Feature

Splash screens for converted website apps

The splash screen covers the moment your app starts and your website begins to load. Done right, nobody notices it. Done wrong, it's a white flash or a five-second logo.

Updated October 20262 min readwebtoappconverter.dev

Key takeawaySince Android 12, every app gets a system splash screen: your app icon centred on a background colour, shown until the app draws its first frame. A good converter extends it until the first page has painted, so users never see a blank WebView. Use your brand colour as the background, an icon with generous padding, and keep the total under about two seconds.

System: Android 12+ SplashScreen
Shows: Icon on a colour
Target: Under ~2 seconds
Avoid: Forced logo delays

How Android splash screens work now

Android 12 introduced a standard splash screen for every app: the launcher icon animates in, centred on a solid background, and disappears when the app is ready. Older custom “splash activities” that showed a full-screen image for a fixed time are discouraged, and on new Android versions users can see two splash screens back to back if an app still uses one.

Settings to get right

Setting	Recommendation
Background colour	Your brand colour or white — match your site's header
Icon	Your app icon; keep the logo inside the central safe area
Duration	Until the first page paints; never a fixed 3–5 seconds
Dark mode	A dark background variant if your site supports dark mode

Hiding the WebView flash

The real enemy is the moment after the splash: a white WebView while your page loads. Good converters keep the splash up until the page reports it has loaded, or show a thin progress bar. On your side, make the start page fast — see prepare your website.

Don't use the splash for marketing

No slogans, offers or animations that delay users. Every extra second at launch costs retention.

Frequently asked

Can I use a full-screen image as a splash?

Modern Android shows the system splash first; a full-screen image after it means two splash screens. Use an onboarding screen for imagery instead — once, on first launch.

Keep going

FeatureBottom navigation tabsAdd native bottom tabs to a website converted into an app: how many tabs, which URLs, icons, labels, active states and how tabs interact with the back button.FeatureDark modeMake a website converted into an app respect Android dark mode: prefers-color-scheme in WebView, algorithmic darkening, status bar and splash colours, and testing.PlaybookPrepare your website for conversionA pre-conversion audit for any website: mobile layout, speed, navigation, logins, pop-ups and the app-only CSS that makes a converted site feel native.FeatureOnboarding screensAdd first-run onboarding to a website converted into an app: what to say on 3 slides, when to ask for push permission, skipping, and when to skip it.FeaturePull-to-refreshAdd pull-to-refresh to a website converted into an app: where it helps, how it conflicts with scrolling maps, carousels and modals, and how to fix the conflicts.FeaturePush notification campaignsPlan push for a converted website app: native vs web push, Android 13 permission timing, segments, frequency, deep links and measuring results.