diff --git a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 88e8f33..3c5e177 100644
--- a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -10,8 +10,6 @@
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.VIBRATE" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WAKE_LOCK" />
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE" />
-    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_SPECIAL_USE" />
 
     <application
         android:name=".PFAktivpause"
@@ -120,8 +118,7 @@
         <service
             android:name="org.secuso.aktivpause.service.TimerService"
             android:enabled="true"
-            android:exported="false"
-            android:foregroundServiceType="specialUse"/>
+            android:exported="false" />
         <service
             android:name=".backup.PFABackupService"
             android:enabled="true"
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/secuso/aktivpause/activities/ExerciseActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/org/secuso/aktivpause/activities/ExerciseActivity.java
index f15ce1e..fcb51ff 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/secuso/aktivpause/activities/ExerciseActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/secuso/aktivpause/activities/ExerciseActivity.java
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@ package org.secuso.aktivpause.activities;
 
 import android.animation.Animator;
 import android.animation.AnimatorListenerAdapter;
+import android.content.ComponentName;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.DialogInterface;
 import android.content.Intent;
+import android.content.ServiceConnection;
 import android.content.SharedPreferences;
 import android.graphics.Color;
 import android.graphics.drawable.Drawable;
@@ -12,6 +14,7 @@ import android.os.Build;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.os.CountDownTimer;
 import android.os.Handler;
+import android.os.IBinder;
 import android.os.VibrationEffect;
 import android.os.Vibrator;
 import android.preference.PreferenceManager;
@@ -117,14 +120,39 @@ public class ExerciseActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements LoaderManager
     private SharedPreferences pref;
     private Handler mHandler;
 
+    private TimerService timerService = null;
+    private boolean serviceBound = false;
+
+    /**
+     * Defines callbacks for service binding, passed to bindService()
+     * Performs an initial GUI update when connection is established.
+     **/
+    private final ServiceConnection serviceConnection = new ServiceConnection() {
+
+        @Override
+        public void onServiceConnected(ComponentName className, IBinder service) {
+            TimerService.TimerServiceBinder binder = (TimerService.TimerServiceBinder) service;
+            timerService = binder.getService();
+            serviceBound = true;
+
+            timerService.setIsAppInBackground(false);
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public void onServiceDisconnected(ComponentName arg0) {
+            serviceBound = false;
+        }
+    };
+
     @Override
     protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
         super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
         setContentView(R.layout.activity_exercise);
 
         Intent stopTimer = new Intent(this, TimerService.class);
-        stopTimer.setAction(ACTION_STOP_TIMER);
-        startService(stopTimer);
+        bindService(stopTimer, serviceConnection, Context.BIND_AUTO_CREATE);
+//        stopTimer.setAction(ACTION_STOP_TIMER);
+//        startService(stopTimer);
 
         mHandler = new Handler();
 
@@ -327,6 +355,10 @@ public class ExerciseActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements LoaderManager
         super.onResume();
         isActivityVisible = true;
 
+        if (timerService != null) {
+            timerService.setIsAppInBackground(false);
+        }
+
         if (isBreakFinished) {
             showEndDialog(this);
         }
@@ -341,6 +373,10 @@ public class ExerciseActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements LoaderManager
         super.onPause();
         isActivityVisible = false;
 
+        if (timerService != null) {
+            timerService.setIsAppInBackground(true);
+        }
+
         if(isBreakFinished) {
             // TODO: Either start a short Timer to see if the user comes back - or start the next work time rand finish this activity
             // TODO: for now we just finish
@@ -350,6 +386,28 @@ public class ExerciseActivity extends AppCompatActivity implements LoaderManager
         getWindow().clearFlags(WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_KEEP_SCREEN_ON);
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Stop the notification when activity is destroyed
+     */
+    @Override
+    public void onDestroy() {
+        if (timerService != null) {
+            timerService.workoutClosed();
+        }
+        super.onDestroy();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    protected void onStop() {
+        super.onStop();
+
+        // Unbind from the service
+        if (serviceBound) {
+            unbindService(serviceConnection);
+            serviceBound = false;
+        }
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void onLoadFinished(Loader<ExerciseSet> loader, ExerciseSet set) {
         if (set != null) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/secuso/aktivpause/receivers/TimerSchedulerReceiver.java b/app/src/main/java/org/secuso/aktivpause/receivers/TimerSchedulerReceiver.java
index 8138054..d9318ef 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/secuso/aktivpause/receivers/TimerSchedulerReceiver.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/secuso/aktivpause/receivers/TimerSchedulerReceiver.java
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import android.os.Build;
 import android.os.IBinder;
 import android.preference.PreferenceManager;
 import androidx.annotation.NonNull;
+import androidx.core.app.AlarmManagerCompat;
 import androidx.legacy.content.WakefulBroadcastReceiver;
 
 import org.secuso.aktivpause.service.TimerService;
@@ -79,7 +80,7 @@ public class TimerSchedulerReceiver extends WakefulBroadcastReceiver {
         AlarmManager alarmManager = (AlarmManager) context.getSystemService(Context.ALARM_SERVICE);
 
