How to show shadow in toolbar below API 21

Aman Gupta

22 December 2016

In this blog,
I have shown you how to make a drop shadow in the toolbar below API 21.

Implementation

In this example, I have created a custom background XML(drop shadow) and applied it inside the FrameLayout.
And this will give a drop shadow effect on the toolbar.

toolbar.xml

<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:id="@+id/toolbar"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="?attr/actionBarSize"
    android:background="?attr/colorPrimary"
    app:layout_scrollFlags="scroll|enterAlways|snap"
    app:popupTheme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Light"
    app:titleTextColor="#FFFFFF" />

<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"

android:id="@+id/toolbar"

android:layout_width="match_parent"

android:layout_height="?attr/actionBarSize"

android:background="?attr/colorPrimary"

app:layout_scrollFlags="scroll|enterAlways|snap"

app:popupTheme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Light"

app:titleTextColor="#FFFFFF" />

your_layout.xml

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:orientation="vertical">

    <android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout
        android:id="@+id/appbar"
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:orientation="vertical"
        android:theme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar">

        <include
            android:id="@+id/toolbar"
            layout="@layout/toolbar" />
    </android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout>

    <FrameLayout
        android:layout_width="match_parent"
        android:layout_height="match_parent">

        <!--  Place Your Layout Here  -->

        <View
            android:id="@+id/shadow_view"
            android:layout_width="match_parent"
            android:layout_height="5dp"
            android:background="@drawable/dropshadow" />

    </FrameLayout>

</LinearLayout>

<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"

android:layout_width="wrap_content"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"

android:orientation="vertical">

<android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout

android:id="@+id/appbar"

android:layout_width="match_parent"

android:layout_height="wrap_content"

android:orientation="vertical"

android:theme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar">

<include

android:id="@+id/toolbar"

layout="@layout/toolbar" />

</android.support.design.widget.AppBarLayout>

<FrameLayout

android:layout_width="match_parent"

android:layout_height="match_parent">

<View

android:id="@+id/shadow_view"

android:layout_width="match_parent"

android:layout_height="5dp"

android:background="@drawable/dropshadow" />

</FrameLayout>

</LinearLayout>

dropshadow.xml

<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:shape="rectangle">

    <gradient android:startColor="@android:color/transparent"
        android:endColor="#60555555"
        android:angle="90"/>

</shape>

<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"

android:shape="rectangle">

<gradient android:startColor="@android:color/transparent"

android:endColor="#60555555"

android:angle="90"/>

</shape>

Note: Don’t forget to hide your view if the device you are running is >= to Lollipop.

if not you’ll end up with two shadows.

  if (android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 21) {
                findViewById(R.id.shadow_view).setVisibility(View.GONE);
            }

if (android.os.Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= 21) {

findViewById(R.id.shadow_view).setVisibility(View.GONE);

}