Most React Native apps open screens instantly.
Google's Pixel Launcher does something much more interesting: the new screen expands from the icon that was tapped.
In this tutorial, we'll recreate that behavior using react-native-pixel-launch.
Installation
npm install react-native-pixel-launch
Step 1: Create a Trigger Element
const btnRef = useRef(null);
We need a reference so we can measure the position of the pressed element.
Step 2: Measure the Element
btnRef.current?.measure(
(_x, _y, width, height, pageX, pageY) => {
setOrigin({
x: pageX,
y: pageY,
width,
height,
});
setVisible(true);
}
);
This gives us the exact coordinates needed for the animation origin.
Step 3: Render PixelLaunchContainer
visible={visible}
origin={origin}
onClose={() => setVisible(false)}
That's it.
The screen now expands from the tapped element instead of appearing instantly.
Why This Feels Better
Origin-based motion helps users understand:
Where they came from
What triggered the action
How to return
Animations become part of navigation instead of visual decoration.
Additional Components Included
The package also includes:
PixelDialog
Launch dialogs from any element.
AnimatedBottomSheet
Smooth sheet animations with staggered content.
FabMenu
Expandable floating action menus.
PixelMenuOverlay
A searchable launcher-style grid.
DomeFooter
A Pixel-inspired footer with a FAB cutout.
Performance
The library uses native-driven animations where possible and is designed to remain smooth on modern Android and iOS devices.
Final Thoughts
Small animation details dramatically improve perceived quality.
If you're building a React Native app and want Pixel-style motion without implementing everything yourself, react-native-pixel-launch can get you there quickly.
Source Code: react-native-pixel-launch GitHub repository
Package: react-native-pixel-launch on npm
Top comments (1)
The useful bit here is that the animation has a real information job: measuring the tapped ref and passing pageX/pageY plus width/height into PixelLaunchContainer makes the new screen feel connected to the user's action. I also like that the same origin idea is carried into dialogs, bottom sheets, FAB menus, and the launcher-style grid instead of being a one-off screen trick. As a founder/engineer, I'd treat this kind of motion as part of the navigation contract and budget for reduced-motion, interrupted taps, and slower devices early, because perceived polish falls apart fast when the edge cases feel inconsistent.