diff --git a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index ccfa3828f1a..f73ca0126a1 100644
--- a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@
     <!-- For being able to post notifications -->
     <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS" />
 
+    <!-- For syncing reading lists -->
+    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE"/>
+    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_DATA_SYNC"/>
+
     <!--
     List of hardware features that are implicitly used, but not required. These need to be
     declared as optional, so that the app can be installed on devices that don't have them.
@@ -426,6 +430,11 @@
             </intent-filter>
         </receiver>
 
+        <service
+            android:name="androidx.work.impl.foreground.SystemForegroundService"
+            android:foregroundServiceType="dataSync"
+            tools:node="merge" />
+
         <service
             android:name=".auth.AuthenticatorService"
             android:exported="false">
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/wikipedia/readinglist/sync/ReadingListSyncAdapter.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/wikipedia/readinglist/sync/ReadingListSyncAdapter.kt
index ab71d20a70f..7a262474229 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/wikipedia/readinglist/sync/ReadingListSyncAdapter.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/org/wikipedia/readinglist/sync/ReadingListSyncAdapter.kt
@@ -1,19 +1,27 @@
 package org.wikipedia.readinglist.sync
 
+import android.app.Notification
 import android.content.*
+import android.content.pm.ServiceInfo
+import android.graphics.BitmapFactory
+import android.os.Build
 import android.os.Bundle
+import androidx.core.app.NotificationCompat
 import androidx.core.os.bundleOf
 import androidx.work.Constraints
 import androidx.work.CoroutineWorker
 import androidx.work.Data
 import androidx.work.ExistingWorkPolicy
+import androidx.work.ForegroundInfo
 import androidx.work.NetworkType
 import androidx.work.OneTimeWorkRequestBuilder
+import androidx.work.OutOfQuotaPolicy
 import androidx.work.WorkManager
 import androidx.work.WorkerParameters
 import kotlinx.coroutines.CancellationException
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Dispatchers
 import kotlinx.coroutines.withContext
+import org.wikipedia.R
 import org.wikipedia.WikipediaApp
 import org.wikipedia.auth.AccountUtil
 import org.wikipedia.concurrency.FlowEventBus
@@ -23,6 +31,7 @@ import org.wikipedia.dataclient.WikiSite
 import org.wikipedia.events.ReadingListsEnableDialogEvent
 import org.wikipedia.events.ReadingListsEnabledStatusEvent
 import org.wikipedia.events.ReadingListsNoLongerSyncedEvent
+import org.wikipedia.notifications.NotificationCategory
 import org.wikipedia.page.PageTitle
 import org.wikipedia.readinglist.database.ReadingList
 import org.wikipedia.readinglist.database.ReadingListPage
@@ -31,10 +40,19 @@ import org.wikipedia.readinglist.sync.SyncedReadingLists.RemoteReadingListEntry
 import org.wikipedia.savedpages.SavedPageSyncService
 import org.wikipedia.settings.Prefs
 import org.wikipedia.settings.RemoteConfig
+import org.wikipedia.util.MathUtil.percentage
 import org.wikipedia.util.StringUtil
 import org.wikipedia.util.log.L
 
 class ReadingListSyncAdapter(context: Context, params: WorkerParameters) : CoroutineWorker(context, params) {
+    // This is needed for API levels < 31.
+    override suspend fun getForegroundInfo(): ForegroundInfo {
+        val title = applicationContext.getString(R.string.notification_syncing_reading_list_initial_title)
+        val description = applicationContext.getString(R.string.notification_syncing_reading_list_initial_description)
+        val notification = getNotificationBuilder(title, description, 0, 0).build()
+
+        return createForegroundInfo(notification)
+    }
 
     override suspend fun doWork(): Result {
         return withContext(Dispatchers.IO) {
@@ -53,7 +71,6 @@ class ReadingListSyncAdapter(context: Context, params: WorkerParameters) : Corou
             var allLocalLists: MutableList<ReadingList>? = null
             val wiki = WikipediaApp.instance.wikiSite
             val client = ReadingListClient(wiki)
-            val readingListSyncNotification = ReadingListSyncNotification.instance
             val lastSyncTime = Prefs.readingListsLastSyncTime.orEmpty()
             var shouldSendSyncEvent = extras.containsKey(SYNC_EXTRAS_REFRESHING)
             var shouldRetry = false
@@ -149,7 +166,7 @@ class ReadingListSyncAdapter(context: Context, params: WorkerParameters) : Corou
 
