What does "Display over other apps" mean on Android?
It's a special permission that lets an app draw on top of whatever you're using. Chat bubbles and floating video players need it, but it can also let a harmful app cover another app, like your bank's login screen, with a convincing fake.
Android treats it as special app access: there's no pop-up, and you have to switch it on yourself in Settings. On Pixel and many other phones it's under Settings, Apps, Special app access. Searching Settings for "special access" is the quickest route on other phones.
Banking malware combines it with accessibility access: it notices when you open your bank and instantly draws a copy of the login page on top, so the password you type goes to the attacker.
- Allow it only for apps whose main job needs it, like chat bubbles
- Review the list a few times a year and turn off anything you don't recognize
- If your bank's login appears at an odd moment, or twice, close it and check your apps
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Special Access
From the Permissions in Depth course. Powerful kinds of access that live in Settings, not in a pop-up.
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