Graphical user interface transformation of inline card to persistent snackbar

Systems and methods for manipulating a graphical user interface (GUI) are described. The GUI is configured to show, to a user, a transition from displaying an inline card to displaying a corresponding snackbar. The system uses an overlay to seamlessly show the transition without requiring significant edits to most portions of the GUI. In various implementations, a system displays an inline card in a base layer of a GUI and receives an input associated with the inline card. In response to receiving the input, the system generates a transitional object in an overlay of the GUI (with the overlay displayed over the base layer), generates a snackbar in the base layer, adjusts the transitional object in the overlay from covering the inline card to covering where the snackbar is generated, and removes the transitional object from the GUI.