GadgetRaid

You might have noticed an unusual pop up of screen overlay detected and probably wondering “WHAT THE HELL IS THIS”. Well we got you covered, we love to tell you how to rectify this error, and you can enjoy your device experience like always. Gadgetraid will explain to you how to turn off screen overlay detected on your Android device in simple and easy steps.

Screen Overlay Detected: What is Screen Overlay?

Let us understand what is screen overlay in Android to better understand the problem.

This error started to arise after the introduction of the Android Marshmallow. This error of Screen Overlay Detected is more like a feature that looked like a bug. This error does not allow some apps to run or open. Which can be irritating sometimes. Android feature “Draw over other apps” introduced from the Android Marshmallow and Android Nougat which gives apps control to “draw” over the other apps. Like Facebook Messenger, which can show a notification pop upon receiving a message from a contact, over the other running apps. It does not matter if Facebook Messenger is running on the main screen or not, it can show notifications over any other app which is running on the main screen. This feature gives a few selected apps to run over the other apps.

Where does the problem start?

If you try to install a new app on your android device, then there is a possibility that you might face this error while an app with the feature of “draw over other apps” is already running in the background or the main screen. This feature of extra security becomes a headache. The main role of this app is to stop rogue apps you might have downloaded mistakenly from an untrusted source, from taking advantage of your Android device.

These rogue app can be a serious problem to your privacy when the overlay is running and asking for permissions. Android does not allow them to take control and hence you as a user see a pop-up of Screen overlay Detected. But in reality, this is just another security feature, and you need not worry about it.

Screen Overlay Detected: How to solve the error?

Method 1

• First thing to do is that the user should exit from the apps that have the permission for “Screen Overlay” or “draw over other apps”.
• List of the such apps which can ask you for screen overlay permissions are given here- Facebook Messenger, Twilight, Internet Speed Meter, Clean Master, Lux etc. These apps are the root cause of the problem as these apps ask you for permission of Screen overlay at the time of installation.
• If any of these apps is running in the background, then exit these apps and try to install the new that you were trying to install.

Tip: DO not install apps with the name Clean Master, DU Speed Booster, Go Speed and other apps which claims to clean your cache and speed up your device. These apps can be a reason for Screen overlay Detected error, but other than that, these apps drain your battery while running in the background and keep your RAM occupied. These apps show fake data of cleaning the cache memory and freeing the RAM, but the truth is exactly the opposite. These apps can be responsible for the slow speed of your device, battery drain problems and sometimes even theft of personal information. Many times such apps are blocked from Google Play Store for Data theft, but they always come back with another name and logo. Another point made by these apps is that these apps make your device fast by clearing the cache, but the truth is Cache memory was invented only for one purpose and that is to load your device fast.

Method 2

This method is a better one, and I prefer this. Disable the screen overlay permission of all the installed apps. This method is to end the problem from where it is originating. Those apps which are asking for permission to “draw over other apps” why not disable this permission and save ourselves from pain. How to disable screen overlay permission.

• Go to settings.
• Scroll down, and you will see an “Apps” option. Click on it.
• You will see a gear button on the top right of your current screen. Click on that.
• A new window will open. Go to “Draw over other apps”. Click on it.
• Now a list of app swill appear who are using this permission.
• You have to click on the app and uncheck “Permit drawing over other apps”.
• Repeat this process for all the apps.
• Clear the apps you were trying to run from background and open the app again. Your problem should be solved.

Method 3

There is another method for solving this problem. This method is about using the “Safe mode” of the android. You can follow the steps given below.

• Notice the app with which you are having the issue with. You can check this while trying different apps on whose running you are encountering the problem of Screen overlay detected. Example Messenger.
• Now press the power button of your device.
• Press and hold the “Power Off” option on the pop-up now.
• Keep holding it for 4-5 second, and you will see another pop up asking you to enable “Safe Mode”.
• Click “OK” and your device will turn into Safe mode.
• When your device turns on. Go to setting and then to “Apps”.
• Click on the app with which you were having a problem of “Screen overlay Detected”. Click on it.
• On the App page. Click on Permissions.
• Enable the permission that the app had previously.
• After this, reboot the phone.

