Android: permission denied for window type 2038 using TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY

I trying to create a view that is above other applications:

WindowManager.LayoutParams paramsDirectorView = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY,
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE,
        PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);
I have looked in other responses and found the following things for "drawing over applications":
I have android.permission.SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW in the manifest
I am doing the Settings.canDrawOverlays(this) check which comes

back true.
I have done everything located here permission denied for window type
I am still getting "– permission denied for window type 2038" error. As of now I am using TYPE_PHONE and it works, but it is deprecated and says to use TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY. Can some one follow up on this as the TYPE_PHONE answer is not truly a resolution but a "patch work" solution that is deprecated in Android O.
I am running on Android 7.1.2
android.view.WindowManager$BadTokenException: Unable to add window

  android.view.ViewRootImpl$W@1f47e89 — permission denied for window

  type 2038 at

  android.app.ActivityThread.handleServiceArgs(ActivityThread.java:3344)

  at android.app.ActivityThread.-wrap21(ActivityThread.java) at

  android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1583)

  at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102) at

  android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:154) at

  android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6121) at

  java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method) at

  com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:889)

  at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:779) Caused

  by: android.view.WindowManager$BadTokenException: Unable to add window

  android.view.ViewRootImpl$W@1f47e89 — permission denied for window

  type 2038 at android.view.ViewRootImpl.setView(ViewRootImpl.java:703)

  android.view.WindowManagerGlobal.addView(WindowManagerGlobal.java:342)

  at android.view.WindowManagerImpl.addView(WindowManagerImpl.java:93)

  HeadService.TwoViewManager.(TwoViewManager.java:99)

  HeadService.UIHeadService.onStartCommand(UIHeadService.java:65)

  android.app.ActivityThread.handleServiceArgs(ActivityThread.java:3327)

  at android.app.ActivityThread.-wrap21(ActivityThread.java)  at

  android.app.ActivityThread$H.handleMessage(ActivityThread.java:1583)

  at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:102)  at

  android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:154)  at

  android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6121)  at

  java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)  at

  com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(ZygoteInit.java:889)

  at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:779)
I had the exactly same issue. I guess you should differentiate the target (before and after Oreo)
int LAYOUT_FLAG;
if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
     LAYOUT_FLAG = WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_APPLICATION_OVERLAY;
} else {
        LAYOUT_FLAG = WindowManager.LayoutParams.TYPE_PHONE;
params = new WindowManager.LayoutParams(
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.WRAP_CONTENT,
        LAYOUT_FLAG,
        WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_TOUCHABLE | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_LAYOUT_IN_SCREEN | WindowManager.LayoutParams.FLAG_NOT_FOCUSABLE,
        PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);
Related Solutions
Java – Proper use cases for Android UserManager.isUserAGoat()

Android R Update:
From Android R, this method always returns false. Google says that this is done "to protect goat privacy":
 * Used to determine whether the user making this call is subject to
 * teleportations.
 * <p>As of {@link android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES#LOLLIPOP}, this method can
 * now automatically identify goats using advanced goat recognition technology.</p>
 * <p>As of {@link android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES#R}, this method always returns
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 * @return Returns whether the user making this call is a goat.
public boolean isUserAGoat() {
    if (mContext.getApplicationInfo().targetSdkVersion >= Build.VERSION_CODES.R) {
        return false;
    return mContext.getPackageManager()
            .isPackageAvailable("com.coffeestainstudios.goatsimulator");
Previous answer:
From their source, the method used to return false until it was changed in API 21.
 * Used to determine whether the user making this call is subject to
 * teleportations.
 * @return whether the user making this call is a goat 
public boolean isUserAGoat() {
    return false;
It looks like the method has no real use for us as developers. Someone has previously stated that it might be an Easter egg.
In API 21 the implementation was changed to check if there is an installed app with the package com.coffeestainstudios.goatsimulator
 * Used to determine whether the user making this call is subject to
 * teleportations.
 * <p>As of {@link android.os.Build.VERSION_CODES#LOLLIPOP}, this method can
 * now automatically identify goats using advanced goat recognition technology.</p>
 * @return Returns true if the user making this call is a goat.
public boolean isUserAGoat() {
    return mContext.getPackageManager()
            .isPackageAvailable("com.coffeestainstudios.goatsimulator");
Here is the source and the change.
    
Android – Unable to instantiate application com.android.tools.fd.runtime.BootstrapApplication ?Android

Disable the Instant Run option in Android Studio. Instructions are in the Android Studio Instant Run documentation.
Instant Run tries to do hot swapping of your code; this causes the application class to be moved.
To disable Instant Run Go to File --> Settings--> Build,Execution,Deployment -->Instant Run ---> uncheck "Enable instant run"