Fix “Screen Overlay Detected” Error on Android [5 Solutions]

Hey Guys, Welcome to Screen Overlay Detected Android Help Community!!! We are here to help you guys to fix Screen Overlay Detected error on your Android device. Before discussing the solution to Screen Overlay Detected we will discuss some basic parameters like What is Screen Overlay? How, When And Why this error appears on any Android device? To which Android devices this error Appears? and finally How to turn off Screen Overlay Detected on any Android Device?

Screen Overlay Detected Error looks something like this:

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Screen Overlay Detected: 

To change this permission setting, you first have to turn off screen overlay from Settings > Apps

Open Settings

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What is Screen Overlay Detected?

Screen Overlay Detected is one of the most annoying error caused especially on marshmallow version (6.0) of Android devices. Whenever you are installing any new application to your marshmallow version of the Android device then you need to grant some permissions such as contact, storage, camera etc. During granting permissions if screen overlay of some application is active then a sudden popup with message “Screen Overlay Detected” will appear and you won’t be able to proceed further until you turn off screen overlay of all applications.

Screen Overlay is an essential feature of most of the Android applications. Screen Overlay feature enables any application to appear on the top of other applications like chat head of Facebook messenger. As per marshmallow Android Terms and Policies, Screen Overlay of all apps must be turned off while asking for different permissions from users (Such as Contact, Storage, Camera, etc.).

Why Does Screen Overlay Detected error Appears?

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.

Until and unless you disable Screen Overlay of any app, this popup would keep appearing again and again. So it’s better to apply some permanent solution, because if you would apply any temporary solution then this error will appear again when you will install any new application on your Android Device.

Users are facing Screen Overlay Detected in Lenovo, Samsung, Techno, 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. Now let’s jump to the main section on How to turn off Screen Overlay on any Android device.

How to turn off Screen Overlay Detected on Android?

We have got 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 your concerns.

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 to turn off Screen Overlay on any Android devices:

1. Open Settings.
2. Scroll down to Apps option.
3. Click on Three Dots option situated at the top right corner of your mobile screen.
4. Select Draw Over Other Apps.
5. Now again click on Three Dots and then select Show System Apps.
6. Now the list of all apps along with System Apps, whose Screen Overlay is active will appear.
7. Turn off screen overlay of all apps one by one.

Now you have successfully disabled Screen Overlay of all apps. Now Screen Overlay 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. Procedure to turn off Screen Overlay of All apps is bit different for Samsung Device hence we have got a different Screen Overlay Settings for Samsung Devices.

Uninstall Some Unwanted Screen Overlay Apps

Screen Overlay feature is also used by some unwanted security and cleaner Apps. If you are facing Screen Overlay Detected error on 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:

• 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

Below are hints for Apps which may cause this Screen Overlay Detected issue on your Android Devices:

• All night mode apps use Screen Overlay feature to dim the light of your screen. So currently if you are using any Night Mode Apps then uninstall all Night Mode Apps, if you are dependent on Night Mode apps at night then force stop those apps while you are installing new apps on your Android.
• All Security and Booster Apps observe your activities on Screen, hence uninstall off security apps, cleaners, booster apps from your Android. Uninstall Apps such as 360 Security, Security Master, Clean Master, All Antiviruses and All DU Apps. Screen Overlay error on Note 4 Samsung was occurring due to 360 Security 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.

Fix Screen Overlay Detected Error 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 error on 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:

If you are facing Screen Overlay on Samsung Galaxy S5, Samsung S6, Samsung J7 / Prime then follow below settings to turn ON Safe Mode on any Samsung Device:

• 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 error in Moto G3 is working for most of the guys hence it must work for you too.

Screen Overlay Detected Settings on Samsung

Screen overlay detected settings for Samsung are bit different then other Android Devices. You can also refer to the separate new post on fix Screen Overlay error on Samsung.

1. Open Settings.
2. Click on Apps and then select Application Manager option.
   
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. Also refer to article on procedure to resolve screen overlay detected error on Samsung J7.

Apps that can Cause Screen Overlay Detected Error

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 Screen Overlay of app 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 screen overlay of Messenger, as soon as 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.

Once you disable Screen Overlay on Tecno of apps which were causing Screen Overlay Detected popups to appear, this error won’t appear again.

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.