SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW - How to get this permission automatically on Android 6.0 and targetSdkVersion 23

Question

Facebook, Evernote, Pocket - all apps get this permission on Android 6.0 automatically, even though they are targeting 23 (targetSdkVersion=23).

There has been a lot of documentation regarding the new Marshmallow permission model. One of them is SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW been 'promoted' to 'above dangerous' permission class thus requiring a special user intervention in order for apps to be granted with those. If the app has targetSdkVersion 22 or lower, app gets this permission automatically (if requested in the manifest).

However, I've noticed some apps that get this permission, without needing to send the user to the setting special page of Draw over other apps permission. I saw Facebook, Evernote, Pocket - and perhaps there are more.

Anyone knows how an app can be granted this permission without the user go through Settings -> Apps -> Draw over other apps?

Thanks

Answer 1

It is a new behaviour introduced in Marshmallow 6.0.1.

Every app that requests the SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW permission and that is installed through the Play Store (version 6.0.5 or higher is required), will have granted the permission automatically.

If instead the app is sideloaded, the permission is not automatically granted. You can try to download and install the Evernote APK from apkmirror.com. As you can see you need to manually grant the permission in Settings -> Apps -> Draw over other apps.

These are the commits [1] [2] that allow the Play Store to give the automatic grant of the SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW permission.