                 // First, update our list hierarchy to match the remote hierarchy.
                 for ((remoteItemsSynced, remoteList) in remoteListsModified.withIndex()) {
-                    readingListSyncNotification.setNotificationProgress(applicationContext, remoteItemsTotal, remoteItemsSynced)
+                    updateForeground(remoteItemsTotal, remoteItemsSynced)
                     // Find the remote list in our local lists...
                     var localList: ReadingList? = null
                     var upsertNeeded = false
@@ -298,7 +315,7 @@ class ReadingListSyncAdapter(context: Context, params: WorkerParameters) : Corou
 
                 // Determine whether any remote lists need to be created or updated
                 for ((localItemsSynced, localList) in allLocalLists.withIndex()) {
-                    readingListSyncNotification.setNotificationProgress(applicationContext, localItemsTotal, localItemsSynced)
+                    updateForeground(localItemsTotal, localItemsSynced)
                     val remoteList = RemoteReadingList(name = localList.title, description = localList.description)
                     var upsertNeeded = false
                     if (localList.remoteId > 0) {
@@ -418,7 +435,6 @@ class ReadingListSyncAdapter(context: Context, params: WorkerParameters) : Corou
                 Prefs.readingListsLastSyncTime = client.lastDateHeader?.toString() ?: lastSyncTime
                 Prefs.readingListsDeletedIds = listIdsDeleted
                 Prefs.readingListPagesDeletedIds = pageIdsDeleted
-                readingListSyncNotification.cancelNotification(applicationContext)
                 if (shouldSendSyncEvent) {
                     SavedPageSyncService.sendSyncEvent(extras.containsKey(SYNC_EXTRAS_REFRESHING))
                 }
@@ -439,6 +455,44 @@ class ReadingListSyncAdapter(context: Context, params: WorkerParameters) : Corou
         }
     }
 
+    private suspend fun updateForeground(total: Int, progress: Int) {
+        val resources = applicationContext.resources
+        val title = resources.getQuantityString(R.plurals.notification_syncing_reading_list_title, total, total)
+        val description = resources.getQuantityString(R.plurals.notification_syncing_reading_list_description, total - progress, total - progress)
+        val contentInfo = "${percentage(progress.toFloat(), total.toFloat()).toInt()}%"
+        val notification = getNotificationBuilder(title, description, total, progress)
+            .setContentInfo(contentInfo)
+            .apply {
+                if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.N) {
+                    setSubText(contentInfo)
+                }
+            }
+            .build()
+
+        setForeground(createForegroundInfo(notification))
+    }
+
+    private fun createForegroundInfo(notification: Notification): ForegroundInfo {
+        val type = if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.Q) ServiceInfo.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_TYPE_DATA_SYNC else 0
+        return ForegroundInfo(NOTIFICATION_ID, notification, type)
+    }
+
+    private fun getNotificationBuilder(
+        title: String, description: String, total: Int, progress: Int
+    ): NotificationCompat.Builder {
+        val icon = NotificationCategory.READING_LIST_SYNCING.iconResId
+        return NotificationCompat.Builder(applicationContext, NotificationCategory.READING_LIST_SYNCING.id)
+            .setSmallIcon(icon)
+            .setLargeIcon(BitmapFactory.decodeResource(applicationContext.resources, icon))
+            .setContentTitle(title)
+            .setContentText(description)
+            .setStyle(NotificationCompat.BigTextStyle().bigText(description))
+            .setSilent(true)
+            .setPriority(NotificationCompat.PRIORITY_DEFAULT)
+            .setProgress(total, progress, progress == 0)
+            .setForegroundServiceBehavior(NotificationCompat.FOREGROUND_SERVICE_IMMEDIATE)
+    }
+
     private fun getBooleanExtraFromData(inputData: Data): Bundle {
         val extras = Bundle()
         inputData.keyValueMap.forEach {
@@ -493,6 +547,8 @@ class ReadingListSyncAdapter(context: Context, params: WorkerParameters) : Corou
     }
 
     companion object {
+        private const val NOTIFICATION_ID = 1002
+
         private const val WORK_NAME = "readingListSyncAdapter"
         private const val SYNC_EXTRAS_FORCE_FULL_SYNC = "forceFullSync"
         private const val SYNC_EXTRAS_REFRESHING = "refreshing"
@@ -549,8 +605,6 @@ class ReadingListSyncAdapter(context: Context, params: WorkerParameters) : Corou
                 }
                 return
             }
-            extras.putBoolean(ContentResolver.SYNC_EXTRAS_MANUAL, true)
-            extras.putBoolean(ContentResolver.SYNC_EXTRAS_EXPEDITED, true)
 
