Screen Overlay Detected error is caused by apps which can appear on the top of other apps. Hence you just need to turn off screen overlay permissions of all apps in order to fix this error on your Android device. You must know What is Screen Overlay? How, When, Why and the reasons behind this error and the it will be easy for you to turn off Screen Overlay Detected on your Android Device.

Users are facing Screen Overlay Detected in Samsung, Lenovo, Tecno, Oneplus, LG, Redmi MI, Oppo, Vivo and many devices. There may be a different setting configuration in different devices, but we have got working solutions for all Android devices.

Screen Overlay Detected Error appear with a message, “To change this permission setting, you first have to turn off screen overlay from Settings > Apps”.

screen overlay detected

What is Screen Overlay?

Screen Overlay causes one of the most annoying error especially on all Marshmallow 6.0 Versions of Android devices. During installation of new apps, you need to grant some permissions such as contact, storage, camera etc. If active screen overlay of any app is observed then a sudden “Screen Overlay Detected” pop up will appear on your Android Device.

What are reasons behind Screen Overlay error?

You need to know following Screen Overlay Error reasons in order to fix it on your Android Device.

  • Android Marshmallow 6.0
  • Draw Over Other Apps Permission
  • Apps appearing on the top of other app
  • Unwanted apps

Whenever you install any new app on your marshmallow Android device then you must have seen the popups of certain permissions, such as Contact, Storage, and Recording. If active Screen Overlay feature of any app is observed then a sudden popup with Screen Overlay Detected message will appear. Now let’s jump to the main section on fixing this error on any Android Device.

How to turn off Screen Overlay Detected on Android?

There are several solutions to turn off Screen Overlay Detected on Any Android Device. Apply all solutions one by one to troubleshoot this error on your device and hopefully one solution will surely prove helpful to fix this issue on your Android Device.

In this solution, we will turn off the screen overlay of all apps including system apps after which screen overlay detected error won’t appear again. Follow below Screen Overlay Settings.

  1. Open Settings
  2. Scroll down to Apps optionscreen overlay app
  3. Click on Three Dots
  4. Select Draw Over Other Apps
  5. Select Show System Apps
  6. Now you can turn off screen overlay of all apps

Now you have successfully disabled Screen Overlay of all apps. Now it won’t appear again until you manually turn it on. You can manually turn it on for Facebook Messenger if you want to use its feature of chat head.

This solution had worked for almost everyone, hope it works for you too.

Uninstall Screen Overlay Apps

Screen Overlay feature is also used by some unwanted security and cleaner Apps. If you are facing Screen Overlay Detected WhatsApp or while using any other app, then uninstall or force stop some unwanted apps which are currently not useful till one month, or apps which haven’t used since last month. This will also solve lagging issues on your device and will also free up some ROM on your device.

List of Apps Which are Causing Screen Overlay Detected issue on Android Device:

Apps which can appear on the top of other apps or apps which can changes the screen color (night mode apps) may causes screen overlay detected error on your device. So you must force stop or uninstall all those apps. Below are hints for Apps which may cause this Screen Overlay Detected issue on your Android Devices.

  • Chat head of Facebook Messenger.
  • Apps which have Animated Rocket Cleaners on Home Screen
  • 360 Security
  • Es File Explorer

  • All Night Mode apps such as Twilight
  • All Security and Antivirus Apps
  • Share IT
  • Internet Speed Meter
  • LUX App
  • UC Browser
  • All DU apps such as DU Booster and Cleaner, DU Battery Saver, DU Antivirus
  • All night mode apps

These were just few hints, uninstall all apps which can appear on the top of other apps and your problem will be solved.

Once your Screen Overlay Detected issue is solved and if now you want to use Screen Overlay feature by some apps such as Chat Head of Facebook Messenger and Screen Recorder then you can turn it on by going into permission settings of that App.

If this solution worked for you guys then do comment in the comment section below that which app was causing Screen Overlay Detected issue on your device, it will help your friends.

