diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests/Mods/TestSceneModTouchDevice.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests/Mods/TestSceneModTouchDevice.cs
index 829cd0b62e..451cb617ee 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests/Mods/TestSceneModTouchDevice.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests/Mods/TestSceneModTouchDevice.cs
@@ -3,12 +3,10 @@
 
 using System.Linq;
 using NUnit.Framework;
-using osu.Framework.Graphics;
 using osu.Framework.Input;
 using osu.Framework.Testing;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.UI;
 using osu.Game.Rulesets.Mods;
-using osu.Game.Skinning;
 using osu.Game.Tests.Visual;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests.Mods
@@ -22,14 +20,14 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests.Mods
         {
             Mod = new ModTouchDevice(),
             Autoplay = false,
-            PassCondition = () => getSkinnableOverlay()?.IsPresent == true
+            PassCondition = () => getTouchOverlay()?.IsPresent == true
         });
 
         [Test]
         public void TestOverlayNotVisibleWithoutMod() => CreateModTest(new ModTestData
         {
             Autoplay = false,
-            PassCondition = () => getSkinnableOverlay()?.IsPresent == false
+            PassCondition = () => getTouchOverlay()?.IsPresent == false
         });
 
         [Test]
@@ -56,9 +54,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.Tests.Mods
             }
         }
 
-        private Drawable? getSkinnableOverlay() => this.ChildrenOfType<SkinnableDrawable>()
-                                                       .SingleOrDefault(d => d.Lookup.Equals(new ManiaSkinComponentLookup(ManiaSkinComponents.TouchOverlay)));
+        private ManiaTouchInputArea? getTouchOverlay() => this.ChildrenOfType<ManiaTouchInputArea>().SingleOrDefault();
 
-        private ManiaTouchInputArea.InputReceptor getReceptor(int index) => this.ChildrenOfType<ManiaTouchInputArea.InputReceptor>().ElementAt(index);
+        private ManiaTouchInputArea.ColumnInputReceptor getReceptor(int index) => this.ChildrenOfType<ManiaTouchInputArea.ColumnInputReceptor>().ElementAt(index);
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/UI/DrawableManiaRuleset.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/UI/DrawableManiaRuleset.cs
index 5974b76d65..ce53862c76 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/UI/DrawableManiaRuleset.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/UI/DrawableManiaRuleset.cs
@@ -105,10 +105,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.UI
 
             TimeRange.Value = smoothTimeRange = ComputeScrollTime(configScrollSpeed.Value);
 
-            KeyBindingInputManager.Add(touchArea = new ManiaTouchInputArea
-            {
-                RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both
-            });
+            KeyBindingInputManager.Add(new ManiaTouchInputArea());
         }
 
         protected override void AdjustScrollSpeed(int amount) => configScrollSpeed.Value += amount;
@@ -122,8 +119,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.UI
         private ScheduledDelegate? pendingSkinChange;
         private float hitPosition;
 
-        private ManiaTouchInputArea touchArea = null!;
-
         private void onSkinChange()
         {
             // schedule required to avoid calls after disposed.
diff --git a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/UI/ManiaTouchInputArea.cs b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/UI/ManiaTouchInputArea.cs
index 0cb12128e8..32e4616a25 100644
--- a/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/UI/ManiaTouchInputArea.cs
+++ b/osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania/UI/ManiaTouchInputArea.cs
@@ -9,13 +9,19 @@ using osu.Framework.Graphics.Containers;
 using osu.Framework.Graphics.Shapes;
 using osu.Framework.Input.Events;
 using osu.Game.Configuration;
-using osu.Game.Skinning;
 using osuTK;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.UI
 {
-    public partial class ManiaTouchInputArea : CompositeDrawable, ISerialisableDrawable
+    /// <summary>
+    /// An overlay that captures and displays osu!mania mouse and touch input.
+    /// </summary>
+    public partial class ManiaTouchInputArea : VisibilityContainer
     {
+        // visibility state affects our child. we always want to handle input.
+        public override bool PropagatePositionalInputSubTree => true;
+        public override bool PropagateNonPositionalInputSubTree => true;
+
         [SettingSource("Spacing", "The spacing between receptors.")]
         public BindableFloat Spacing { get; } = new BindableFloat(10)
         {
@@ -35,6 +41,8 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.UI
         [Resolved]
         private DrawableManiaRuleset drawableRuleset { get; set; } = null!;
 
+        private GridContainer gridContainer = null!;
+
         public ManiaTouchInputArea()
         {
             Anchor = Anchor.BottomCentre;
@@ -62,16 +70,17 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.UI
                         receptorGridDimensions.Add(new Dimension(GridSizeMode.AutoSize));
                     }
 
-                    receptorGridContent.Add(new InputReceptor { Action = { BindTarget = column.Action } });
+                    receptorGridContent.Add(new ColumnInputReceptor { Action = { BindTarget = column.Action } });
                     receptorGridDimensions.Add(new Dimension());
 
                     first = false;
                 }
             }
 
-            InternalChild = new GridContainer
+            InternalChild = gridContainer = new GridContainer
             {
                 RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
+                AlwaysPresent = true,
                 Content = new[] { receptorGridContent.ToArray() },
                 ColumnDimensions = receptorGridDimensions.ToArray()
             };
@@ -83,9 +92,36 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.UI
             Opacity.BindValueChanged(o => Alpha = o.NewValue, true);
         }
 
-        public bool UsesFixedAnchor { get; set; }
+        protected override bool OnKeyDown(KeyDownEvent e)
+        {
+            // Hide whenever the keyboard is used.
+            Hide();
+            return false;
+        }
 
-        public partial class InputReceptor : CompositeDrawable
+        protected override bool OnMouseDown(MouseDownEvent e)
+        {
+            Show();
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        protected override bool OnTouchDown(TouchDownEvent e)
+        {
+            Show();
+            return true;
+        }
+
+        protected override void PopIn()
+        {
+            gridContainer.FadeIn(500, Easing.OutQuint);
+        }
+
+        protected override void PopOut()
+        {
+            gridContainer.FadeOut(300);
+        }
+
+        public partial class ColumnInputReceptor : CompositeDrawable
         {
             public readonly IBindable<ManiaAction> Action = new Bindable<ManiaAction>();
 
@@ -96,7 +132,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.UI
 
             private bool isPressed;
 
-            public InputReceptor()
+            public ColumnInputReceptor()
             {
                 RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both;
 
@@ -128,7 +164,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.UI
             protected override bool OnTouchDown(TouchDownEvent e)
             {
                 updateButton(true);
-                return true;
+                return false; // handled by parent container to show overlay.
             }
 
             protected override void OnTouchUp(TouchUpEvent e)
@@ -139,7 +175,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Rulesets.Mania.UI
             protected override bool OnMouseDown(MouseDownEvent e)
             {
                 updateButton(true);
-                return true;
+                return false; // handled by parent container to show overlay.
             }
 
             protected override void OnMouseUp(MouseUpEvent e)