Android permission denied for window type 2010 in Marshmallow or higher

Question

I am try to make Chathead type overly draw via Android Service on my app like bellow image.

This chat head app works on Android Version 5 or lower versions(kitkat,lollipop etc).But I am trying it in Marshmallow and higher versions,Then get this error.

 android.view.WindowManager$BadTokenException: Unable to add window
 android.view.ViewRootImpl$W@48f5767 -- permission denied for window type 2010

Chat head code

Note :I am calling this function from Android Service

Permission List:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BIND_DEVICE_ADMIN" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED" />

private WindowManager windowManager;
private ImageView chatHead;
WindowManager.LayoutParams params;

@Override
    public void onCreate() {
        super.onCreate();
        windowManager = (WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE);
        chatHead = new ImageView(this);
        chatHead.setImageResource(R.drawable.settingsicon);
        params = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_PHONE,
                WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE,
                PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);

        params.gravity = Gravity.TOP | Gravity.LEFT;
        params.x = 0;
        params.y = 100;
        windowManager.addView(chatHead, params);

        chatHead.setOnTouchListener(new View.OnTouchListener() {
            private int initialX;
            private int initialY;
            private float initialTouchX;
            private float initialTouchY;
            @Override
            public boolean onTouch(View v, MotionEvent event) {
                switch (event.getAction()) {
                    case MotionEvent.ACTION_DOWN:
                        initialX = params.x;
                        initialY = params.y;
                        initialTouchX = event.getRawX();
                        initialTouchY = event.getRawY();                       
                        return true;
                    case MotionEvent.ACTION_UP:                        
                        return true;
                    case MotionEvent.ACTION_MOVE:
                        params.x = initialX + (int) (event.getRawX() - initialTouchX);
                        params.y = initialY + (int) (event.getRawY() - initialTouchY);
                        windowManager.updateViewLayout(chatHead, params);
                        return true;
                }
                return false;
            }
        }
    }

How to resolve this error on Mashmallow or higher android versions ?

Answer 1

Call this method to ask for permission before showing chat head:

 public void addOverlay() {
    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.M) {
        if (!Settings.canDrawOverlays(this)) {
            askedForOverlayPermission = true;
            Intent intent = new Intent(Settings.ACTION_MANAGE_OVERLAY_PERMISSION, Uri.parse("package:" + getPackageName()));
            startActivityForResult(intent, OVERLAY_PERMISSION_CODE);
        }
    }
}

after that on Permission result if user allows for permission then only you can show chat head like below:

 @Override
protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
    super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
    if (requestCode == OVERLAY_PERMISSION_CODE) {
        askedForOverlayPermission = false;
        if (Settings.canDrawOverlays(this)) {
            // SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW permission not granted...
            //Toast.makeText(MyProtector.getContext(), "ACTION_MANAGE_OVERLAY_PERMISSION Permission Granted", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
            Intent serviceIntent = new Intent(Homepage.this, ChatHeadService.class);
            serviceIntent.putExtra("removeUserId", friendId);
            startService(serviceIntent);

        } else {
             Toast.makeText(MyProtector.getContext(), "ACTION_MANAGE_OVERLAY_PERMISSION Permission Denied", Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();
        }
    }

Let me know if it helps you... best of luck.

Answer 2

Strating from version M (api level 23) Android have the new algorithm of requesting permission in runtime. See here: https://developer.android.com/training/permissions/requesting.html

Answer 3

Overlay with type = TYPE_PHONE is deprecated in Orea(API level 26). Only TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY is supported for non-system apps.

Answer 4

it looks like your addView() method is failing. I've fixed that issue (in some cases) using WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_PHONE for Android SDK under 8.0 and WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY for 8.0 and above. You could add some automatic selection in order to grant major compatibility (depending on the active SDK platform) but since Google Play doesn't allows APKs under 8.0, it's clearly unnecessary. Hope it helps.