How to remove android overlays detected. Overlay Detected Issue on Android Device - Bug Fixes for All Models

Android allows you to do many things that iOS users can only dream of: multi-window operation, which on iOS is only available on

iPad tablets, full background work of applications and free work with the file system.

One of the features of Android is the imposition of the interface of some programs on top of others. This is not a multi-window mode, when the screen is divided into several active areas, but a mode of working with applications, similar to how we work with windows in Windows and macOS, placing them one above the other. This is how Twitch works in Android, when you can open the broadcast window on top of any other application, or Facebook messenger, which shows a window with an active chat anywhere in the system.

The "Overlays detected" error appears during the first launch of a new application. At this point, Android usually asks for various permissions for the application, which include access to the device's file system, camera, location, and the ability to work on top of other windows. At this moment, a conflict occurs between the installed applications, which leads to the fact that Android cannot grant rights to a new application, and it, in turn, because of this, may refuse to start.

If such a situation arises, you need to find the application that is causing the conflict. This can be tricky if you have many applications installed. You can find a list of them in Settings> Applications> Gear menu> Overlay on top of other windows. Next, you need to manually go through the entire list of installed applications, gradually disabling each of them. However, as practice shows, most often the following applications can be the culprit:

1) Clean Master

4) SimCity game

6) File Manager HD

These are just the most common applications that cause this error.

If the "Overlays detected" error does not allow you to grant the rights to the required application, and there is no time to deal with all installed applications, then restart the device in safe mode. To do this, hold down the shutdown key, when the menu appears, hold your finger on "Power off". After booting in safe mode, go to Settings> Applications, find the application you need and manually grant it all rights, then restart the device.

The "Overlays detected" error is caused by a conflict between running and recently installed software, requesting permission to display information on top of other utilities (for example, instant messengers, warnings, etc.). If the tips described below do not help to get rid of the problem, contact the application developer through the support on the website or by mail.

Work with overlays on Android devices.

Have you wondered why the problem keeps popping up on your Samsung or any other Android device? The Android operating system has come a long way. With more features, design redesigns, and millions of utilities that strain Android's hardware and software capabilities, error messages start popping up over time. Experts have speculated that overlay on top of other windows can be used for. From a programmatic point of view, this is impossible, but the virus opens a window that resembles an overlay. There may also be a requirement to enter your credit card information so that the window can be closed or minimized.

With that said, the researchers have published a recording of a specially designed software running on Android. The message is displayed on top of the user interface. In fact, the user "clicks" only in those places that the system indicates to him. The clickjacking function is repeated several times, as a result of which the user unknowingly provides the virus with access to the smartphone's resources, culminating in the complete absorption of the Android device. On Google Play, about 10% of utilities use overlay. If this is banned, subscribers and developers will lose their temper with rage.

To avoid accidentally installing such software, you should always first check the permissions in the Google Play Store - if Screen Overlay is listed, it may be a virus. Even Google can't run an analysis of the software before it's published.

Cause of error overlap detected

Whenever any new program, it needs to be given access to use system information or data from any other utilities. If an Android overlay is detected, a pop-up window appears during installation. And it will appear until the overlay is turned on. Not only is this annoying, but it can also interfere with important functions on your device.

How to fix

How do I remove the error? There are several basic methods that have been tested on different Android devices. The first one works on almost all devices. If not, gradually try those described below.

Disable overlays in pure Android

This is the most popular method and works on most Android 6 gadgets:

This is where you need to find the application that needs permission to overlay - usually the last one used. Disable the function and run the utility. The message will not appear again. Unsubscribe in the comments what helped you, indicating the Android version or phone model.

Disable overlays in Android on LG

You can remove Screen Overlay by making the following settings:

1. "Settings" - "Applications".
2. In the upper right corner there is a button for calling an additional menu - "Application manager" or "On top of other applications".
3. In the list of utilities that opens, you can disable access. Select the recently installed software or all utilities at once and disable the overlay service.

