To draw over other apps on Android, declare SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW, ask the user to enable the special access in system settings, check the grant when your app resumes, and attach a window using TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY on Android 8.0 (API 26) and later. The permission is not a normal runtime prompt, and it does not guarantee that an overlay will always appear or stay where you put it.
What does “display over other apps” mean?
An overlay is a window your app displays outside its own activity, over other apps’ activity windows. Android treats this as a sensitive capability because an overlay can obscure or imitate parts of another app’s interface.
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Android’s permission reference cautions: “Very few apps should use this permission; these windows are intended for system-level interaction with the user.” See the Manifest.permission reference.
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Use this flow for a feature that genuinely needs a floating interface outside your app. Declaring the permission in the manifest is necessary, but for apps targeting API 23 or later it does not grant access: the user must authorize it in Settings.
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- Declare the special permission. Add
android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOWto your app’s manifest. Do not treat the declaration as proof that the user has approved the feature. - Check before showing the overlay. Call
Settings.canDrawOverlays(context). If it returns false, explain why the feature needs this access before directing the user to the system management screen. - Open the system access screen. Use
Settings.ACTION_MANAGE_OVERLAY_PERMISSION. This opens system settings; your app cannot grant itself access or turn the in-app action into an automatic approval. The relevant APIs are documented in Android’s Settings reference. - Check again when the user returns. The user makes the choice in Settings. Recheck
Settings.canDrawOverlays(context)when your activity resumes, rather than assuming access was granted. - Attach the window only after authorization. Obtain
WindowManager, createWindowManager.LayoutParamswithTYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY, and add your view through the window manager. The permission and window type relationship is described in the WindowManager.LayoutParams reference. - End the overlay cleanly. Remove the view when the feature ends and handle failures to attach or remove it. Keep unrelated app functions available if the user denies access or the device does not allow a grant.
Which window type should an app 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 identified in the Android 8.0 behavior changes. Older snippets that use legacy types may not be appropriate for current targets.
The newer type still requires the user-authorized overlay capability. Choosing the correct type does not bypass the Settings grant or guarantee fixed placement.
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Where can an Android overlay appear?
TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY appears above application activity windows but below critical system windows, including the status bar and input method editor (the on-screen keyboard). It is not a way to cover every system surface or security interface.
Android may change an overlay’s position or size, or hide it, to reduce clutter and manage system resources. Android 8.0 guidance also notes that users can access controls to block alert windows from the notification shade. Build the feature so it remains usable if the system changes its geometry or visibility; do not rely on an exact position or uninterrupted display. See the window manager documentation and Android 8.0 behavior changes.
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Why is Android overlay permission unavailable?
Availability depends on both Android version and device edition. A particularly important exception is Android 10 Go edition: under the documented restrictions, users cannot grant new SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW access, and Settings.canDrawOverlays() always returns false. The system directs users to a screen explaining the restriction. Android documents a legacy exception for access already granted before upgrading from Android 9 or lower. See Android 10 behavior changes.
If access is unavailable, or the user declines, explain that the floating feature cannot run on that device or without authorization. Do not block unrelated app functionality.
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What are the security and background-service limits?
Protect users and sensitive screens
An overlay can obscure legitimate controls or expose sensitive information. Android’s security guidance warns that overlays can be used to steal passwords or read messages, and advises treating overlay apps with the same trust scrutiny as other apps on the device. Request access only for a clear feature, explain what it does, and provide a useful experience without it where possible. See Secure sensitive activities.
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Do not assume permission allows background starts
On Android 15 (API 35), overlay permission supplies one exemption for starting a foreground service from the background only when an overlay window is currently visible. Merely holding the permission is not enough to rely on that exemption; other foreground-service exemptions may apply independently. Check the current conditions in Android’s foreground-service changes.
When should you choose another interface?
If the information can stay inside your app, prefer an in-app view or another interface that does not require drawing over other apps. Reserve overlays for features whose core purpose is to remain available across apps, and evaluate the decision against these practical questions:
Quick Recap
- Does the feature truly need to appear outside your app’s activities?
- Can the experience handle denied access, unavailable grants, and users blocking alert windows?
- Can it tolerate system changes to its position, size, or visibility?
- Does the target Android version require
TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY, and is the device subject to Android Go restrictions? - Could the overlay interfere with sensitive screens, or should your own sensitive activities opt out of third-party overlays?
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