Stacking overlapping views with zIndex in Expo and React Native apps

Learn how to stack overlapping views with zIndex.

zIndex is the Expo and React Native analog of CSS's z-index property which lets the developer control the order in which components are displayed over one another.

Default `zIndex` behavior

Without specifying an explicit zIndex or position, components that occur later in the tree have a higher z-order.

Result

Three square components in a square parent container

This is illustrated more clearly when the components visually intersect each other.

Result

Three square components intersecting each other

Changing the `zIndex` of an element

If you want to change how a component stacks without changing the order in which it occurs in the component tree, use zIndex:

Result

Three components where the second is stacked above the first and third

Manually positioning your component

Along with specifying how the component will stack, you can break out of the default layout set by the component's parent by changing the position property on the child component to 'absolute' and specifying the distance it should be from its parent with the style properties top, right, bottom, and left.

Result

You can even make the component extend outside of the parent's visual bounds.

Result

Position absolute component out of visual bounds of parent

While a position: 'absolute' component may seem like it operates independently, it must still respect the zIndex of its parent.

Result

Position absolute child must respect parent's zIndex