diff --git a/apps/example/src/App.tsx b/apps/example/src/App.tsx
index 821b30d6e..6071fac00 100644
--- a/apps/example/src/App.tsx
+++ b/apps/example/src/App.tsx
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import { ViewFormatsUseAfterFree } from "./Diagnostics/ViewFormatsUseAfterFree";
 import { RenderAfterUnmount } from "./Diagnostics/RenderAfterUnmount";
 import { BackgroundDetach } from "./Diagnostics/BackgroundDetach";
 import { SurfaceChurn } from "./Diagnostics/SurfaceChurn";
+import { TransparencyMode } from "./Diagnostics/TransparencyMode";
 import { StorageBufferVertices } from "./StorageBufferVertices";
 import { SharedTextureMemory } from "./SharedTextureMemory";
 import { ImportExternalTexture } from "./ImportExternalTexture";
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@ function App() {
           />
           <Stack.Screen name="BackgroundDetach" component={BackgroundDetach} />
           <Stack.Screen name="SurfaceChurn" component={SurfaceChurn} />
+          <Stack.Screen name="TransparencyMode" component={TransparencyMode} />
           <Stack.Screen
             name="StorageBufferVertices"
             component={StorageBufferVertices}
diff --git a/apps/example/src/Diagnostics/DiagnosticsList.tsx b/apps/example/src/Diagnostics/DiagnosticsList.tsx
index 64d0a2ca5..7f4dac682 100644
--- a/apps/example/src/Diagnostics/DiagnosticsList.tsx
+++ b/apps/example/src/Diagnostics/DiagnosticsList.tsx
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ const tests = [
     screen: "SurfaceChurn",
     title: "⚠️ Surface Churn",
   },
+  {
+    screen: "TransparencyMode",
+    title: "⚠️ Android Transparency Mode",
+  },
 ] as const;
 
 export const DiagnosticsList = () => {
diff --git a/apps/example/src/Diagnostics/TransparencyMode.tsx b/apps/example/src/Diagnostics/TransparencyMode.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..034dbad10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/example/src/Diagnostics/TransparencyMode.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,112 @@
+import React, { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
+import { Button, Pressable, StyleSheet, Text, View } from "react-native";
+import type { CanvasRef } from "react-native-webgpu";
+import { Canvas } from "react-native-webgpu";
+
+type Mode = "default" | "texture" | "surface-overlay";
+
+const ClearCanvas = ({ mode }: { mode: Mode }) => {
+  const ref = useRef<CanvasRef>(null);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    let live = true;
+    (async () => {
+      const adapter = await navigator.gpu.requestAdapter();
+      const device = await adapter!.requestDevice();
+      const context = ref.current?.getContext("webgpu");
+      if (!context || !live) {
+        return;
+      }
+      context.configure({
+        device,
+        format: navigator.gpu.getPreferredCanvasFormat(),
+        alphaMode: "premultiplied",
+      });
+      const frame = () => {
+        if (!live) {
+          return;
+        }
+        const encoder = device.createCommandEncoder();
+        const pass = encoder.beginRenderPass({
+          colorAttachments: [
+            {
+              view: context.getCurrentTexture().createView(),
+              clearValue: [0.5, 0, 0, 0.5],
+              loadOp: "clear",
+              storeOp: "store",
+            },
+          ],
+        });
+        pass.end();
+        device.queue.submit([encoder.finish()]);
+        context.present();
+        setTimeout(frame, 200);
+      };
+      frame();
+    })().catch((error) => {
+      console.error(`[transparency] setup failed: ${error}`);
+    });
+    return () => {
+      live = false;
+    };
+  }, [mode]);
+
+  return (
+    <Canvas
+      ref={ref}
+      transparent
+      {...(mode === "default" ? {} : { androidTransparencyMode: mode })}
+      style={styles.canvas}
+    />
+  );
+};
+
+export const TransparencyMode = () => {
+  const [mode, setMode] = useState<Mode>("default");
+  const [taps, setTaps] = useState(0);
+
+  return (
+    <View style={styles.container}>
+      <Text style={styles.copy}>
+        Half-transparent red canvas over a blue backdrop. In &quot;texture&quot;
+        mode the yellow overlay below stays visible on top of the canvas. In
+        &quot;surface-overlay&quot; mode the canvas gets its own layer and
+        covers the overlay.
+      </Text>
+      <View style={styles.buttons}>
+        <Button title="default" onPress={() => setMode("default")} />
+        <Button title="texture" onPress={() => setMode("texture")} />
+        <Button
+          title="surface-overlay"
+          onPress={() => setMode("surface-overlay")}
+        />
+      </View>
+      <Text style={styles.copy}>
+        mode: {mode} overlay taps: {taps}
+      </Text>
+      <View style={styles.stage}>
+        <ClearCanvas key={mode} mode={mode} />
+        <Pressable style={styles.overlay} onPress={() => setTaps((t) => t + 1)}>
+          <Text>overlay (tap me)</Text>
+        </Pressable>
+      </View>
+    </View>
+  );
+};
+
+const styles = StyleSheet.create({
+  container: { flex: 1, padding: 16, gap: 8, paddingTop: 64 },
+  copy: { fontSize: 13 },
+  buttons: { flexDirection: "row", gap: 12 },
+  stage: { flex: 1, backgroundColor: "blue" },
+  canvas: { flex: 1 },
+  overlay: {
+    position: "absolute",
+    left: 24,
+    right: 24,
+    bottom: 40,
+    padding: 12,
+    alignItems: "center",
+    backgroundColor: "yellow",
+  },
+});
diff --git a/apps/example/src/Route.ts b/apps/example/src/Route.ts
index 8022a09ab..fb4884167 100644
--- a/apps/example/src/Route.ts
+++ b/apps/example/src/Route.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ export type Routes = {
   RenderAfterUnmount: undefined;
   BackgroundDetach: undefined;
   SurfaceChurn: undefined;
+  TransparencyMode: undefined;
   StorageBufferVertices: undefined;
   SharedTextureMemory: undefined;
   ImportExternalTexture: undefined;
diff --git a/packages/webgpu/android/src/main/java/com/webgpu/WebGPUSurfaceView.java b/packages/webgpu/android/src/main/java/com/webgpu/WebGPUSurfaceView.java
index 3ef30c1bb..a0374fb44 100644
--- a/packages/webgpu/android/src/main/java/com/webgpu/WebGPUSurfaceView.java
+++ b/packages/webgpu/android/src/main/java/com/webgpu/WebGPUSurfaceView.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 
 import android.annotation.SuppressLint;
 import android.content.Context;
+import android.graphics.PixelFormat;
 import android.view.SurfaceHolder;
 import android.view.SurfaceView;
 
