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To draw over other apps on Android, declare SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW, ask the user to enable the special access in Settings, verify it with Settings.canDrawOverlays(), then add a window using TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY on Android 8.0 (API 26) and later. This access is optional, security-sensitive, and does not guarantee the window will appear above system UI or stay at an exact position.
What does “draw over other apps” mean?
An Android overlay is a window your app displays outside its own activity, over other apps’ activity windows. Android treats this as special access because a floating window can obscure or imitate parts of another app. The platform documentation cautions: “Very few apps should use this permission; these windows are intended for system-level interaction with the user.” See the Manifest.permission reference.
SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW is the permission associated with this capability. For apps targeting API 23 or later, listing it in the manifest does not itself grant access: the user must authorize the app through system Settings. It is not an ordinary runtime permission dialog.
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Explain the specific feature before sending the user to Settings. The user makes the decision there; an in-app button cannot grant overlay access automatically. The Android Settings API reference documents ACTION_MANAGE_OVERLAY_PERMISSION and canDrawOverlays().
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- Declare the permission. Add
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW" />to the app manifest. This declares the app’s need but does not mean a user targeting API 23 or later has authorized it. - Check access before creating the window. Call
Settings.canDrawOverlays(context). If it returns false, explain why the feature needs access and launchSettings.ACTION_MANAGE_OVERLAY_PERMISSIONso the user can review it in system Settings. - Check again after returning. The user chooses in Settings, so check
Settings.canDrawOverlays(context)again when your app resumes. Do not assume that opening the management screen means permission was granted. - Add the overlay only when authorized. Obtain
WindowManager, createWindowManager.LayoutParamswithTYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY, and add the view withWindowManager. This window type is tied toSYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOWin the WindowManager.LayoutParams reference. - Remove it when it is no longer needed. Remove the view when the feature ends, and handle attachment failures and lifecycle changes. If access is denied or unavailable, keep unrelated app features usable and explain what the overlay-dependent feature cannot do.
The exact Settings screen and the user’s available choices can vary by Android version and device. The permission flow is a request for user authorization, not a guarantee of visibility or placement.
Which window type should I use?
For third-party alert windows on Android 8.0 (API 26) and later, use TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY. Apps targeting API 26 or later must use it instead of the older alert window types covered by the Android 8.0 behavior changes. Older code examples that use legacy alert types may not be appropriate for a current target SDK.
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This guidance concerns the Android version and target SDK behavior identified in the documentation; it does not make older window types a recommended choice for new code. Check the platform references when supporting older Android releases.
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Where can an Android overlay appear?
TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY appears above activity windows and below critical system windows, including the status bar and input method editor (IME, such as the keyboard). It is not a way to draw over every system surface or security interface.
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Android may change an overlay’s position or size, or hide it, to reduce clutter and manage system resources. Build the feature to tolerate those changes rather than relying on fixed coordinates or permanent visibility. Android 8.0’s guidance also notes that users can access settings to block alert windows from the notification shade.
Why is my Android overlay permission unavailable?
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On Android 10 Go edition, new SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW grants cannot be made. Settings.canDrawOverlays() always returns false, and the system directs users to a Settings screen explaining the restriction. The documented legacy exception applies when the permission was already granted before an upgrade from Android 9 or lower. See the Android Android 10 behavior changes.
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The user has not granted access
For apps targeting API 23 or later, a manifest declaration is not user authorization. Send the user to the overlay management screen only when the feature needs it, then recheck access when the app resumes. If authorization remains unavailable or is declined, do not block unrelated app functions.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThe app expects more than the permission provides
Overlay permission does not override Android’s window ordering, guarantee a specific position, or prevent the system from hiding or resizing a window. If an app expects to cover the status bar, keyboard, or protected UI, it is relying on behavior this permission does not provide.
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What are the security implications?
An overlay can obscure another app’s interface and could be used to mislead users, capture passwords, or read messages. Request access only for a clear feature, explain why it is needed, and keep the app useful if the user declines. Android’s guidance for securing sensitive activities describes the risks and the platform defense available to app developers.
Starting with Android 12, an app can use HIDE_OVERLAY_WINDOWS to opt out of third-party application overlays over its own UI. This is an app-side protection for sensitive screens, not a global setting that disables overlays across the device.
Does overlay permission allow background service starts?
No—not by itself in every situation. For apps targeting API 35 on Android 15, overlay permission provides one background foreground-service start exemption only while an overlay window is currently visible. Other exemptions may still apply, but merely having the permission does not always permit a background service start. See Android’s foreground-service changes.
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