What 'Display over other apps' means on Android and when to allow it
"Display over other apps" lets an app draw something on top of whatever you are doing. It is useful, and it is also one of the permissions worth a second look.
What it is used for
- Chat bubbles and floating buttons.
- Screen filters that dim the display or warm its colors.
- Floating video players and timers.
- Screen recorders with a small control button.
- Custom volume or brightness panels.
Without this permission an app can only draw inside its own window.
Why it can be risky
An overlay can cover real buttons with fake ones. In a so-called tapjacking attack, a malicious app draws a harmless-looking screen over a real one so that your taps land on something else. Android reduces this risk: it blocks overlays on top of system permission dialogs, and apps can mark sensitive screens so overlays do not receive touches there. Still, the permission should not be handed out lightly.
Is it safe for a given app?
A simple rule: allow it if you can name the on-screen thing the app will draw. If you can't, don't allow it.
A screen dimmer needs it. A calculator does not. A game that asks for it the moment you open it is suspicious.
How to see which apps have it
Open Settings > Apps, then look for Special access (on some phones it is behind the three-dot menu) and choose Display over other apps. You will see a list of apps with an on/off switch. Turn off any app whose purpose you don't recognize.
Is the permission used together with others?
An overlay app is more worrying when it also has the accessibility service, because together they can show something and watch how you react. Both can be legitimate, for example in a volume panel, so what matters is who made the app and whether it needs both. See our accessibility guide.
Summary
Allow the overlay permission only for apps whose floating features you know and use, and review the list every few months.