Anime Shimeji Pals on Android: How to turn screen pets on and off

Anime Shimeji Pals for Android put animated screen pets at the top of India’s Google Play Trending Tools chart on November 13, according to app tracker AppsXray. The free, ad-supported app by SMARTSOL lets its characters walk along the bottom of the display, climb its edges and move around while you use your phone. Its main feature depends on an Android setting called “Display over other apps”. Here’s what granting it changes and how to switch the pets off.

What a shimeji can do on your screen

Choose a character from the app’s collection to get started. The developer’s store description, reproduced by AppBrain, says the pets can be dragged or tossed around. You can also adjust their size and speed, draw a path for them to follow or run up to three at once with herd mode. The app offers wallpapers separately for the home or lock screen.

The display permission is what lets the moving pet sit above another app. A wallpaper changes the background behind your icons. An overlay lets the character continue moving over the screen as you switch to other tasks. If you try the pet while reading or typing and it gets in your way, start with one small pet. The developer describes a ghost mode that allows touches to pass through it.

How to pause or revoke the overlay

The developer’s privacy policy says the app uses a notification to let you stop the pets. You can also switch them off in the app. Try the in-app control first when you want a short break from the animation and plan to turn it back on later.

To remove the app’s ability to draw over other apps, open Android Settings and search for “Display over other apps” or “Appear on top”. Look for Anime Shimeji Pals in the list and switch its access off. The menu name depends on the phone. The app will need access again if you later decide to run a pet over another app. The developer also says startup access can bring a pet back after a restart if you left it active.

Those controls can help if another app asks you to turn an overlay off before continuing. First pause the pet and repeat the action you were trying to complete. If Android or the other app still reports an overlay, check the permission itself. Your phone can list several apps with this access, so check which one is active before changing additional settings.

What the developer says about ads and data

The policy says you can use Anime Shimeji Pals without creating an account. Pet preferences, saved characters and related settings are stored on the device, according to the developer. That means clearing the app’s data or uninstalling it also deletes those stored preferences. If you only want the pets to disappear from view, try turning them off before clearing app data.

The policy lists third-party products for ads, analytics and install measurement, including Google AdMob, Firebase and Adjust. It says these services may process information such as an advertising ID, device details, app interactions and crash data. The pet catalogue and wallpaper images also load over the internet. Take a moment to read the policy and any consent prompts you see, especially if you’re setting up a phone used by someone else.

The November 13 India Tools chart put the app first for trending interest within that category. If you decide to try it, check for SMARTSOL as the developer so you start with the right listing, then confirm you know where the off switch is before leaving the overlay running.