Help Accessibility not accessible for some apps

[Christopher Clayton]

I have had a problem for a while with my new Mi Note 7 phone using Android 9. I cannot use a number of apps because I cannot grant the required access to them. When I click the on/off switch I am taken to another page with another switch. Clicking this produces a (too) rapidly vanishing popup which starts "If an app is blocking a permission drag the overlapping item away or close the app." I do not know what this means and I do not see anything which could be described as blocking or overlapping, but when I click the switch it will not stay set as 'on' but instantly switches to 'off.'

I have tried repeatedly, scores of times with a dozen apps I cannot use, the latest being CCleaner. On another Forum I got factually wrong advice regarding Accessibility so I hope I can get this sorted out here.

 

[MoodyBlues]

When I click the on/off switch I am taken to another page with another switch.

What is that page for? Can you post a screenshot of it?

Clicking this produces a (too) rapidly vanishing popup which starts "If an app is blocking a permission drag the overlapping item away or close the app." I do not know what this means and I do not see anything which could be described as blocking or overlapping

This sounds like Android's 'display over other apps' feature. I'm still on 8.0.0, so your path may vary, but it should be similar to mine to see/change its settings:

System Settings | Apps & Notifications | Advanced | Special app access | Display over other apps

Go through its list of apps and adjust their settings. I have all of mine set to 'no.'

but when I click the switch it will not stay set as 'on' but instantly switches to 'off.'

I don't know. But, again, what is it for?

I have tried repeatedly, scores of times with a dozen apps I cannot use, the latest being CCleaner.

Just FYI, apps like CCleaner are unnecessary, and can even be harmful, on Android. I'm assuming you're a windows user; Linux, and its little sibling Android, are constructed in an intelligent manner that makes apps like that completely unnecessary.

On another Forum I got factually wrong advice regarding Accessibility so I hope I can get this sorted out here.

They're human! Like us. They probably believed their advice was correct. I know it's frustrating, feeling like you're running around in circles getting wrong advice, but I wouldn't hold it against them.

 

[Christopher Clayton]

>This is very helpful. It raises several issues. I have not yet learned how to send a Screenshot on Android but will hopefully find out soon and send the image then. Though I doubt I will be able to capture what flashes on / off.

What follows relates to CC but is similar to some other apps. All a screenshot will show is a BOX displayed after I have responded to a notice saying '' in order to clean 1.19 GB'' (seems a lot especially after I have already used other cleaners) PERMISSION IS REQUIRED go to Accessibility > ON / OFF switch which leads to the BOX which says ''The service will perform these a …. ,'' then ''Access Menu needs to Observe your actions> Receive notification when Observe text that you type > Includes personal data (card numbers / passwords)'' then if I click OK (which I am doubtful about doing!) I get another BOX briefly saying ''If an app is blocking etc'' (as I quote above)

I came across problems with 'display over other apps' some years ago on my Samsung Tablet A Android 5 as did many other users, and found a solution which I passed on to others ---but do not remember what it was, except it involved stopping floating icons and I have a couple on my phone now???)

I am particularly interested in your advice regarding CCleaner and similar, Can you expand on this please? My 2-in-1 Tablet PC is a small storage device on which I use several cleaners regularly ----- without them I am sure I would not have been able to install all the feature updates my machine has had in the past 5 years. I also use a few cleaners on my Android Tablet, although I have had a few doubts about them. Why are they unnecessary on an Android, in contrast to a Windows machine, which has a (not very good) cleaner built in and upgraded recently?

I am now going to see if I can follow your advice regarding changing the Settings for special app access.

 

[Christopher Clayton]

[QUOTE System Settings | Apps & Notifications | Advanced | Special app access | Display over other apps[/QUOTE]

I have not been able to find this in Settings, nor any reference to ''Display over other apps''

 

[MoodyBlues]

I have not yet learned how to send a Screenshot on Android but will hopefully find out soon and send the image then.

It's easy--just press and hold, simultaneously, the power and volume-down buttons. When done correctly, you'll see and hear proof.

Something that's become clear, that I didn't get from your original post, is that these phantom pages are appearing as a result of using apps like CCleaner. I'm not sure how to do this briefly!

The Linux filesystem is inherently different from windows. One difference is that Linux intelligently handles file creation/use/deletion, thereby not resulting in millions of file fragments spread willy-nilly across hard drives. In Linux, there's no such thing as--or need for--'defragging' your hard drive.

Android, which is a Linux, follows suit. It's my belief that apps like CC are made by developers eager to make a buck off of windows users who buy Android devices, and assume they work like windows. They don't!

I use several cleaners regularly ----- without them I am sure I would not have been able to install all the feature updates

Not true. There's nothing [good] those apps do that you can't do yourself with Android's built-in tools. For example, clearing 1+ GB of unneeded files--you can delete those yourself by doing things like periodically deleting cache for apps such as browsers.