         Intent automaticTimerIntent = new Intent(context, TimerSchedulerReceiver.class);
-        PendingIntent automaticTimerPending = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, automaticTimerIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT);
+        PendingIntent automaticTimerPending = PendingIntent.getBroadcast(context, 0, automaticTimerIntent, PendingIntent.FLAG_UPDATE_CURRENT | PendingIntent.FLAG_IMMUTABLE);
 
         Calendar calendar = Calendar.getInstance();
         calendar.setTimeInMillis(timestamp);
@@ -143,12 +144,8 @@ public class TimerSchedulerReceiver extends WakefulBroadcastReceiver {
             }
         }
 
-        if(done || !scheduleExerciseDaysEnabled) {
-            if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M) {
-                alarmManager.setExactAndAllowWhileIdle(AlarmManager.RTC_WAKEUP, calendar.getTimeInMillis(), automaticTimerPending);
-            } else {
-                alarmManager.setExact(AlarmManager.RTC_WAKEUP, calendar.getTimeInMillis(), automaticTimerPending);
-            }
+        if((done || !scheduleExerciseDaysEnabled)) {
+            AlarmManagerCompat.setExactAndAllowWhileIdle(alarmManager, AlarmManager.RTC_WAKEUP, calendar.getTimeInMillis(), automaticTimerPending);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/secuso/aktivpause/service/TimerService.java b/app/src/main/java/org/secuso/aktivpause/service/TimerService.java
index 8b74948..99bb99d 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/secuso/aktivpause/service/TimerService.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/secuso/aktivpause/service/TimerService.java
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import android.content.SharedPreferences;
 import android.content.pm.ServiceInfo;
 import android.os.Binder;
 import android.os.CountDownTimer;
+import android.os.Handler;
 import android.os.IBinder;
 import android.preference.PreferenceManager;
 import android.provider.Settings;
@@ -56,6 +57,9 @@ public class TimerService extends Service {
 
     private static final int UPDATE_INTERVAL = 125;
     public static final int NOTIFICATION_ID = 31337;
+    private NotificationCompat.Builder notiBuilder = null;
+    private NotificationManager notiManager = null;
+    private boolean isAppInBackground = false;
 
     private TimerServiceBinder mBinder = new TimerServiceBinder();
     private CountDownTimer mTimer;
@@ -366,13 +370,50 @@ public class TimerService extends Service {
     }
 
     private void updateNotification() {
-        if(isRunning() || isPaused()) {
-            ServiceCompat.startForeground(this, NOTIFICATION_ID, buildNotification(), ServiceInfo.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_TYPE_SPECIAL_USE);
-        } else {
-            stopForeground(true);
+        if(isAppInBackground) {
+            Notification notification = buildNotification();
+            notiManager.notify(NOTIFICATION_ID, notification);
+        }
+        else if(notiManager != null) {
+            notiManager.cancel(NOTIFICATION_ID);
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Check if the app is in the background.
+     * If so, start a notification showing the current timer.
+     *
+     * @param isInBackground Sets global flag to determine whether the app is in the background
+     */
+    public void setIsAppInBackground(boolean isInBackground){
+        this.isAppInBackground = isInBackground;
+
+        //Execute after short delay to prevent short notification popup if workoutActivity is closed
+        final Handler handler = new Handler();
+        handler.postDelayed(new Runnable() {
+            @Override
+            public void run() {
+                updateNotification();
+            }
+        }, 700);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Cancel the notification when workout activity is destroyed
+     */
+    public void workoutClosed(){
+        this.isAppInBackground = false;
+        notiManager.cancel(NOTIFICATION_ID);
+    }
+
+//    private void updateNotification() {
+//        if(isRunning() || isPaused()) {
+//            ServiceCompat.startForeground(this, NOTIFICATION_ID, buildNotification(), ServiceInfo.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_TYPE_SPECIAL_USE);
+//        } else {
+//            stopForeground(true);
+//        }
+//    }
+
     @Override
     public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
         return mBinder;