The modern rhythm of life requires multitasking from a smartphone. Often a situation arises when you need to watch a video or follow navigation while simultaneously responding to messages or viewing the news feed. Standard switching between tabs takes time and disrupts focus. The feature of launching applications in floating or picture-in-picture mode solves this problem by allowing you to keep an important window on top of the main interface.
However, not all users know how to activate this feature, since the settings are often hidden deep in the system menu or depend on the specific device model. In this article, we will analyze in detail the mechanisms of how overlays work, how to force them to turn on and solve typical problems when the system blocks the display of windows on top of other apps.
We will consider both standard tools Androidand specific functions of shells from Samsung, Xiaomi and Huawei. Understanding how a window manager works will help you customize your device to suit your needs, turning your smartphone into an effective tool for work and entertainment.
Multitasking technologies: PiP and pop-up windows
The ability to display one application on top of another is based on technology Picture-in-Picture (PiP). This mode, officially introduced in Android 8.0 Oreo, allows you to shrink the active application (usually a video player or navigator) to a small rectangle that “floats” on top of other windows. The user can move this block around the screen and continue to interact with the main interface.
In addition to the standard PiP, many manufacturers are implementing their own solutions. For example, Pop-up View or Split Screen with the ability to resize windows. These functions often operate at the GUI level and require additional security permissions. If an application does not support native PiP, third-party utilities can emulate this process by creating a virtual display on top of the current activity.
It is important to distinguish between system multitasking and accessibility features. Some apps use permissions SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW to display chats or widgets on top of everything. This requires explicit user confirmation in the security settings, since such windows could theoretically be used for phishing or input interception.
⚠️ Attention: Granting the “On top of other applications” right to unverified apps may result in intrusive advertising or blocking access to phone settings. Give this access only to trusted software.
Setting global overlay permission
Before an application can be correctly displayed on top of another, the system must give it the appropriate permission. In modern versions Android this setting is often disabled by default for new apps. To activate it, you need to go into the deep system settings, where access rights management is grouped by threat type.
The activation process may vary slightly depending on the firmware version. Usually the path is through the security section. You need to find the item responsible for accessibility or extended rights. This displays a list of all installed apps to which you can delegate the right to draw an interface on top of system windows.
Find the desired application in the list (for example, a messenger or video player) and move the switch to the active position. If the slider is gray and not clickable, the app may not be requesting this type of access or may be limited by power saving policies. In this case, try clearing the application cache or updating it to the latest version.
☑️ Checking access rights
Activation of the "Picture in Picture" mode in applications
Even if global permission is granted, a specific application must support the mode PiP. Most popular video services, such as YouTube (with subscription), VLC, Google Maps and Telegram, have this function out of the box. However, in the settings of the application itself there is often a separate switch that must be activated manually.
Go to the settings of a specific application, find the “General” or “Playback” section. Look for an item called “Picture in Picture” or “Floating Window”. Make sure the feature is enabled. In some cases, such as YouTube, this mode may only work if you have an active premium account or when playing certain types of content.
To launch the mode, you usually just need to minimize the application while playing a video or navigating. Some devices require you to double-click the Home button or use a specific swipe gesture. If the window does not appear, try to force restart the application after changing the settings.
If the video minimizes to a black screen, check if the application has the “Dark Theme” or “Bandwidth Saver” mode enabled, which sometimes conflict with PiP rendering.
Features of working in Samsung, Xiaomi and Huawei shells
Smartphone manufacturers often modify the standard behavior Androidby adding their own multitasking tools. Owners of devices Samsung with a shell One UI can use the function Pop-up View. It allows you to turn any application from the recent tasks menu into a floating window. To do this, you need to hold down the application icon in the multitasking menu and select the appropriate icon.
Users Xiaomi and Redmi with shell MIUI or HyperOS have access to “Floating Windows”. Activation often occurs through the side panel (Video Toolbox), which can be called up by swiping from the edge of the screen while watching a video. Here you can force the application to launch in a small window, even if it does not support PiP natively.
Devices Huawei and Honor offer similar functionality through gestures. A two-finger swipe up from the bottom corner of the screen can minimize the active app into a floating ball or window. These gestures are configured in the “Control” or “System Navigation” section. Understanding the specifics of your shell is critical for effective configuration.
| Manufacturer | Function name | Activation method | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung | Pop-up View | Recent tasks menu → Application icon | Requires One UI 2.0+ |
| Xiaomi | Floating windows | Sidebar (Video Toolbox) | Does not work with all games |
| Huawei | App Multiplier | Two-finger gesture from the corner | Gesture support needed |
| Google Pixel | Native PiP | Home button for video | Only supported applications |
Secret setting for developers
In the "For Developers" menu there is an item "Minimum width" (Smallest) Width). Increasing this value (in dp) may force some applications to open in tablet or window mode, but this may break the version of the interface.
Troubleshooting: why an application does not open on top of others
The most common problem is security blocking. Android strictly controls window overlay to prevent tapjacking attacks when an invisible window intercepts user clicks. If you see an "Overlay Detected" message when you try to change settings, you'll need to temporarily disable all apps that use it.
Another reason could be aggressive battery optimization. The system can “kill” the background process of an application that should hang on top of others to save battery. You need to go to the battery settings, find the problematic application and select the “No restrictions” or “Do not optimize” mode. This will prevent the system from terminating it in the background.
It's also worth checking to see if Data Saver or Game mode is enabled, which can block pop-up notifications and windows for maximum gaming performance. Disabling these modes often returns the functionality of floating windows.
⚠️ Attention: If, after enabling the “On top of other applications” right, the screen turns black or does not respond to presses, boot into safe mode and remove recently installed applications with interface drawing rights.
90% of problems with the absence of floating windows are solved by issuing a special permission in "Special Access" menu and disabling battery optimization for a specific application.
Third-party tools for advanced multitasking
If standard tools are not enough, the store Google Play offers a number of utilities that enhance multitasking capabilities. Applications like Floating Apps or XMultiWindow create their own containers to run browsers, calculators and notes in floating mode. They use accessibility services to emulate windows.
Using such tools requires careful configuration of access rights. You will have to grant the app permission to control your screen and accessibility. This gives the app complete control over what is shown on the display. Use such solutions only from well-known developers with a good reputation.
Some advanced users resort to using ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to force changes to window settings through the computer. Commands like adb shell am start --activity-type standard can launch the application in a new task stack, which sometimes allows you to bypass shell restrictions.
adb shell am start -n com.package.name/.ActivityName --activity-type standardThis method requires USB debugging enabled and basic command line knowledge. An error in entering the command may lead to system instability, so proceed with caution.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Is it possible to open any application in picture-in-picture mode?
No, this function must be implemented by the application developer at the code level. However, on some shells (Xiaomi, Samsung), you can force the application to a floating window through the multitasking menu, even without native PiP support.
Why is the “On top of other applications” button inactive (gray)?
This may mean that the application does not request this permission, or it is disabled by the device administrator (corporate profile). Also check to see if Single Window mode is enabled in Accessibility, which is blocking other overlays.
Does having the screen on top affect battery consumption?
Yes, running two active applications at the same time increases the load on the processor and screen, which leads to faster battery drain. The processor is forced to process graphics for both windows at the same time.
How to remove the black frame around the video in PiP mode?
The black frame often appears due to a mismatch between the proportions of the video and the player window. Try resizing the window by dragging the corners, or go to the video player settings and change the aspect ratio to “Fit to screen.”