Reboot in Safe Mode

If any above solution didn’t worked then you can use Safe Mode to tackle this error. First you must know in which app Screen Overlay Detected error appears. First open Safe Mode by following below settings:

Safe Mode in Stock Android:

If you are using any stock android such as Moto, Nexus, HTC or Lenovo then follow below settings to turn on Safe Mode on your device and fix Screen Overlay Detected LG and other Stock Android Devices.

  • Press and hold power button
  • Tap and hold on Power Off option until your device popup for Safe Mode
  • Tap on OK to reboot to Safe Mode

Safe Mode on Samsung Device:

Enable Safe Mode if you are searching solutions on How to turn off Screen Overlay Samsung S5 or any other Samsung Galaxy Device such as Samsung S6, S7 Prime.

  • First Turn off your Samsung Device
  • Hold power button until Samsung Logo Appears
  • Then release Power Button and hold Volume Up Button until your device boot up and you see Safe Mode in corner

What after Safe Mode:

Once you are in Safe Mode then turn on all permissions of App in which Screen Overlay was Appearing. Follow below settings to Turn ON all permissions on App in which Screen Overlay Detected error was appearing.

  • Open Settings
  • Click on Apps
  • Select the App which was causing Screen Overlay Detected error to appear (For example, while opening Opera I was seeing this error)
  • Click on App Permissions
  • Now Toggle On all permissions of App

This Safe Mode method to disable Screen Overlay Detected Moto G3 is working for most of the guys hence it must work for you too.

Screen Overlay Settings on Samsung

Settings to turn off Screen Overlay Samsung are bit different then other Android Devices. You will find Apps that can appear on top in place of Draw Over Other Apps. Follow all steps to fix this error on Samsung.

  1. Open Settings.screen overlay settings
  2. Click on Apps and then select Application Manager option.
    screen overlay manager
  3. Tap on More option situated at the top right corner of your mobile screen.
  4. Select Apps that can Appear on Top.
  5. Now again click on More option and then select Show System Apps.
  6. Now the list of applications with active Screen Overlay will appear.
  7. Turn off screen overlay of all apps one by one.

Now you have successfully disabled Screen Overlay of all apps on your Samsung Device. You turn on Screen Overlay of some apps such as Facebook Messenger if you want to use its feature of chat head feature.

Screen Overlay Apps in Samsung

So once you know which app on your device is causing Screen Overlay Detected popups to appear then you ready to apply this quick solution:

Tap on Open Settings when Screen Overlay Detected popup appears.

Now the list of apps with active Screen Overlay feature will appear, just toggle OFF permissions of all apps which you doubt, it may by any security or cleaner app, chat head, night mode app or any app which I mentioned in my above list.

As mentioned earlier too, Facebook Messenger float on the screen of other apps hence this is the main culprit but now Facebook has already overcome this screen overlay issue by instantly turning off it off when you close the chat heads and activating it again instantly whenever chat heads again appear on the screen. So now no need to worry about Facebook Messenger Chat Heads.

Now you know how to turn off screen overlay on any Android device. Hope this resolve Screen overlay Detected error on your Android device. We would be glad to answer your queries in a comment section below.

64 COMMENTS

  4. Hey man ! Because of this problem, I can’t open some of the basic apps such as phone, messaging, contacts. I have tried all of your methods but nothing works. I need your help man, ASAP !

  6. My phone is infinix 2. My overlay is affects the tools bar. When I swipe down, it refuses to open. It just shows ‘No Notification’ and it ends there. I used the 3 solutions and none worked. I need help.

    • Any system app might be causing this screen overlay issue on your device and what you can do is to find out which app is currently causing this issue on your device and just uninstall that app, Apps which can appear on the top of other apps such as messenger chat head or apps which can change the colour of screen are generally causing screen overlay detected issue on android devices…

  10. Thank you but I tried your instructions but once I open my camera, ” allow camera to make and manage calls?” appear..How could I fix it..pls…thnks

  13. Go to settings,In Apps FORCE STOP every app in your phone.Later you can give permission to your desired apps.This worked for me.

