How To Guide How to fix "Access denied" screen randomly appearing on rooted devices

A couple of days ago my S21 Ultra running G998BXXS5CVIF automatically opened an "Access denied" screen. It was impossible to show which app cause it as it disappeared once you got to the app switcher menu.

Access denied
Unauthorized changes have been made to your phone. To get help, contact Customer Service.

I could force the screen by rebooting or by changing the device's language. Using:
via adb showed it was com.android.samsung.dkey which opened an activity of com.samsung.android.carkey (com.samsung.android.dkey/com.samsung.android.carkey.ccc.ui.IntegrityCheckFailDialogActivity)

Apparently there was a Samsung Wallet Digital Key update (probably v1.0.08.11) which causes it after a reboot as well as randomly every couple of hours. Disabling "Appear on top" for Samsung Wallet Digital Key fixed it for me.

Uninstalling the update isn't a good permanent solution and you can't disable the app without root (meaning you probably don't want to disable it as it maybe could cause other issues). It can affect any device that has a tripped Know. Even formerly rooted devices running stock with a locked bootloader.

ng64 said:

Had this error on my rooted S21 Ultra as well, i went back to stock but this error appeared. Thanks to this thread i solved it. But you can delet it without root.

Thers an Windows App called ADB AppControl. there you can simply uninstall Samsung Wallet Key app.
You are unable to use it, so delete it. Nitification never appeared again

You actually can fix it without root: "appear on top" can be toggled which fixes the problem. No need to disable or uninstall it. I tend to not deactivate or remove apps that are non-user removeable as I had bad experiences with spammed logs and high CPU usage due to Java errors

starbucks2010 said:

You can fix it by removing Digital Key app from system/priv-app folder. If you're rooted of course.

Yes, but just disabling "Show on top" is easier and safer. From my past experience speaking: removing system apps that often talk to each other and require certain frameworks inside apps, it may lead to permanent log spam and high CPU usage due to dozens of system calls that go unanswered.

The stock system often isn't designed for core apps being missing. That's why disabling apps is imho better as it hides apps from the system but still allows other apps to use their existing frameworks.

The benefits of "removing" apps e. g. via debloating with Magisk is not worth the issues that could arise. It's especially not worth it if the solution is to not let the app show that message at all

musakamis said:

please help me this access denied error keeps popping up on the screen and i can't find which app is causing this error i reset the phone but the result is still the same my phone is android 13 without root solution and help please

You can follow the instructions without being rooted. Disabling "Appear on top" for Samsung Wallet Digital Key fixes it.