WindowManager$BadTokenException: Unable to add window android.view.ViewRootImpl$W@61b864 -- permission denied for window type 2010

Question

I'm trying to make a System Overlay window,which will appear over lockscreen too. I did manage to do so on version-6.0 but It's not working on version-7.0 AND 8.0. At first run,I was transferred to Overlay setting for my app (as expected from Android M & onwards) and I allowed it.But Now it's keep getting crashed as i tried to launch service from app. I tried all things which is related to this issue but nothing helps me to resolve it yet.I'm getting this error every time I tried to launch the service:-

FATAL EXCEPTION: main
Process: com.example.sumuix.lockdown, PID: 5128
java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to create service com.example.sumuix.lockdown.MyService:android.view.WindowManager$BadTokenException: Unable to add window android.view.ViewRootImpl$W@61b864 -- permission denied for window type 2010
at android.app.ActivityThread.handleCreateService(ActivityThread.java:3414)
at android.app.ActivityThread.-wrap4(Unknown Source:0)
at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1683)
at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:105)
at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:164)
at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6540)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
at com.android.internal.os.Zygote$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(Zygote.java:240)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:767)
Caused by: android.view.WindowManager$BadTokenException: Unable to add window android.view.ViewRootImpl$W@61b864 -- permission denied for window type 2010
at android.view.ViewRootImpl.setView(ViewRootImpl.java:788)
  at android.view.WindowManagerGlobal.addView(WindowManagerGlobal.java:356)
at android.view.WindowManagerImpl.addView(WindowManagerImpl.java:92)
  at com.example.sumuix.lockdown.MyService.onCreate(MyService.java:64)
at android.app.ActivityThread.handleCreateService(ActivityThread.java:3404)
at android.app.ActivityThread.-wrap4(Unknown Source:0) 
at android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1683) 
at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:105) 
at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:164) 
  at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6540) 
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) 
at com.android.internal.os.Zygote$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(Zygote.java:240) 
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:767)

Here is my code:-(MyService.java)

@Override
public void onCreate() {
    super.onCreate();
            HeadView = LayoutInflater.from(this).inflate(R.layout.overlay_head,null);
    final WindowManager.LayoutParams params = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_SYSTEM_ERROR,
            WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_SHOW_WHEN_LOCKED | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_TURN_SCREEN_ON | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_KEEP_SCREEN_ON,
            PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);
    params.gravity = Gravity.TOP | Gravity.LEFT;
    params.x = 0;
    params.y = 100;
    mWindowManager = (WindowManager) getSystemService(WINDOW_SERVICE);
    mWindowManager.addView(HeadView, params);  //I’m getting error here...(MyService.java:64)from error log

    ImageView closeButton = (ImageView) HeadView.findViewById(R.id.close_btn);
    closeButton.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
        @Override
        public void onClick(View v) {
            stopSelf();
        }
    });

    final ImageView chatHeadImage = (ImageView) HeadView.findViewById(R.id.head);
    chatHeadImage.setOnTouchListener(new View.OnTouchListener() {
//Code for OnTouch.
        }
    });
}

My MainActivity , Where I'm calling the above service:- (MyActivity.java)

@Override
protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
    setContentView(R.layout.activity_main);
    back=(Button) findViewById(R.id.jump);
final Intent intentService=new Intent(MainActivity.this, MyService.class);
    if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 23 && !Settings.canDrawOverlays(MainActivity.this)) {

        //If the draw over permission is not available open the settings screen
        //to grant the permission.
        Intent intent = new Intent(Settings.ACTION_MANAGE_OVERLAY_PERMISSION,
                Uri.parse("package:" + getPackageName()));
        startActivityForResult(intent,1234);
    }else {
        back.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
            @Override
            public void onClick(View view) {
                startService(intentService);
                finish();
            }
        });
    }

}

 @Override
 protected void onActivityResult(int requestCode, int resultCode, Intent data) {
     if (requestCode == 1234) {

         //Check if the permission is granted or not.
         if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 23 && Settings.canDrawOverlays(MainActivity.this)) {
             back.setOnClickListener(new View.OnClickListener() {
                 @Override
                 public void onClick(View view) {
                     startService(new Intent(MainActivity.this, MyService.class));
                     finish();
                 }
             });
         } else { //Permission is not available
             Toast.makeText(this,
                     "Draw over other app permission not available. Closing the application",
                     Toast.LENGTH_SHORT).show();

             finish();
         }
     } else {
         super.onActivityResult(requestCode, resultCode, data);
     }
 }

In manifeast :-

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

MyService Layout XML:-

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
android:id="@+id/chat_head_root"
android:layout_width="65dp"
android:layout_height="wrap_content"
android:background="@android:color/black"
android:orientation="vertical">

<ImageView
    android:id="@+id/head"
    android:layout_width="60dp"
    android:layout_height="60dp"
    android:layout_marginTop="8dp"
    android:background="@android:drawable/ic_menu_info_details"
    tools:ignore="ContentDescription" />

<ImageView
    android:id="@+id/close_btn"
    android:layout_width="26dp"
    android:layout_height="26dp"
    android:layout_marginLeft="40dp"
    android:background="@android:drawable/ic_menu_close_clear_cancel"
    tools:ignore="ContentDescription" />
</RelativeLayout>

I tried pretty much every thing that I find while searching on internet.I just started with Android so,if I'm doing any minor blunder then please let me know it.Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

For android 8.0, you MUST use WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY. The error overlay, phone overlay and similar are not working anymore.

See more here: https://developer.android.com/about/versions/oreo/android-8.0-changes.html#o-apps

Don't know why you have issues on android 7 though, never had them myself...

Sidenote

Don't use startService anymore if your service is a foreground service, use startForegroundService or the ContextCompat version of it if your service is a foreground service to avoid possible issues if you want to start your overlay service after boot or anywhere else from the background...