diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 091f888..4ba35e2 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -24,3 +24,4 @@ render.experimental.xml
 *.keystore
 *.hprof
 app/src/main/jniLibs/
+app/bin/*
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.vscode/settings.json b/.vscode/settings.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..92d4b36
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.vscode/settings.json
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{
+    "java.jdt.ls.androidSupport.enabled": "on"
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index a4081b9..6f2a88b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE" />
+    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_DATA_SYNC"/>
     <!--
         This permission is required to open another activity from an app in the background
         (i.e. AnkiConnectAndroid opening AnkiDroid when the kiwi browser is in focus)
@@ -55,7 +56,8 @@
                 android:resource="@xml/file_provider_paths" />
         </provider>
 
-        <service android:name=".Service" />
+        <service android:name=".Service"
+            android:foregroundServiceType="dataSync" />
     </application>
 
 </manifest>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/kamwithk/ankiconnectandroid/MainActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/com/kamwithk/ankiconnectandroid/MainActivity.java
index ca068b3..70d5026 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/kamwithk/ankiconnectandroid/MainActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/kamwithk/ankiconnectandroid/MainActivity.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 import android.view.MenuItem;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.widget.Toast;
+import android.widget.Button;
 import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;
 
 import androidx.activity.result.ActivityResultLauncher;
@@ -22,9 +23,10 @@
 import androidx.appcompat.widget.Toolbar;
 import androidx.core.content.ContextCompat;
 import androidx.fragment.app.DialogFragment;
+import androidx.lifecycle.Observer;
 
-import com.kamwithk.ankiconnectandroid.ankidroid_api.IntegratedAPI;
 
+import com.kamwithk.ankiconnectandroid.ankidroid_api.IntegratedAPI;
 
 public class MainActivity extends AppCompatActivity {
 
@@ -56,6 +58,8 @@ public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int id) {
     public static final String CHANNEL_ID = "ankiConnectAndroid";
     private NotificationManager notificationManager;
     private ActivityResultLauncher<String> requestPermissionLauncher;
+    private Button startServiceButton;
+    private Button stopServiceButton;
 
     @Override
     protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
@@ -64,23 +68,47 @@ protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
 
         // toolbar support
         Toolbar toolbar = findViewById(R.id.materialToolbar);
+
+        try {
+            startServiceButton = findViewById(R.id.start_service_btn); 
+            stopServiceButton = findViewById(R.id.stop_service_btn); 
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            android.util.Log.e("MainActivity", "Could not find start/stop buttons. Check IDs in XML.", e);
+        }
+
         setSupportActionBar(toolbar);
 
         IntegratedAPI.authenticate(this);
 
-        NotificationChannel notificationChannel = new NotificationChannel(CHANNEL_ID, "Ankiconnect Android", NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT);
+        NotificationChannel notificationChannel = new NotificationChannel(CHANNEL_ID, "Ankiconnect Android",
+                NotificationManager.IMPORTANCE_DEFAULT);
         notificationManager = getSystemService(NotificationManager.class);
         notificationManager.createNotificationChannel(notificationChannel);
 
-        // this cannot be put inside attemptGrantNotifyPermissions, because it is called by
+        // this cannot be put inside attemptGrantNotifyPermissions, because it is called
+        // by
         // a onClickListener and crashes the app: https://stackoverflow.com/a/67582633
-        requestPermissionLauncher =
-                registerForActivityResult(new ActivityResultContracts.RequestPermission(), isGranted -> {
+        requestPermissionLauncher = registerForActivityResult(new ActivityResultContracts.RequestPermission(),
+                isGranted -> {
                     if (!isGranted) {
-                        Toast.makeText(this, "Attempting to start server without notification...", Toast.LENGTH_LONG).show();
+                        Toast.makeText(this, "Attempting to start server without notification...", Toast.LENGTH_LONG)
+                                .show();
                     }
                     startService();
                 });
+                
+        // Observe the service running state
+        Service.serviceRunningState.observe(this, new Observer<Boolean>() {
+            @Override
+            public void onChanged(Boolean isRunning) {
+                updateButtonStates(isRunning);
+            }
+        });
+    }
+
+    protected void onStart() {
+        super.onStart();
+        startServiceWrap();
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -117,13 +145,17 @@ public void attemptGrantNotificationPermissions() {
         // explanation for shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale is shown below
         // (taken from: https://stackoverflow.com/a/39739972):
         //
-        // This method returns true if the app has requested this permission previously and the
-        // user denied the request. Note: If the user turned down the permission request in the
-        // past and chose the Don't ask again option in the permission request system dialog,
+        // This method returns true if the app has requested this permission previously
+        // and the
+        // user denied the request. Note: If the user turned down the permission request
+        // in the
+        // past and chose the Don't ask again option in the permission request system
+        // dialog,
         // this method returns false.
         if (shouldShowRequestPermissionRationale(POST_NOTIFICATIONS)) {
             // Explain that notifications are "needed" to display the server
-            new NotificationsPermissionDialogFragment().show(this.getSupportFragmentManager(), "post_notifications_dialog");
+            new NotificationsPermissionDialogFragment().show(this.getSupportFragmentManager(),
+                    "post_notifications_dialog");
         } else {
             // Directly ask for the permission.
             requestPermissionLauncher.launch(POST_NOTIFICATIONS);
@@ -141,8 +173,11 @@ public void startService() {
         ContextCompat.startForegroundService(this, serviceIntent);
     }
 