@@ -13,8 +14,18 @@ public class WebGPUSurfaceView extends SurfaceView implements SurfaceHolder.Call
   WebGPUAPI mApi;
 
   public WebGPUSurfaceView(Context context, WebGPUAPI api) {
+    this(context, api, false);
+  }
+
+  public WebGPUSurfaceView(Context context, WebGPUAPI api, boolean transparent) {
     super(context);
     mApi = api;
+    if (transparent) {
+      // Own SurfaceFlinger layer, so frames skip the app's HWUI renderer. The
+      // cost is that this layer sits above every other view in the window.
+      setZOrderOnTop(true);
+      getHolder().setFormat(PixelFormat.TRANSLUCENT);
+    }
     getHolder().addCallback(this);
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/webgpu/android/src/main/java/com/webgpu/WebGPUView.java b/packages/webgpu/android/src/main/java/com/webgpu/WebGPUView.java
index c0c2a2eec..1bbe65254 100644
--- a/packages/webgpu/android/src/main/java/com/webgpu/WebGPUView.java
+++ b/packages/webgpu/android/src/main/java/com/webgpu/WebGPUView.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ public class WebGPUView extends ReactViewGroup implements WebGPUAPI {
 
   private int mContextId;
   private boolean mTransparent = false;
+  private boolean mTransparentSurfaceLayer = false;
   private WebGPUModule mModule;
   private View mView = null;
 
@@ -32,23 +33,37 @@ public void setContextId(int contextId) {
   }
 
   public void setTransparent(boolean value) {
+    if (value == mTransparent && mView != null) {
+      return;
+    }
+    mTransparent = value;
+    rebuildView();
+  }
+
+  // "surface-overlay" trades z-ordering for a cheaper composition path; see
+  // the androidTransparencyMode prop on Canvas. Ignored when not transparent.
+  public void setTransparencyMode(String mode) {
+    boolean surfaceLayer = "surface-overlay".equals(mode);
+    if (surfaceLayer == mTransparentSurfaceLayer && mView != null) {
+      return;
+    }
+    mTransparentSurfaceLayer = surfaceLayer;
+    rebuildView();
+  }
+
+  private void rebuildView() {
     Context ctx = getContext();
-    if (value != mTransparent || mView == null) {
-      if (mView != null) {
-        removeView(mView);
-      }
-      mTransparent = value;
-      if (mTransparent) {
-//        if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.Q) {
-//          mView = new WebGPUAHBView(ctx, this);
-//        } else {
-          mView = new WebGPUTextureView(ctx, this);
-//        }
-      } else {
-        mView = new WebGPUSurfaceView(ctx, this);
-      }
-      addView(mView);
+    if (mView != null) {
+      removeView(mView);
+    }
+    if (mTransparent) {
+      mView = mTransparentSurfaceLayer
+        ? new WebGPUSurfaceView(ctx, this, true)
+        : new WebGPUTextureView(ctx, this);
+    } else {
+      mView = new WebGPUSurfaceView(ctx, this);
     }
+    addView(mView);
   }
 
