and projectId.
      • Repeat for all Android channels.
    • If you’re using Zendesk’s Sunshine Conversations Android SDK 
      • Sign into your Sunshine Conversations dashboard: https://app.smooch.io/login 
      • Select the App containing the affected Android SDK integration.
      • Select the Android SDK integration and click Configure.
      • Enter the new credentials: privateKey, clientEmail and projectId.
      • Click Save Changes located near the bottom of the screen.
      • Repeat for all Android SDK integrations.
      • ***Sunshine Conversations SDK users can optionally use the API. To do this use the update integration API call to add the missing privateKey, clientEmail and projectId.

Once complete, there will be no impact to how push notifications operate with Zendesk’s Android SDKs. No development will be required in any of Zendesk's SDKs for Android. Zendesk SDKs for iOS are not impacted. 

Follow this article for future updates. If you have questions, product feedback, or feature requests based on this announcement, visit our apps and Integrations community forum where we collect and manage customer product feedback. If you need help, you can contact Zendesk Customer Support.

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