diff --git a/android/src/main/java/com/sbaiahmed1/reactnativeblur/ReactNativeBlurView.kt b/android/src/main/java/com/sbaiahmed1/reactnativeblur/ReactNativeBlurView.kt
index c8c2998..de996c8 100644
--- a/android/src/main/java/com/sbaiahmed1/reactnativeblur/ReactNativeBlurView.kt
+++ b/android/src/main/java/com/sbaiahmed1/reactnativeblur/ReactNativeBlurView.kt
@@ -107,15 +107,12 @@ class ReactNativeBlurView : BlurViewGroup {
 
     if (isBlurInitialized) return
 
-    // Defer the blur root swap to next frame so the view tree is fully mounted
-    val runnable = Runnable {
-      initRunnable = null
-      if (isBlurInitialized) return@Runnable
-      swapBlurRootToScreenAncestor()
-      initializeBlur()
-    }
-    initRunnable = runnable
-    post(runnable)
+    // Immediately try to swap blur root and initialize.
+    // We avoid posting a runnable to prevent the 1-second delay artifact.
+    // If the parent hierarchy is not ready yet (unlikely in onAttachedToWindow),
+    // we could fall back to post, but for now we prioritize immediate execution.
+    swapBlurRootToScreenAncestor()
+    initializeBlur()
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/example/app.json b/example/app.json
index f71dd7a..ecb20c2 100644
--- a/example/app.json
+++ b/example/app.json
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
     "scheme": "exampleapp",
     "userInterfaceStyle": "automatic",
     "ios": {
-      "icon": "./assets/expo.icon"
+      "icon": "./assets/expo.icon",
+      "bundleIdentifier": "com.sbaiahmed1.reactnativeblurexampleapp"
     },
     "android": {
       "adaptiveIcon": {
diff --git a/example/package.json b/example/package.json
index bdee0b0..cf81b1a 100644
--- a/example/package.json
+++ b/example/package.json
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
   "scripts": {
     "start": "expo start",
     "android": "expo run:android",
+    "prebuild:ios": "expo prebuild --platform ios --clean",
     "ios": "expo run:ios",
     "web": "expo start --web",
     "lint": "expo lint",
@@ -47,4 +48,4 @@
     "react-native-monorepo-config": "*",
     "typescript": "~5.9.2"
   }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/ios/Views/AdvancedBlurView.swift b/ios/Views/AdvancedBlurView.swift
index e1331c8..5e080af 100644
--- a/ios/Views/AdvancedBlurView.swift
+++ b/ios/Views/AdvancedBlurView.swift
@@ -68,7 +68,14 @@ import UIKit
     hosting.view.backgroundColor = .clear
     hosting.view.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
 
-    addSubview(hosting.view)
+    // Insert at index 0 to ensure it stays behind any potential subviews (though usually this view has no children)
+    // This fixes the z-ordering bug where blur covers content
+    if !subviews.isEmpty {
+        insertSubview(hosting.view, at: 0)
+    } else {
+        addSubview(hosting.view)
+    }
+    
     NSLayoutConstraint.activate([
       hosting.view.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: topAnchor),
       hosting.view.leadingAnchor.constraint(equalTo: leadingAnchor),
@@ -80,8 +87,20 @@ import UIKit
   }
 
   private func updateView() {
-    if hostingController != nil {
-      setupHostingController()
+    if let hosting = hostingController {
+        // Update the existing controller's root view to avoid expensive recreation
+        // This fixes performance bottlenecks and state synchronization issues
+        let blurStyle = blurStyleFromString(blurTypeString)
+        let swiftUIView = BasicColoredView(
+          blurAmount: blurAmount,
+          blurStyle: blurStyle,
+          ignoreSafeArea: ignoreSafeArea,
+          reducedTransparencyFallbackColor: reducedTransparencyFallbackColor
+        )
+        hosting.rootView = swiftUIView
+        hosting.view.setNeedsLayout()
+    } else {
+        setupHostingController()
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/ios/Views/VibrancyEffectView.swift b/ios/Views/VibrancyEffectView.swift
index 481b686..82cd72d 100644
--- a/ios/Views/VibrancyEffectView.swift
+++ b/ios/Views/VibrancyEffectView.swift
@@ -68,16 +68,24 @@ import UIKit
     let blurEffect = UIBlurEffect(style: style)
     let vibrancyEffect = UIVibrancyEffect(blurEffect: blurEffect)
 
-    // Use animator to control blur intensity
-    blurAnimator = UIViewPropertyAnimator(duration: 1, curve: .linear)
-    blurAnimator?.addAnimations { [weak self] in
-      self?.blurEffectView.effect = blurEffect
-      self?.vibrancyEffectView.effect = vibrancyEffect
+    // Set effects directly first to ensure they are visible
+    // Animating them from nil often causes issues with UIVibrancyEffect
+    blurEffectView.effect = blurEffect
+    vibrancyEffectView.effect = vibrancyEffect
+    
+    // Create animator to adjust intensity
+    blurAnimator = UIViewPropertyAnimator(duration: 1, curve: .linear) { [weak self] in
+        self?.blurEffectView.effect = nil
+        self?.vibrancyEffectView.effect = nil
     }
 
     // Convert blurAmount (0-100) to intensity (0.0-1.0)
+    // We reverse the logic: 
+    // fractionComplete = 0.0 -> effects are fully applied (start state)
+    // fractionComplete = 1.0 -> effects are removed (end state)
+    // So to get desired intensity X, we set fractionComplete to (1 - X)
     let intensity = min(max(blurAmount / 100.0, 0.0), 1.0)
-    blurAnimator?.fractionComplete = intensity
+    blurAnimator?.fractionComplete = 1.0 - intensity
 
     // Stop the animation at the current state
     DispatchQueue.main.async { [weak self, weak blurAnimator] in