Creating a Splash Screen in Android – Modern App Launch Design

🚀 Introduction

A splash screen is often the first visual interaction a user has with your app. It’s a critical branding opportunity and sets the tone for the overall user experience. In this guide, you’ll learn how to implement a modern splash screen in Android using both traditional methods and the new Android 12 SplashScreen API.

📱 What is a Splash Screen?

A Splash Screen is a screen that appears briefly when the app is launched, usually displaying a logo, app name, or loading animation.

🧩 Key Points

• Android 12 introduces the SplashScreen API
• Can be animated using Lottie or Jetpack Compose
• Recommended for brand identity and better UX
• Supports light/dark themes
• Time delay or transition to next screen can be customized

🛠️ Implementation: Jetpack Compose (Pre-Android 12)

@Composable
fun SplashScreen(navController: NavController) {
    LaunchedEffect(true) {
        delay(2000)
        navController.navigate("home") {
            popUpTo("splash") { inclusive = true }
        }
    }

    Box(
        modifier = Modifier
            .fillMaxSize()
            .background(MaterialTheme.colorScheme.primary),
        contentAlignment = Alignment.Center
    ) {
        Text("MyApp", style = MaterialTheme.typography.headlineLarge, color = Color.White)
    }
}

📦 Implementation: Using Android 12 SplashScreen API

In themes.xml:

<style name="Theme.MyApp" parent="Theme.Material3.DayNight">
    <item name="android:windowSplashScreenBackground">@color/primary</item>
    <item name="android:windowSplashScreenAnimatedIcon">@drawable/logo</item>
</style>

In MainActivity.kt:

override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
    installSplashScreen()
    super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
    setContent { MyApp() }
}

✨ Enhancements

• Add animation with Lottie
• Fade in logo with alpha transition
• Personalize theme for splash-only visuals

🤖 Best Practices

• Keep splash screen short (< 3 seconds)
• Use app branding colors and logo
• Avoid unnecessary delays
• Seamless transition to onboarding or home screen

❓ FAQ

Q1: Is the SplashScreen API backward compatible?
A: No, it works natively only on Android 12+. You’ll need custom solutions for older versions.

Q2: Can I use an animated GIF or video in the splash screen?
A: It’s better to use vector animations (Lottie or Compose animations) for performance.

🔗 Internal Links

• Day 17: Working with Images in Compose
• Day 22: Showing Loading and Error States
• Day 24: Saving Preferences with DataStore

🏁 Conclusion

Implementing a splash screen is about more than just loading time — it’s about first impressions. Android 12 has made this easier and more consistent across devices. Start integrating your app’s branding smartly today!