diff --git a/osu.Game/Configuration/OsuConfigManager.cs b/osu.Game/Configuration/OsuConfigManager.cs
index a4a960a7bc..9a2cda2d80 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Configuration/OsuConfigManager.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Configuration/OsuConfigManager.cs
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ namespace osu.Game.Configuration
 
             Set(OsuConfig.MenuParallax, true);
 
+            Set(OsuConfig.ShowInterface, true);
             Set(OsuConfig.KeyOverlay, false);
             //todo: implement all settings below this line (remove the Disabled set when doing so).
 
@@ -89,7 +90,6 @@ namespace osu.Game.Configuration
             Set(OsuConfig.LastVersionPermissionsFailed, string.Empty).Disabled = true;
             Set(OsuConfig.LoadSubmittedThread, true).Disabled = true;
             Set(OsuConfig.LobbyPlayMode, -1).Disabled = true;
-            Set(OsuConfig.ShowInterface, true).Disabled = true;
             Set(OsuConfig.ShowInterfaceDuringRelax, false).Disabled = true;
             Set(OsuConfig.LobbyShowExistingOnly, false).Disabled = true;
             Set(OsuConfig.LobbyShowFriendsOnly, false).Disabled = true;
diff --git a/osu.Game/Modes/UI/HudOverlay.cs b/osu.Game/Modes/UI/HudOverlay.cs
index 45dce8b332..355b62bc57 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Modes/UI/HudOverlay.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Modes/UI/HudOverlay.cs
@@ -9,11 +9,18 @@ using osu.Game.Configuration;
 using osu.Game.Graphics.UserInterface;
 using osu.Game.Screens.Play;
 using osu.Game.Modes.Scoring;
+using osu.Framework.Input;
+using OpenTK.Input;
+using osu.Game.Overlays;
+using osu.Game.Overlays.Notifications;
 
 namespace osu.Game.Modes.UI
 {
     public abstract class HudOverlay : Container
     {
+        private const int duration = 100;
+
+        private readonly Container content;
         public readonly KeyCounterCollection KeyCounter;
         public readonly ComboCounter ComboCounter;
         public readonly ScoreCounter ScoreCounter;
@@ -21,6 +28,9 @@ namespace osu.Game.Modes.UI
         public readonly HealthDisplay HealthDisplay;
 
         private Bindable<bool> showKeyCounter;
+        private Bindable<bool> showHud;
+
+        private static bool hasShownNotificationOnce;
 
         protected abstract KeyCounterCollection CreateKeyCounter();
         protected abstract ComboCounter CreateComboCounter();
@@ -32,28 +42,53 @@ namespace osu.Game.Modes.UI
         {
             RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both;
 
-            Children = new Drawable[]
+            Add(content = new Container
             {
-                KeyCounter = CreateKeyCounter(),
-                ComboCounter = CreateComboCounter(),
-                ScoreCounter = CreateScoreCounter(),
-                AccuracyCounter = CreateAccuracyCounter(),
-                HealthDisplay = CreateHealthDisplay(),
-            };
+                RelativeSizeAxes = Axes.Both,
+
+                Children = new Drawable[]
+                {
+                    KeyCounter = CreateKeyCounter(),
+                    ComboCounter = CreateComboCounter(),
+                    ScoreCounter = CreateScoreCounter(),
+                    AccuracyCounter = CreateAccuracyCounter(),
+                    HealthDisplay = CreateHealthDisplay(),
+                }
+            });
         }
 
-        [BackgroundDependencyLoader]
-        private void load(OsuConfigManager config)
+        [BackgroundDependencyLoader(true)]
+        private void load(OsuConfigManager config, NotificationManager notificationManager)
         {
             showKeyCounter = config.GetBindable<bool>(OsuConfig.KeyOverlay);
-            showKeyCounter.ValueChanged += visibility =>
+            showKeyCounter.ValueChanged += keyCounterVisibility =>
             {
-                if (visibility)
-                    KeyCounter.Show();
+                if (keyCounterVisibility)
+                    KeyCounter.FadeIn(duration);
                 else
-                    KeyCounter.Hide();
+                    KeyCounter.FadeOut(duration);
             };
             showKeyCounter.TriggerChange();
+
+            showHud = config.GetBindable<bool>(OsuConfig.ShowInterface);
+            showHud.ValueChanged += hudVisibility =>
+            {
+                if (hudVisibility)
+                    content.FadeIn(duration);
+                else
+                    content.FadeOut(duration);
+            };
+            showHud.TriggerChange();
+
+            if (!showHud && !hasShownNotificationOnce)
+            {
+                hasShownNotificationOnce = true;
+
+                notificationManager?.Post(new SimpleNotification
+                {
+                    Text = @"The score overlay is currently disabled. You can toggle this by pressing Shift+Tab."
+                });
+            }
         }
 
         public void BindProcessor(ScoreProcessor processor)
@@ -68,5 +103,22 @@ namespace osu.Game.Modes.UI
         {
             hitRenderer.InputManager.Add(KeyCounter.GetReceptor());
         }
+
+        protected override bool OnKeyDown(InputState state, KeyDownEventArgs args)
+        {
+            if (args.Repeat) return false;
+
+            if (state.Keyboard.ShiftPressed)
+            {
+                switch (args.Key)
+                {
+                    case Key.Tab:
+                        showHud.Value = !showHud.Value;
+                        return true;
+                }
+            }
+
+            return base.OnKeyDown(state, args);
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/osu.Game/Overlays/Options/Sections/Gameplay/GeneralOptions.cs b/osu.Game/Overlays/Options/Sections/Gameplay/GeneralOptions.cs
index 70a2c52322..ee6778a47a 100644
--- a/osu.Game/Overlays/Options/Sections/Gameplay/GeneralOptions.cs
+++ b/osu.Game/Overlays/Options/Sections/Gameplay/GeneralOptions.cs
@@ -39,6 +39,11 @@ namespace osu.Game.Overlays.Options.Sections.Gameplay
                     Bindable = (BindableDouble)config.GetBindable<double>(OsuConfig.ScoreMeterScale)
                 },
                 new OsuCheckbox
+                {
+                    LabelText = "Show score overlay",
+                    Bindable = config.GetBindable<bool>(OsuConfig.ShowInterface)
+                },
+                new OsuCheckbox
                 {
                     LabelText = "Always show key overlay",
                     Bindable = config.GetBindable<bool>(OsuConfig.KeyOverlay)