iOS: Modal ViewController with transparent background

For those trying to get this to work in iOS 8, the “Apple-approved” way to display a transparent modal view controller is by setting modalPresentationStyle on the presented controller to UIModalPresentationOverCurrentContext.

This can be done in code, or by setting the properties of the segue in the storyboard.

From the UIViewController documentation:

UIModalPresentationOverCurrentContext

A presentation style where the content is displayed over only the
parent view controller’s content. The views beneath the presented
content are not removed from the view hierarchy when the presentation
finishes. So if the presented view controller does not fill the screen
with opaque content, the underlying content shows through.

When presenting a view controller in a popover, this presentation
style is supported only if the transition style is
UIModalTransitionStyleCoverVertical. Attempting to use a different
transition style triggers an exception. However, you may use other
transition styles (except the partial curl transition) if the parent
view controller is not in a popover.

Available in iOS 8.0 and later.

https://developer.apple.com/documentation/uikit/uiviewcontroller

The ‘View Controller Advancements in iOS 8’ video from WWDC 2014 goes into this in some detail.

Note:

• Be sure to give your presented view controller a clear background color, lest it not actually be see-through!
• You have to set this before presenting ie setting this parameter in the viewDidLoad of the presentedViewController won’t have any affect