-
     public void startServiceBtn(View view) {
+        startServiceWrap();
+    }
+
+    public void startServiceWrap() {
         boolean notificationsEnabled = notificationManager.areNotificationsEnabled();
         if (notificationsEnabled) {
             startService();
@@ -155,4 +190,23 @@ public void stopServiceBtn(View view) {
         Intent serviceIntent = new Intent(this, Service.class);
         stopService(serviceIntent);
     }
+
+    private void updateButtonStates(boolean isRunning) {
+        if (startServiceButton == null || stopServiceButton == null) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (isRunning) {
+            startServiceButton.setEnabled(false);
+            stopServiceButton.setEnabled(true);
+            startServiceButton.setText("Server is running at port " + Service.PORT);
+            stopServiceButton.setText("Stop Service");
+            return;
+        }
+
+        startServiceButton.setEnabled(true);
+        stopServiceButton.setEnabled(false);
+        startServiceButton.setText("Start Service");
+        stopServiceButton.setText("Server stopped");
+    }
 }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/kamwithk/ankiconnectandroid/Service.java b/app/src/main/java/com/kamwithk/ankiconnectandroid/Service.java
index 7ed4994..7229646 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/kamwithk/ankiconnectandroid/Service.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/kamwithk/ankiconnectandroid/Service.java
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 import android.util.Log;
 import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
 import androidx.core.app.NotificationCompat;
+import androidx.lifecycle.MutableLiveData;
 import com.kamwithk.ankiconnectandroid.routing.Router;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -19,6 +20,9 @@ public class Service extends android.app.Service {
 
     private Router server;
 
+    // LiveData to observe service state
+    public static final MutableLiveData<Boolean> serviceRunningState = new MutableLiveData<>(false);
+
     @Override
     public void onCreate() { // Only one time
         super.onCreate();
@@ -26,8 +30,9 @@ public void onCreate() { // Only one time
         try {
             server = new Router(PORT, this);
         } catch (IOException e) {
-            Log.w("Httpd", "The Server was unable to start");
-            e.printStackTrace();
+            Log.e("Httpd", "The Server was unable to start.", e);
+            stopSelf(); // Stop the service if the server can't start
+            return;
         }
     }
 
@@ -44,6 +49,7 @@ public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) { // Every time
 
         Notification notification = new NotificationCompat.Builder(this, CHANNEL_ID)
                 .setContentTitle("Ankiconnect Android")
+                .setContentText("AnkiConnect service is running.")
                 .setSmallIcon(R.mipmap.app_launcher)
                 .setContentIntent(pendingIntent)
                 .setOngoing(true)
@@ -51,15 +57,21 @@ public int onStartCommand(Intent intent, int flags, int startId) { // Every time
 
         startForeground(1, notification);
 
+        // Update LiveData on main thread
+        serviceRunningState.postValue(true);
         return START_STICKY;
     }
 
     @Override
     public void onDestroy() {
-        server.stop();
+        if (server != null) {
+            server.stop();
+        }
+
+        // Update LiveData on main thread
+        serviceRunningState.postValue(false);
         super.onDestroy();
     }
-
     @Nullable
     @Override
     public IBinder onBind(Intent intent) {
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_main.xml b/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_main.xml
index cd481d0..0396c4b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_main.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_main.xml
@@ -47,12 +47,14 @@
                 app:layout_constraintTop_toTopOf="parent" />
 
             <Button
+                android:id="@+id/start_service_btn"
                 android:layout_width="match_parent"
                 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                 android:onClick="startServiceBtn"
                 android:text="Start Service" />
 
             <Button
+                android:id="@+id/stop_service_btn"
                 android:layout_width="match_parent"
                 android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                 android:onClick="stopServiceBtn"