             // Convert the Bundle to a Data object
             val dataBuilder = Data.Builder()
@@ -558,11 +612,9 @@ class ReadingListSyncAdapter(context: Context, params: WorkerParameters) : Corou
                 dataBuilder.putBoolean(it, extras.getBoolean(it))
             }
 
-            val constraints = Constraints.Builder()
-                .setRequiredNetworkType(NetworkType.CONNECTED)
-                .build()
             val workRequest = OneTimeWorkRequestBuilder<ReadingListSyncAdapter>()
-                .setConstraints(constraints)
+                .setConstraints(Constraints(NetworkType.CONNECTED))
+                .setExpedited(OutOfQuotaPolicy.RUN_AS_NON_EXPEDITED_WORK_REQUEST)
                 .setInputData(dataBuilder.build())
                 .build()
             WorkManager.getInstance(WikipediaApp.instance)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/org/wikipedia/readinglist/sync/ReadingListSyncNotification.kt b/app/src/main/java/org/wikipedia/readinglist/sync/ReadingListSyncNotification.kt
deleted file mode 100644
index 2eab85cf541..00000000000
--- a/app/src/main/java/org/wikipedia/readinglist/sync/ReadingListSyncNotification.kt
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,31 +0,0 @@
-package org.wikipedia.readinglist.sync
-
-import android.content.Context
-import org.wikipedia.R
-import org.wikipedia.notifications.NotificationCategory
-import org.wikipedia.views.NotificationWithProgressBar
-
-class ReadingListSyncNotification private constructor() {
-    private val notification: NotificationWithProgressBar = NotificationWithProgressBar()
-
-    init {
-        notification.notificationCategory = NotificationCategory.READING_LIST_SYNCING
-        notification.notificationId = NOTIFICATION_ID
-        notification.notificationTitle = R.plurals.notification_syncing_reading_list_title
-        notification.notificationDescription = R.plurals.notification_syncing_reading_list_description
-    }
-
-    fun setNotificationProgress(context: Context, itemsTotal: Int, itemsProgress: Int) {
-        notification.setNotificationProgress(context, itemsTotal, itemsProgress)
-    }
-
-    fun cancelNotification(context: Context) {
-        notification.cancelNotification(context)
-    }
-
-    companion object {
-        val instance = ReadingListSyncNotification()
-        private const val CHANNEL_ID = "READING_LIST_SYNCING_CHANNEL"
-        private const val NOTIFICATION_ID = 1002
-    }
-}
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values-qq/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values-qq/strings.xml
index 09006d3e17a..a252c0afe4b 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values-qq/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values-qq/strings.xml
@@ -732,6 +732,8 @@
     <item quantity="one">Name of the notification channel of syncing one reading list</item>
     <item quantity="other">Name of the notification channel of syncing two or more reading lists</item>
   </plurals>
+  <string name="notification_syncing_reading_list_initial_title">Title for notification when syncing reading lists begins.</string>
+  <string name="notification_syncing_reading_list_initial_description">Text of notification when syncing reading lists begins.</string>
   <plurals name="notification_syncing_reading_list_title">
     <item quantity="one">Title for notification when the syncing one reading list process begins. The \"%1$d\" symbol corresponds to the amount of lists.</item>
     <item quantity="other">Title for notification when the syncing two or more reading lists process begins. The \"%1$d\" symbol corresponds to the amount of lists.</item>
diff --git a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
index 313a8519b96..6451daf9d26 100644
--- a/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -723,6 +723,8 @@
         <item quantity="one">Syncing Reading List</item>
         <item quantity="other">Syncing Reading Lists</item>
     </plurals>
+    <string name="notification_syncing_reading_list_initial_title">Syncing lists</string>
+    <string name="notification_syncing_reading_list_initial_description">Starting sync…</string>
     <plurals name="notification_syncing_reading_list_title">
         <item quantity="one">Syncing %1$d list&#8230;</item>
         <item quantity="other">Syncing %1$d lists&#8230;</item>