Intro screens (also called onboarding screens) are displayed to users the first time they launch your app. They typically consist of 2–4 screens that introduce the app's key value and guide users toward taking their first action. After the user completes the intro sequence, it doesn't appear again.
When to Use Intro Screens
Intro screens are useful when:
- Your app has features that aren't immediately obvious from the website (push notifications, offline access, file operations)
- You want to set expectations before users see your website for the first time inside the app
- You're requesting permissions on first launch and want context before the system permission dialog appears
- Your website has a login requirement and you want to explain the value before redirecting to a login page
Intro screens are not necessary for all apps. If your website is self-explanatory and users don't need guidance, skip the intro screens: unnecessary friction on first launch increases abandonment.
Configuring Intro Screens
In your app configuration:
- Navigate to Intro Screens under App Features
- Toggle intro screens on
- Add between 1 and 4 screens
- For each screen, configure:
- Illustration: Upload an image (PNG, 800×600 or similar landscape ratio) or select from the built-in icon set
- Title: A short, clear headline (5–8 words)
- Description: 1–3 sentences explaining the feature or benefit
- The final screen includes a "Get Started" button that dismisses the intro and launches the app
Writing Effective Onboarding Content
The most common mistake in onboarding screens is describing features instead of communicating value. Users don't care what the feature is called: they care what it does for them.
Feature-focused (weak): "Firebase Cloud Messaging Notifications"
Value-focused (strong): "Never miss an update: get instant notifications for new posts, offers, and events"
Three-screen structure that works well for most apps:
- Welcome screen: Who you are and why the app exists. "Welcome to [Brand]: your go-to resource for [benefit], right on your phone."
- Key feature screen: The one thing that makes the app better than the website. Usually push notifications. "Turn on notifications to get [specific value] delivered to your lock screen."
- Call to action: What to do first. "Explore [key section], browse [content], or [take action]: get started now."
Permission Prompts and Intro Screens
If your app requests runtime permissions (notifications, camera, location), Android shows the permission dialog when the relevant feature is first used. You can pair intro screens with permission requests by placing the permission request on the last intro screen using a "Enable Notifications" button, rather than letting the system prompt appear unexpectedly.
This approach (explaining the value of a permission before asking for it) results in significantly higher permission grant rates. Users who understand why an app needs their location or notification access are much more likely to approve the request.
Resetting the Intro Screen
Intro screens are shown once and then suppressed. If you want to show updated intro screens to existing users after a significant app update, you can force the intro screens to show again by incrementing the intro version number in your app configuration before rebuilding.