Screen Overlay Detected Samsung

The above-given process applies to most of the devices. But if you are using a Samsung phone, you either need to know your device better or you can follow this procedure because different devices have different features at different places.

• Open Settings on your Samsung phone.
• Scroll down until you find the “Applications” option. Click on it.
• Inside the Application, you will find “Applications Manager”. Click on it.
• Now press on the 3 dot menu on the top right of the screen.
• A menu will open, you will see an option “Apps that can appear on top”. Click on it.
• You will see a list of apps that has the option enabled. Disable each of the app from this menu.
• Now open the app with which the problem was occurring.
• Come back to “Apps that can appear on top” menu following the procedure stated above and re-enable a;; the apps you previously disabled.

This method will work in TouchWiz/ Android Lollipop + including devices like Samsung Galaxy S7, S7 Edge, Note 7, Galaxy A9, Galaxy A8, Galaxy A7, Galaxy A6, Galaxy A3, Galaxy J5, Galaxy J7, On 7, On 5 etc.

Error due to Samsung One Handed Mode

You can follow the procedure below to solve the error.

• Go to Settings.
• Go to Display and Wallpaper.
• Click on “One handed operation”.
• Click on “Side Panel”.
• Turn off the toggle button.

Hopefully, this will resolve your issue with the Samsung devices. Try to install your desired app.

Screen Overlay Detected Motorola

Motorola Devices support vanilla Android, and hence the methods stated above will be applicable on Motorola devices. The supported devices from Motorola are Moto Z, Moto G4 Plus, Moto G4, Moto G4 Play, Moto G3, Moto G2, Moto, G, Moto E, Moto E2, Moto E3, E3 Power, Moto X Play, Moto X Style and Moto M. Being a Chinese version the process becomes a little different for Chinese Moto M. It is using Vibe UI from the Lenovo. Method 1 must be applicable in it.

Screen Overlay Detected OnePlus

The methods given above works perfectly for the OnePlus devices. The supported devices for OnePlus are One Plus One, OnePlus 2, OnePlus X, OnePlus 3 and OnePlus 3T.

Screen Overlay Detected HTC

HTC is following the same approach as Samsung, and they have their custom mask named Sense UI on top of Android. For HTC devices, you can simply search for “Draw over other apps” in the search bar in settings to find the list of the apps which has a draw over other apps feature. You can follow the Samsung procedure and this method is applicable on the devices like HTC 10, HTC 10 Evo, HTC 10 lifestyle, HTC One M9, HTC One M9s, HTC One M8, HTC One x9, HTC Desire 10, HTC Desire 10 Pro, HTC Desire 830, HTC One A9 etc.

Screen Overlay Detected LG

LG is also using their own custom UI on top of Android, but they didn’t give it a name. The methods which are applicable to HTC are also applicable for the LG devices. The supported devices are LG V20, LG V10, LG G5, LG G5 SE, LG G4, LG X5, LG X Max, LG X Mach, LG X Power, LG X Style etc.

Apps responsible for This Error

The most popular apps that can be responsible for this error are as follows.

• Clean Master
• DU Speed Booster
• ES explorer
• Xender
• UC Browser
• 360 Security

These apps mentioned above are responsible for the Screen overlay Detected Error in your device. If you are using any of these apps from the above list, it’s better if you uninstall them and look for an alternative. You usually do not need any kind of cleaner app or memory optimizer app or antivirus app. These apps are mostly useless. Apart from these apps which are causing visible screen overlay detected pop up.

• Messenger
• Twilight
• Bluelight filter
• Sfilter

You do not need to uninstall these, as they are genuine apps with a defined purpose. You just turn them off and exit them if you encounter a pop-up.