Whenever you try to send a photo on WhatsApp or try to change the permissions of an application that you have installed on your Android smartphone, you get a message that says “Screen overlay detected” and does not let you go on? This is a problem that is no longer widespread but at times recurring, especially if the application that continues to crash and / or the version of Android installed on the device are not updated.
More precisely, this behavior is caused by the overlay function introduced starting from Android 6.0, i.e. the ability of some applications, after granting the necessary permissions, to play content, show buttons or quick options above all other apps currently active . To solve the problem, it is often sufficient to stop the operation of the application that generates the error, disable its functionality that requires overlay or, more drastically, completely revoke the overlay permissions from the Android settings menu.
The theme of this guide will be, precisely, to explain how to disable screen overlay for apps and restore the “green robot” to its normal operation: despite what it may seem, it all comes down to a couple of taps and not requires profound changes on the operating system. That said, there is nothing left for me to do but wish you a good read and a big good luck for everything!
Index
- Preliminary information
- How to disable screen overlay on Android
- How to disable screen overlay: Xiaomi
- How to disable screen overlay: LG
- How to disable screen overlay: Samsung
- How to disable screen overlay: HUAWEI
Preliminary information
Before getting to the heart of this guide and explaining, in practice, how to disable screen overlay on Android, let me give you some more information on the operation you are about to perform.
If I had never heard of it, the overlay function – renamed, on the most recent editions of Android, app over other apps – is the one that allows some applications (but, in general, any software for computers, smartphones and tablets) to play certain contents, automatically superimposing them on those already displayed on the screen.
Just to give you an example, the “bubbles” function of Messenger for Android , that is, the one that makes a balloon appear when a new message is received on any Android screen, is a typical example of the use of the screen overlay; other applications that can assume similar behaviors are, for example, those to record the Android screen , or some widgets.
Although the management of overlapping apps has been significantly improved with the evolution of Android, it can still happen that, due to a bug or problems with permissions and permissions, the annoying message related to the overlay screen detected appears from time to time .
The simplest and most immediate solution, in this case, is to close the app that uses the overlay functions: for example, if it is a Messenger chat, press and hold your finger on its preview and drag it to the (X) which appears below.
If the error message continues to appear, despite the apparent closure of the app, open the Android Settings menu (by tapping on the gear symbol that resides on the Home screen or in the app drawer), reach the Applications sections / Apps / Apps and features> App management / Manage apps (or similar), tap on the name of the app to stop and press the Force close , Force stop or End and OK buttons to close it.
Another operation that I advise you to do is to check for updates both for Android and for the problematic app. Very often, the installation of updates has the direct consequence of solving known problems relating to the system and / or the applications installed on it: following this operation, therefore, the problem relating to the screen overlay may not recur in the future. .
If you do not know how to apply the updates to the “green robot” and / or the installed apps, I refer you to reading my tutorial on how to update Android easily, in which I have explained everything to you in great detail.
If the problem is not solved with the updates, you must necessarily intervene on the problematic applications and completely disable the screen overlay: it is possible to obtain this result both by intervening on the specific function of the app itself, where possible, and by deactivating the overlay permissions from the Android settings.
However, keep in mind that, by removing these permissions, you may have to give up some useful – if not fundamental – functions of the apps on which you are going to intervene: unfortunately it is a compromise that you will have to take into consideration, especially if the error is frequent and, alas, far too annoying.
How to disable screen overlay on Android
Having made all the necessary clarifications of the case, the time has come to move to the heart of the matter and to understand together how to disable screen overlay on Android . Before intervening on the permissions of the operating system, I recommend that you enter the settings of the app that causes malfunctions and check if it is possible to disable only the specific function that “causes” the overlay.
For example, in the case of Messenger, it is possible to disable the Bubbles function as follows: after opening the app, press on your avatar located at the top left, select the item Previews from the menu that appears and move the switch corresponding to the wording Bubbles from ON to OFF.
If the application does not have such a feature, revoke the permissions directly from the operating system: first, therefore, tap on the resident gear symbol on the Home screen or in the Android app drawer, to open the Settings of Android.
Now, tap on the App and notifications item , tap on the Advanced item and press on the wording App with special access , located in the new list that appears on the screen; at this point, tap on the item Show above other apps , tap on the name of the application problematic for you and move the lever corresponding to the item Allow viewing above other apps from ON to OFF , to revoke the permissions granted.
If the app in question starts automatically and, for some reason, you cannot intervene from the “normal” mode of Android, try restarting the device in safe mode : if you have never heard of it, it is a particular boot state of the operating system, in which only the components necessary for the operation of the smartphone or tablet are loaded, leaving inactive additional components or applications set to run automatically in the background.
To activate the safe mode, press the physical Power button of the device for a few seconds , in order to call up the shutdown menu of the same, make a long tap on the button / item Restart and, when necessary, answer affirmatively to the restart request in safe / secure mode .
On the next boot, you should see the Android Home screen but with the words Safe Mode / Safe Mode at the bottom ; once you enter the latter mode, revoke the app overlay permissions as I showed you previously and restart the device in normal mode, to verify that the problem is solved.
Please note that the names of menus and options you see on your device (as well as the steps to access Android Safe Mode) may differ slightly from what has been explained so far, due to the differences between the various Android editions and the customizations applied by manufacturers.
To give you some practical examples, let me show you the exact steps to take on the devices produced by some well-known big names in the sector.
How to disable screen overlay: Xiaomi
For example, if yours is a Xiaomi- branded smartphone equipped with MIUI ROM , go to the Settings menu > Privacy Protection of the operating system, tap on the item Special permissions and tap the word Show above other apps , in order to access the dedicated section permissions for the overlay.
Now, tap on the name of the app for which you want to revoke the permissions and move the lever with the words Allow viewing above other apps , which appears on the next screen, from ON to OFF .
In case of problems, you can activate the Xiaomi safe mode in the following way: turn off the device completely , turn it back on and, when you see the MIUI logo appear , press and hold the physical Volume Down button , until the phone starts up in mode provisional.
How to disable screen overlay: LG
To disable LG screen overlay , instead, proceed as follows: after opening the Android Settings , tap on the General tab , then select the Applications item , tap the button (⋮) located at the top and tap on the word Configure apps , located in the menu that appears.
Now, tap the Hide other applications item located in the menu that appears, tap on the name of the app causing problems and move the switch corresponding to the Overlay permission on other apps from ON to OFF .
In case of necessity, it is possible to start the safe mode by pressing and holding the physical key of ignition and, subsequently, by performing a prolonged tap on the icon Shut that appears on the screen.
How to disable screen overlay: Samsung
If, on the other hand, yours is a device manufactured by Samsung, open the Settings> Applications menu of the device, tap the button (⋮) visible at the top and select the item Special access from the menu that appears.
Finally, tap on the word Foreground display and move the lever corresponding to the name of the app for which you want to revoke the authorization to apply the screen overlay to OFF .
Finally, if it becomes necessary to access safe mode of the device, press and hold the button on / off of it, making a long tap on the button Shut that appears on the screen and you tap on the safe mode (the shield on background green ), to restart Android in this last state.
How to disable screen overlay: HUAWEI
Finally, if yours is a HUAWEI device , you need to go to the Settings> Apps> Advanced access (or Special access ) menu , select the Show above other apps item and, after selecting the All apps item from the top drop-down menu, move the lever for the application causing problems goes from ON to OFF .
If you needed to access secure / safe mode, hold down the button of the physical device to turn on, make a long tap on the button Shut that appears on the screen and tap on the word OK , located under the heading Restart in Safe Mode .
