Splash Screen in Capacitor

Configure and customize splash screens for iOS and Android.

When to Use This Skill

• User wants to customize splash screen
• User needs splash screen assets
• User wants animated splash
• User has splash screen issues

Quick Start

Install Plugin

npm install @capacitor/splash-screen
npx cap sync

Basic Configuration

// capacitor.config.ts
import type { CapacitorConfig } from '@capacitor/cli';

const config: CapacitorConfig = {
  plugins: {
    SplashScreen: {
      launchShowDuration: 2000,
      launchAutoHide: true,
      backgroundColor: '#ffffff',
      androidSplashResourceName: 'splash',
      androidScaleType: 'CENTER_CROP',
      showSpinner: false,
      splashFullScreen: true,
      splashImmersive: true,
    },
  },
};

Programmatic Control

import { SplashScreen } from '@capacitor/splash-screen';

// Hide after app is ready
async function initApp() {
  // Initialize your app
  await loadUserData();
  await setupServices();

  // Hide splash screen
  await SplashScreen.hide();
}

// Show splash (useful for app refresh)
await SplashScreen.show({
  autoHide: false,
});

// Hide with animation
await SplashScreen.hide({
  fadeOutDuration: 500,
});

Generate Assets

Using Capacitor Assets

npm install -D @capacitor/assets

# Place source images in resources/
# resources/splash.png (2732x2732 recommended)
# resources/splash-dark.png (optional)

npx capacitor-assets generate

iOS Sizes

Size	Usage
2732x2732	iPad Pro 12.9"
2048x2732	iPad Pro portrait
2732x2048	iPad Pro landscape
1668x2388	iPad Pro 11"
1536x2048	iPad
1242x2688	iPhone XS Max
828x1792	iPhone XR
1125x2436	iPhone X/XS
1242x2208	iPhone Plus
750x1334	iPhone 8
640x1136	iPhone SE

Android Sizes

Density	Size
mdpi	320x480
hdpi	480x800
xhdpi	720x1280
xxhdpi	960x1600
xxxhdpi	1280x1920

iOS Storyboard

<!-- ios/App/App/Base.lproj/LaunchScreen.storyboard -->
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<document type="com.apple.InterfaceBuilder3.CocoaTouch.Storyboard.XIB" version="3.0">
    <scenes>
        <scene sceneID="1">
            <objects>
                <viewController id="2" sceneMemberID="viewController">
                    <view key="view" contentMode="scaleToFill" id="3">
                        <rect key="frame" x="0" y="0" width="414" height="896"/>
                        <color key="backgroundColor" systemColor="systemBackgroundColor"/>
                        <subviews>
                            <imageView
                                contentMode="scaleAspectFit"
                                image="splash"
                                translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints="NO"
                                id="4">
                            </imageView>
                        </subviews>
                        <constraints>
                            <constraint firstItem="4" firstAttribute="centerX" secondItem="3" secondAttribute="centerX" id="5"/>
                            <constraint firstItem="4" firstAttribute="centerY" secondItem="3" secondAttribute="centerY" id="6"/>
                        </constraints>
                    </view>
                </viewController>
            </objects>
        </scene>
    </scenes>
</document>

Android Configuration

XML Splash Screen (Android 11+)

<!-- android/app/src/main/res/values/styles.xml -->
<resources>
    <style name="AppTheme.NoActionBarLaunch" parent="Theme.SplashScreen">
        <item name="windowSplashScreenBackground">@color/splash_background</item>
        <item name="windowSplashScreenAnimatedIcon">@drawable/splash</item>
        <item name="windowSplashScreenAnimationDuration">1000</item>
        <item name="postSplashScreenTheme">@style/AppTheme.NoActionBar</item>
    </style>
</resources>

Colors

<!-- android/app/src/main/res/values/colors.xml -->
<resources>
    <color name="splash_background">#FFFFFF</color>
</resources>

<!-- android/app/src/main/res/values-night/colors.xml -->
<resources>
    <color name="splash_background">#121212</color>
</resources>

Dark Mode Support

// capacitor.config.ts
plugins: {
  SplashScreen: {
    launchAutoHide: false, // Control manually
    backgroundColor: '#ffffff',
    // iOS will use LaunchScreen.storyboard variations
    // Android uses values-night/colors.xml
  },
},

// Detect dark mode and configure
import { SplashScreen } from '@capacitor/splash-screen';

const isDark = window.matchMedia('(prefers-color-scheme: dark)').matches;

// Show appropriate themed content
await SplashScreen.hide({
  fadeOutDuration: 300,
});

Animated Splash

Lottie Animation

import { SplashScreen } from '@capacitor/splash-screen';

async function showAnimatedSplash() {
  // Keep native splash while loading
  await SplashScreen.show({ autoHide: false });

  // Load Lottie animation in web
  const lottie = await import('lottie-web');

  // Show web-based animated splash
  document.getElementById('splash-animation').style.display = 'block';

  const animation = lottie.loadAnimation({
    container: document.getElementById('splash-animation'),
    path: '/animations/splash.json',
    loop: false,
  });

  animation.addEventListener('complete', async () => {
    // Hide native splash
    await SplashScreen.hide({ fadeOutDuration: 0 });
    // Hide web splash
    document.getElementById('splash-animation').style.display = 'none';
  });
}

Best Practices

1. Keep it fast - Under 2 seconds total
2. Match branding - Use consistent colors/logo
3. Support dark mode - Provide dark variants
4. Don't block - Load essentials only
5. Progressive reveal - Fade out smoothly

Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
White flash	Match splash background to app
Stretching	Use correct asset sizes
Not hiding	Call hide() manually
Dark mode wrong	Add values-night resources

Resources

• Capacitor Splash Screen: https://capacitorjs.com/docs/apis/splash-screen
• Capacitor Assets: https://github.com/ionic-team/capacitor-assets
• Android Splash Screens: https://developer.android.com/develop/ui/views/launch/splash-screen