Splash screen

Splash screen is a computer term for an image that appears while a program or operating system is loading. It is somewhat of a misnomer, as splash screens frequently don't cover the entire screen, but occupy only a rectangle near the center. The splash screens of operating systems, and games that expect to be run full-screen, usually cover the entire screen.

Splash screens are typically used by especially large applications to notify the user that the program is, in fact, in the process of loading. In other words, they provide feedback that a lengthy process is under way. Splash screens disappear when the application's main window appears.