What applications can cause overlay messages to appear

The Overlay function is also used by some third-party applications, mainly for security and cleaning purposes - Clean Master, DU Booster, ES File Explorer, etc. If the described methods did not help, remove the third-party software. These three applications are just examples. If in doubt, delete the ones you haven't used for at least a month. This will also unload the device and free up the ROM. List of applications.

Many users have encountered a pop-up window issue ("overlays detected") after the next Android update. Because of this, the work of new programs began to be blocked. What makes the problem even worse is that it is impossible to grant permissions to an application or perform another security-critical operation while there is a warning. This article describes what an application overlay is on Android, what to do, or how to fix the "overlap detected" error. We have collected 5 solutions to the problem that are available even to unprepared users.

What is overlay on top of other windows

This is a new feature for the user interface required by developers of utilities, instant messengers, email clients and games. It allows you to display information on top of open windows to notify the user of an incoming letter or message. Thanks to this feature, you can watch videos in a small YouTube window and read news in your browser at the same time. The video player window is above all others working in parallel.

The appearance of messages about overlays occurred only in Android 6. The usual attempt to set the rights of a program with several active windows at the same time causes an error. Not all windows are visible on the desktop and are difficult to find or close.

Cause of the "overlap detected" error

Strictly speaking, this is not a mistake. More precisely, it is a warning of the new Android security system.... This means that when setting the rights for a program or game, another, not necessarily malicious, application was found that displays something on the screen on top of others. The developers considered this to be a potential security vulnerability. A malicious application is capable of replacing the standard window of important system settings. This way you can get the user to do the actions he needs, without his knowledge. For example, by granting rights to a game or utility, the user runs the risk of expanding the permissions for the program that has brought its overlay on top of other windows. To avoid this, the system locks the program and does not allow changing the rights until it is sure that only one window is active on the display, without overlaps.

To remove or clear the right to overlap with other windows for programs, use the Preferences section, which will be discussed below. The latest versions of Android have implemented the concept of trusted applications. This status is assigned to system components: utilities and services. When they are active, the security message does not appear. Third party utilities and games continue to receive special attention.

How to disable overlay on Android

Analyzing the reason for the warning, we will formulate five options for fixing the overlay on Android version 6 and higher.

Method 1. Restart the device in safe mode

To quickly resolve the security warning and give the program the rights it requests, follow these steps:

Attention! Some models of smartphones do not support the transition to safe mode using the above method. In this case, turn off the device in the usual way and turn it on by setting the volume down key at the start (for Samsung). Clarifications for other brands are given below.

Method 2. Disable overlays for the program

The problem of the previous method of dealing with the error - after the next update of the program or system, the procedure for setting rights through safe mode will have to be performed again. To fix the source of the problem, find the app whose overlay is causing the message.

To do this, go to Settings and open the Applications section. The right to allow overlay on top of other windows is hidden in a separate section. On Samsung phones, this is Exceptional Permissions. On gadgets with pure Android - a gear button. How to remove overlays on Xiaomi smartphones is described below.

Find Overlay on top of other windows in the list and examine the list of programs that have this permission.

Often the error is caused by:

• Utility for cleaning the disc Clean Master.
• CM Locker is a handy screen locker with advanced features.
• SimCity game and others.

System utilities and applications rarely cause problems. If this happens, the developers fix it in new firmware versions. There can be several such programs. Consecutively disable their right to display overlays and check the restoration of the permissions setting. When a pest is found, make a decision to remove it.

This is a good reason to spend, disable some permissions, as unnecessary, and from automatically starting services.

Method 3. Use Alert Window Checker

Use the Alert Window Checker to minimize the number of programs that are potentially allowed to display information overlaid on other windows.

The application is installed from the Play Store, does not require root or superuser rights. When launched, it shows a window with applications that:

• got permission to be placed on top of the screen,
• are working right now.

Press Hide one by one and check if the warning has disappeared.

Programs that interfere with work can be forced to stop.

Alert Window Cheker will save you time and will not harm your system.

Method 4. Disable hardware overlay

Developer mode. Allows you to use advanced customization features. To obtain it, you usually need to perform operations, the specifics of which depend on the phone model. For example, in Xiaomi, developer mode is turned on by a six-time tap according to the firmware version in Settings.