  15. Before I tried step 3 I uninstalled the calendar and clock widgets and reinstalled, happy days.
    Basically it was only factory widgets which were crashing.
    Thanks for all your ideas, I would be insane by now otherwise. .

  17. TY very much! New to Android and this was a MAJOR headache! Now I can use the phone like I want!
    Very well done graphic/walk through for noobs like me! Again TYVM :))

    (Why did Google do that in the first place? WHAT A MAJOR HASSLE/PAIN IN THE ASS!)

    • Well you know that you are unable to use beauty plus and mp3 downloader app on your android due to this screen overlay detected error.

  28. Thank you so much for your help. It was du booster all along. May God bless you ooo.
    Please continue to do stuff like this. You can change the world

  30. I tried in my marshmallow android but I didn’t find the exact app that I really want to disable the screen overlay……But the content of above-mentioned is really understandable… Easily but how can get that particular app that need to disable the screen overlay

    • S Mani Kumar, You need to make a guess that which installed app may appear on the top of other apps. Facebook Messenger Chat Head and Night Mode Apps are examples of such apps which uses screen overlay feature. I have also mentioned the list of apps for which you need to disable screen overlay.

  32. I have to force stop all those apps after trying all the methods but not working, I finally result in force stopping all the apps now everything is cool. Thanks

  38. Thank you so much for such great solutions dear admin 🙂
    It really helped.
    I myself was just looking for safe mofe solution, but i didn’t how. Then i found your solution.
    Thanks bud, great share!

  39. Thanks for your solution! I uninstalled DU Recorder and Night Mode Filter also unable chat heads on Messenger. It works!

  42. I turned off the “floating icon toggle” in my palmstore app settings and I turned off all screen overlay settings! It worked! Thank you so much

  43. HELP!!!!! I tried all 3 of the hints above and I am still getting the screen overlay! I am my wits end. I have a ZTE GRAND X MAX 2 phone which I have unlocked because it was purchased from Cricket and I now use MetroPCS as my carrier. Cricket says I should do a factory reset but I do not have a computer to back up whatever information I currently have on my phone. I do not know what to do…. Can you help me? I am also getting a message “Opens with” when trying to access apps but doesn’t give me any options..Can u help? Thanks

    • You can try Safe Mode to turn on all permissions of app on which you were facing screen overlay error.
      For media backup, you can use SD Card and there are many apps on play store to backup installed apk files on the internal storage and then you can move them to SD Card and then you can reset your phone.

  46. Thanks so much! Screen overlay was driving me crazy. solution #1 worked for me to disable draw over other apps permissions on my moto g3. Thanks again.

  47. I got quite unhappy due to frustration and confusion over this screen overlay but thanks to your suggestion number 1. It worked for me.

  48. I got quite unhappy due to frustration and confusion over this screen overlay but thanks to your suggestion number 1. It worked for me.

    • First open Settings and then scroll until you see Apps or Application Manager option, now find out Whatsapp in the list and then click on the Permissions option, now change Storage Permission of WhatsApp to fix this issue on your Android.

  51. Hey thanks for helping. I didn’t realize it was du recorder app doing all this screen overlay and draw over over other app shit. I haven’t uninstalled it but I have force stopped it and denied all permissions n now I cant see that overlay thingy…thanks

  52. Thanks a lot, the third one was useful for me after many trials and many youtube tutorials this page finally has provided me a final solution.

    Thank you very much.

  53. Hi, I did try to switch off screen overlay, but things are getting worse because now all of my app are not functioning, so I need your advise on how to get permission on my apps to re-function again.

  54. Many thanks i have been pulling my hair out over this one. solution 2 worked for me i uninstalled DU Battery saver. Keep up the good work

  56. Hey, admin. Big thanks. I did not know that messenger head chat would give me a headache!!!
    I turned off notification and my problem was solved.
    I really appreciate.

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