   @Override
diff --git a/packages/webgpu/android/src/main/java/com/webgpu/WebGPUViewManager.java b/packages/webgpu/android/src/main/java/com/webgpu/WebGPUViewManager.java
index a7eae8ddc..d5b861c8b 100644
--- a/packages/webgpu/android/src/main/java/com/webgpu/WebGPUViewManager.java
+++ b/packages/webgpu/android/src/main/java/com/webgpu/WebGPUViewManager.java
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ public void setTransparent(WebGPUView view, boolean value) {
     view.setTransparent(value);
   }
 
+  @Override
+  @ReactProp(name = "androidTransparencyMode")
+  public void setAndroidTransparencyMode(WebGPUView view, String value) {
+    view.setTransparencyMode(value);
+  }
+
   @Override
   @ReactProp(name = "contextId")
   public void setContextId(WebGPUView view, int value) {
diff --git a/packages/webgpu/src/Canvas.tsx b/packages/webgpu/src/Canvas.tsx
index d19ccdf1e..ad6fc008e 100644
--- a/packages/webgpu/src/Canvas.tsx
+++ b/packages/webgpu/src/Canvas.tsx
@@ -47,10 +47,21 @@ export interface CanvasRef {
 
 interface CanvasProps extends ViewProps {
   transparent?: boolean;
+  // Android only, and ignored unless `transparent` is set. "texture"
+  // (default) draws through a TextureView and stacks like any other view.
+  // "surface-overlay" gives the canvas its own translucent SurfaceFlinger
+  // layer, which skips a composition pass but draws above every React Native
+  // view in the window, so nothing can be layered on top of it.
+  androidTransparencyMode?: "texture" | "surface-overlay";
   ref?: React.Ref<CanvasRef>;
 }
 
-export const Canvas = ({ transparent, ref, ...props }: CanvasProps) => {
+export const Canvas = ({
+  transparent,
+  androidTransparencyMode,
+  ref,
+  ...props
+}: CanvasProps) => {
   const viewRef = useRef(null);
   const [contextId, _] = useState(() => generateContextId());
   // Retire the native registry entry for this contextId on unmount. When a
@@ -96,6 +107,7 @@ export const Canvas = ({ transparent, ref, ...props }: CanvasProps) => {
         style={{ flex: 1 }}
         contextId={contextId}
         transparent={!!transparent}
+        androidTransparencyMode={androidTransparencyMode}
       />
     </View>
   );
diff --git a/packages/webgpu/src/WebGPUViewNativeComponent.ts b/packages/webgpu/src/WebGPUViewNativeComponent.ts
index 63c14ddb1..0110fa92a 100644
--- a/packages/webgpu/src/WebGPUViewNativeComponent.ts
+++ b/packages/webgpu/src/WebGPUViewNativeComponent.ts
@@ -1,10 +1,17 @@
 import { codegenNativeComponent } from "react-native";
-import type { Int32 } from "react-native/Libraries/Types/CodegenTypes";
+import type {
+  Int32,
+  WithDefault,
+} from "react-native/Libraries/Types/CodegenTypes";
 import type { ViewProps } from "react-native";
 
 export interface NativeProps extends ViewProps {
   contextId: Int32;
   transparent: boolean;
+  androidTransparencyMode?: WithDefault<
+    "texture" | "surface-overlay",
+    "texture"
+  >;
 }
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line import/no-default-export
diff --git a/packages/webgpu/src/WebGPUViewNativeComponent.web.ts b/packages/webgpu/src/WebGPUViewNativeComponent.web.ts
index 74c09ec3b..dc1dcc2b4 100644
--- a/packages/webgpu/src/WebGPUViewNativeComponent.web.ts
+++ b/packages/webgpu/src/WebGPUViewNativeComponent.web.ts
@@ -8,13 +8,20 @@ import { contextIdToId } from "./utils";
 export interface NativeProps extends ViewProps {
   contextId: Int32;
   transparent: boolean;
+  androidTransparencyMode?: "texture" | "surface-overlay";
 }
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line import/no-default-export
 export default function WebGPUViewNativeComponent(
   props: NativeProps,
 ): React.JSX.Element {
-  const { contextId, style, transparent, ...rest } = props;
+  const {
+    contextId,
+    style,
+    transparent,
+    androidTransparencyMode: _androidTransparencyMode,
+    ...rest
+  } = props;
 
   // MakeWebGPUCanvasContext sets the initial drawing-buffer size. Subsequent
   // resizes belong to the renderer so it can recreate depth/MSAA attachments