Method 5. Change the system file with a special patch (you need root)

Alternatively, on the forums, there is a proposal to patch the Android system files in order to turn off the need for a warning about overlapping windows. This requires, which is associated with a certain risk and loss of official warranty.

Specificity of individual models and brands

Xiaomi

These smartphones have their own MIUI user interface shell and a number of sections in Settings have been redesigned. When a warning appears, click the Open Settings button.

The system itself will transfer to the desired section, which lists programs with enabled permission On top of other applications.

Pay special attention in the list to third-party applications installed from Google Play Store or from apk installation files. For example, Facebook messenger displays its window on top of others on the screen, which interferes with security when setting rights.

If you do not want to look for the cause of the problem, switch the gadget to safe mode, Xiaomi smartphones are transferred by rebooting with the volume up and down keys held down. In this case, permissions are set without problems.

How to disable overlays on Samsung

In models of this brand, you can also use the Open Settings button. At Samsung Galaxy, the section is hidden under a button with three vertically spaced dots.

In the menu that appears, select Special access rights.

The permission is called On top of other apps.

The list contains utilities and games that have requested the system to display its window above the rest. Below the button with three dots is the Hide system applications item, which allows you to reduce the number of suspicious objects. System services and utilities are by definition trusted and do not require user attention.

The transition to safe mode is performed by turning off and then turning on the gadget while holding down the volume minus key.

Fixes overlapping on Android smartphones of other brands

The desired settings section is hidden under the gear in the upper right corner.

The resolution is called Overlay on top of other windows.

We go into safe mode through the menu that drops out by a long tap on the on-screen shutdown button, as described above.

If after forcibly stopping and uninstalling all programs that have permission to overlay their own window, the problem with the security warning persists:

• Make sure switching to safe mode doesn't fix the problem.
• Reset your gadget.
• Perform a factory data reset.
• Roll back to a workable firmware if you are using a developer build for your Chinese phone model.
• Please contact technical support. The manufacturer's specialists will give a clear plan of action to eliminate the problem.
• Find the forum where the owners of the smartphone model are located and post your question there, formulating the method of receiving the warning step by step.

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The developers of the Android operating system never cease to delight and amaze their consumers with various innovations and extensions of functionality for devices. One of the innovations in the Android OS (6.0 Marshmallow and 7.0 Nougat) is the dual-window mode. Unfortunately, users have noticed that there is a new bug called "Overlays Detected" in Android apps. We will tell you about what it is and how to fix it in our article.

Recording navigation:

What does overlay mean in Android?

In the last two versions of the Android operating system, it became possible to launch two applications at once on one screen of the gadget. For example, you can watch a video on YouTube and simultaneously flip through the news feed on Facebook.

Before Android developers improved their product and introduced security controls to the window overlay system, fraudsters could use this function. That is, the infected application opened its own window, most often transparent, over the launched one, and when the owner of the device pressed the display, instead of the desired action, he accidentally gave system permissions for the virus program.

Overlays detected on Android. What contributes to this?

If your smartphone reports that overlays have been detected in Android, then this means that some application is trying to open its window on top of other running programs, but does not have access rights to do so. This application is not always malicious.

The Overlays Detected error mostly appears the first time you launch the application. Usually at this moment Android asks for various rights for the application to work correctly. This can be access to the device's file system, geodata, camera, and the ability to work on top of other applications. Just at this moment, a conflict occurs between the new and previously installed programs. In turn, this leads to the fact that Android cannot give the necessary rights to a new application.

Fixing detected overlays in Android. Method one

To fix the Android Overlays Detected error, you need to disable the overlay feature for the application that is causing the problem. Most often, it is not the program that was just installed that creates the error, but the one that was loaded earlier.

If you have many different applications installed, then it is extremely difficult to find exactly the one that triggered the error. Most often it can be:

This is a list of the most common programs that can trigger the Android Overlay Detected error.

