---
name: "glutShowOverlay"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "freeglut"
version: "3.8.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/glutShowOverlay"
---

# glutShowOverlay(3)

shows or hides the overlay of the current window

## NAME

glutShowOverlay, glutHideOverlay - shows or hides the overlay of the current window

## WARNING

Not yet implemented in freeglut.

## SYNTAX

```

```

void glutShowOverlay(void); void glutHideOverlay(void);

## DESCRIPTION

glutShowOverlay shows the overlay of the current window;  glutHideOverlay hides the overlay. The effect of showing or hiding an overlay takes place immediately. Note that glutShowOverlay will not actually display the overlay unless the window is also shown (and even a shown window may be obscured by other windows, thereby obscuring the overlay). It is typically faster and less resource intensive to use these routines to control the display status of an overlay as opposed to removing and re-establishing the overlay.

## SEE ALSO

glutEstablishOverlay, glutShowWindow

## AUTHOR

Mark J. Kilgard (mjk@nvidia.com)