Look at your list of apps; you should see how much space each is using:

Now choose one that's using a lot of space:

Clear its cache; note the difference:

Don't buy into those apps' claims of being a necessary addition to your Android device. They're not! I've never touched one--and I've never had space problems.

So what to do now that your situation is clearer? I'd start with uninstalling -every- one of those 'cleaner' apps. Then do as above, and delete cache for apps that are taking up a lot of space.

I cannot use a number of apps because I cannot grant the required access to them.

Red flag! Get rid of them.

To really clean things up, after uninstalling those apps and making sure everything important to you (such as photos) has been backed up, a factory reset would start you over, fresh. That's what I'd do.

I have not been able to find this in Settings, nor any reference to ''Display over other apps''

As noted, we're on different versions so the path will be different. But now, this is a moot point, as it was never the real problem. Getting rid of those unnecessary cleaners should solve the problem.

 

[Christopher Clayton]

My comment about my positive experience using a number of cleaning apps refers to my Windows PC, not my Android phone. I have not used the cleaners on Android since I started this discussion with you and have started to remove most if not all of them. I plan to keep Android Assistant which has many tools, and possibly one other I like at present. I frequently clean the caches both directly and via some of these apps, despite which there still seems to be a lot of junk. Other targets for cleaning seem to be (1) media (photos, music etc) but I don't clean those because they are all installed on the SD card (2) system -- I have not found out what is cleaned under that heading and perhaps is something you say does not need cleaning?

I am now fairly sure that the problems is relate to the 'display over other apps permission'. I found a lot of posts dating back to 2016 which is when I (and others) started having this ----with my Samsung Tablet using Marshmallow. I am surprised this major issue for some users is still hanging around. I have installed a couple of Permission managers to help, but after just one successful trial they have both fallen prey to the same problem. So I am still working on it, but have removed display over permission from most apps..

 

[MoodyBlues]

(2) system -- I have not found out what is cleaned under that heading and perhaps is something you say does not need cleaning?

Correct. Linux handles its own cleaning up very well. Honestly, any app that needs permission to muck about in system files is an app I'd be wary of!

It sounds like you're on the right path to getting everything sorted out. Please do consider my suggestion of doing a factory reset and starting fresh. Just make sure you have everything important backed up--outside of the device--before resetting.

 

[Christopher Clayton]

Regarding SCREENSHOT I did not succeed in the way you describe, possibly a dexterity issue, but I found another way. I located the shot, not intended for this thread, in 'Gallery'(why are there so many apps with exactly the same name?) and can see how to send /share it exceptwhen the destination cannot be reached by any of the options offered (such as email accounts, Copy To etc) , for example this Forum and thread? How would I paste it here? In Windows it is simple, just copy and paste to anywhere.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Regarding SCREENSHOT I did not succeed in the way you describe, possibly a dexterity issue, but I found another way. I located the shot

How was the shot taken, if not via the standard Android method I described?

not intended for this thread, in 'Gallery'(why are there so many apps with exactly the same name?) and can see how to send /share it exceptwhen the destination cannot be reached by any of the options offered (such as email accounts, Copy To etc) , for example this Forum and thread? How would I paste it here? In Windows it is simple, just copy and paste to anywhere.

As I explained, that is generally a function of the app you're putting it in. I can't speak for windows, but in my e-mail client--in fact, in any e-mail client I've ever used--to add photos I use its "attachments" function. And on this forum, I use its "upload a file" function:

So if you want to post a photo here, pick 'upload a file' and follow the prompts.

 

[Christopher Clayton]

I have found at least two ways to take a screenshot other than pressing keys. 1. sliding down from the top of the screen reveals icons to carry out various actions, including Screenshot (scissors) 2. a bubble on left or right of the screen can be slid out to display a small number of icons, including scissors (I think this may be an app or a setting, called Bubble).

I will use these methods, even though I now have had a few successes with the audio and power button, because more often than not I only succeed in powering off and have to launch all over again!

Regarding adding the Screenshot here I think UPLOAD A FILE may do it (next to REPLY) but have not tried it yet. In some applications images / photos are not regarded as 'files' . But if I succeed something may appear below in another post.

 

[Christopher Clayton]

This Screenshot via UPLOAD A FILE

 

[MoodyBlues]

I have found at least two ways to take a screenshot other than pressing keys.

They must be specific to your manufacturer and/or model--I've never had any such icons. The 'volume down and power button' is universal with all Android devices. So it's the standard instruction for taking screenshots.

Regarding adding the Screenshot here I think UPLOAD A FILE may do it

Yep, it did! I told you it would.