There are two options for solving the problem. The first is to disable overlays entirely on the device. For this you need:

1. go to device settings
2. find the section "Applications"
3. in the upper right corner, click on the gear icon. In some models, instead of a gear, there may be "More" or "Additional"
4. then in the menu that appears, select "On top of other windows"
5. a list of all applications that are installed will appear. Each has an inscription "Yes" or "No". In those programs, where possible, move the slider to the "No" position
6. after that, the idle application should start without problems

System applications cannot be configured in this way. For example applications: camera, alarm clock, calendar, calculator and so on.

How to remove overlays on Android? Second way

The second option is relevant for those users who need a window overlay function. In this case, you will have to go through all the available applications manually. To do this, you need to do the following:

1. go to the "Above other windows" section.
2. disable the overlay function in the first app available
3. then try to run the non-working program again. If the problem has disappeared, then this means that the source of the error has been found.
4. if the problem persists, then you need to go back to the settings and go to the next program and turn off the overlay function for it
5. the above actions must be carried out with each program from the list

If these instructions did not help in solving the error "Overlapping detected" Android, then you should resort to extreme measures - reset the settings to factory settings. Read how to do this in our article -. All settings will be restored to their original values, and all user data will be deleted. Therefore, it is recommended that you make a backup of all the necessary information in advance.

In case you still have or have any questions regarding the solution to the problem "Overlaps detected" Android - write in the comments. We are always happy to help.

Answers on questions

How to disable overlay on Samsung?

In order to disable the overlay function on Samsung devices, you need to open the notification panel, click on the gear icon and go to the "Applications" section. Next, open the "Application Manager" and select "Advanced" in the upper right corner. After that, you need to click on "Applications that can appear on top". Using the slider bar, you can turn the overlay feature on or off for each application or for all at once.

Sometimes, while using the device with Android OS version 6-7, the message "Overlays detected" appears. We suggest you figure out the reasons for the appearance of this error and how to remove it.

To begin with, the Overlap Detected message is not an error at all, but a warning. The fact is that in Android, starting with 6.0 Marshmallow, security tools have changed. For a long time, it has been possible for some applications (for example, the YouTube client) to display their windows on top of others. Developers from Google considered such a vulnerability, and considered it necessary to warn users about this.

The warning appears when you try to set permissions for any program while using some third-party utilities that have the ability to display their interface on top of other windows. These include:

There are several ways to remove the overlay warning. Let's take a closer look at them.

Method 1: Security Mode

The easiest and fastest way to deal with the problem. When security mode is active, overlays are disabled in the latest versions of Android, so a warning will not appear.

1. We go into security mode. The procedure is described in the corresponding article, so we will not dwell on it.
2. After making sure that your device is in safe mode, go to the application settings. Then grant permissions to the desired one - this time no messages should appear.
3. After completing the necessary manipulations, restart the device to return to normal operation.

This method is the most versatile and convenient, but it is not always applicable.

Method 2: Software permission settings

The second way to fix the problem is to temporarily disable the ability of a particular program to display its windows on top of others. To do this, do the following.

1. Go to "Settings" and go to "Applications".
   
   On Samsung devices, press the menu button and select "Special access rights"... On Huawei devices - click the button "More".
   

   On devices with a "clean" Android, at the top right there should be a button with a gear icon that you need to click.

2. On Huawei devices, select the option "Special access".
   
   On Samsung devices, press the three dots button at the top right and select "Special access rights"... On "bare" Android, tap on "Additional settings".
3. Look for an option Overlay on top of other windows and go to it.



4. Above we have provided a list of potential sources of the problem, so your next steps will be to disable the overlay option for these programs, if any.
   
   Scroll through the list of applications that are allowed to create these pop-ups and remove this permission from them.
5. Then close "Settings" and try to reproduce the error conditions. It is highly likely that the message will not appear again.

This method is a little more complicated than the previous one, but it practically guarantees the result. However, if the source of the problem is a system application, this method will not help.

Method 3: disable hardware overlay

Android developer mode gives the user access to a number of interesting features, one of which is hardware overlay control.

The methods described above are generally available to the average user. Of course, there are more advanced ones (obtaining root rights with the subsequent modification of system files), but we did not consider them because of the complexity and the likelihood of spoiling something in the process.