How do I make a semi-transparent view layer above a current view?

Question

You've likely seen this before, its become exceedingly popular in consumery chic apps like ScoutMob. I'm trying to implement a 60% transparent view on launch that will cover my home screen, explaining how to use the functions of the home screen and disappears on tap.

I have my entire app completed (it's using .xib's since its from a years ago, but feel free to explain in storyboard format as well, since I will likely reuse this feature in other iOs 5.0+ applications.)

I have no problem making single views, but temporarily layering one on top of another is something I haven't figured out intuitively. I'll continue researching and include any helpful tips I find in case other people are trying to do the same thing.

[A related question](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/849458/transparent-modal-view-on-navigation-controller/859215#859215), a bit outdated though — user, Apr 29 '13 at 16:12

score 51 · Accepted Answer · edited Nov 01 '17 at 00:34

// get your window screen size
CGRect screenRect = [[UIScreen mainScreen] bounds];
//create a new view with the same size
UIView* coverView = [[UIView alloc] initWithFrame:screenRect];
// change the background color to black and the opacity to 0.6
coverView.backgroundColor = [[UIColor blackColor] colorWithAlphaComponent:0.6];
// add this new view to your main view
[self.view addSubview:coverView];

when you are done with it , you can remove it :

[coverView removeFromSuperview];

Swift3 version:

// get your window screen size
let screenRect = UIScreen.main.bounds
//create a new view with the same size
let coverView = UIView(frame: screenRect)
// change the background color to black and the opacity to 0.6
coverView.backgroundColor = UIColor.black.withAlphaComponent(0.6)        
// add this new view to your main view
self.view.addSubview(coverView)

to remove it:

coverView.removeFromSuperview()

Liftoff · Answer 2 · 2013-04-29T16:24:12.920

This can be easily accomplished with a UITextView and a UIButton. Simply place the UITextView on the screen with the content you want to display, making it the full frame size of the screen, and change the background color to a black background with background alpha of .6

[UIColor colorWithRed: 0 withGreen: 0 withBlue: 0 withAlpha: .6];

Then place the button as a subview on top, making it the full frame of the screen, and setting it's alpha to 0. Set the action of the button to hide the textview and button.

Example:

UITextView* textview = [[UITextView alloc] initWithFrame:self.view.frame];
[textview setText: @"Text here"];
[textview setBackgroundColor: [UIColor colorWithRed: 0 withGreen: 0 withBlue: 0 withAlpha: .6]];
[textview setTextColor: [UIColor whiteColor]];
[self.view addSubview: textview];

UIButton* btn = [[UIButton alloc] initWithFrame:self.view.frame];
[btn setAlpha:0];
[btn addTarget:self action:@selector(method) forEvent:UIControlEventTouchUpInside];
[self.view addSubview: btn];

You may want to check the addTarget: method; I'm not sure those are the correct parameters off the top of my head.

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 29 '13 at 16:16

1

Just make a mechanism that figures out if it is the first launch of the app, then tells your main view controller to add a (probably image) view on top of the current view with 0.6 alpha

if (figureOutIfIsFirstLaunch)
{
    UIImageView *myOverlay = [...];
    myOverlay.frame = self.view.bounds;
    myOverlay.alpha = 0.6;
    [self.view addSubview:myOverlay];
}

answered Apr 29 '13 at 16:16

Undo

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Would there be any repercussion to putting this in my applicationDelegate's `application: didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:` instead of the containing view's controller? – user Apr 29 '13 at 17:30

score 1 · Answer 4 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:25

create UIView, name it what you want (dimBackgroundUIView) then set the backgroundcolor as Black and set alpha to 0.1 or 0.2 or....
add these 2 lines of code when you need to dim the background: [self.view addSubview:dimBackgroundUIView]; [self addConstraintsForDimView];
and add these 2 lines of code when you want to remove the dimming background: if(dimBackgroundUIView) [dimBackgroundUIView removeFromSuperview];
do not forgot to add the constraints(layouts) for dimBackgroundUIView.

check this: iOS Dim background when a view is shown

and do not forget to read the note below the code to understand what you have to do.

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 24 '19 at 11:26

1

Swift 4 update

 view.isOpaque = false  

 view.backgroundColor = UIColor.black.withAlphaComponent(0.2)

This option available in storyboard . Make sure to uncheck the Opaque option

answered Aug 24 '19 at 11:26

Suraj K Thomas

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How do I make a semi-transparent view layer above a current view?

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