animation-direction CSS property

Baseline Widely available

This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since September 2015.

The animation-direction CSS property sets whether an animation should play forward, backward, or alternate back and forth between playing the sequence forward and backward.

It is often convenient to use the shorthand property animation to set all animation properties at once.

Try it

animation-direction: normal;
animation-direction: reverse;
animation-direction: alternate;
animation-direction: alternate-reverse;
<section class="flex-column" id="default-example">
  <div id="example-element"></div>
  <button id="play-pause">Play</button>
</section>
#example-element {
  animation-duration: 3s;
  animation-iteration-count: infinite;
  animation-name: slide;
  animation-play-state: paused;
  animation-timing-function: ease-in;
  background-color: #1766aa;
  border-radius: 50%;
  border: 5px solid #333333;
  color: white;
  height: 150px;
  margin: auto;
  margin-left: 0;
  width: 150px;
}

#example-element.running {
  animation-play-state: running;
}

#play-pause {
  font-size: 2rem;
}

@keyframes slide {
  from {
    background-color: orange;
    color: black;
    margin-left: 0;
  }
  to {
    background-color: orange;
    color: black;
    margin-left: 80%;
  }
}
const el = document.getElementById("example-element");
const button = document.getElementById("play-pause");

button.addEventListener("click", () => {
  if (el.classList.contains("running")) {
    el.classList.remove("running");
    button.textContent = "Play";
  } else {
    el.classList.add("running");
    button.textContent = "Pause";
  }
});

Syntax

css
/* Single animation */
animation-direction: normal;
animation-direction: reverse;
animation-direction: alternate;
animation-direction: alternate-reverse;

/* Multiple animations */
animation-direction: normal, reverse;
animation-direction: alternate, reverse, normal;

/* Global values */
animation-direction: inherit;
animation-direction: initial;
animation-direction: revert;
animation-direction: revert-layer;
animation-direction: unset;

Values

normal

The animation plays forwards each cycle. In other words, each time the animation cycles, the animation will reset to the beginning state and start over again. This is the default value.

reverse

The animation plays backwards each cycle. In other words, each time the animation cycles, the animation will reset to the end state and start over again. Animation steps are performed backwards, and easing functions are also reversed. For example, an ease-in easing function becomes ease-out.

alternate

The animation reverses direction each cycle, with the first iteration being played forwards. The count to determine if a cycle is even or odd starts at one.

alternate-reverse

The animation reverses direction each cycle, with the first iteration being played backwards. The count to determine if a cycle is even or odd starts at one.

Note: When you specify multiple comma-separated values on an animation-* property, they are applied to the animations in the order in which the animation-names appear. For situations where the number of animations and animation-* property values do not match, see Setting multiple animation property values.

Note: When creating CSS scroll-driven animations, specifying an animation-direction works as expected, for example reverse causes the animation to run in reverse over the course of the timeline's progression. A value of alternate (combined with an animation-iteration-count) causes the animation to run forwards and backwards as the timeline is progressed.

Formal definition

Initial valuenormal
Applies toall elements, ::before and ::after pseudo-elements
Inheritedno
Computed valueas specified
Animation typeNot animatable

Formal syntax

animation-direction = 
<single-animation-direction>#

<single-animation-direction> =
normal |
reverse |
alternate |
alternate-reverse

Examples

Reversing the animation direction

HTML

html
<div class="box"></div>

CSS

css
.box {
  background-color: rebeccapurple;
  border-radius: 10px;
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
}

.box:hover {
  animation-name: rotate;
  animation-duration: 0.7s;
  animation-direction: reverse;
}

@keyframes rotate {
  0% {
    transform: rotate(0);
  }
  100% {
    transform: rotate(360deg);
  }
}

Result

See CSS animations for examples.

Specifications

Specification
CSS Animations Level 1
# animation-direction

Browser compatibility

desktop mobile
Chrome
Edge
Firefox
Opera
Safari
Chrome Android
Firefox for Android
Opera Android
Safari on iOS
Samsung Internet
WebView Android
WebView on iOS
animation-direction
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 3 (Release date: 2009-09-15)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 43 (Release date: 2015-05-19)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 5 (Release date: 2011-06-21)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 49 (Release date: 2016-09-20)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 16 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Opera – No support
Opera 12 – 12.1 (Release date: 2012-06-14)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -o-
Opera – No support
Opera 12.1 – 12.1 (Release date: 2012-11-20)
unknown Support unknown
Opera – Full support
Opera 15 (Release date: 2013-07-02)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Opera – Full support
Opera 30 (Release date: 2015-06-09)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 4 (Release date: 2009-06-08)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Safari – Full support
Safari 9 (Release date: 2015-09-30)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 18 (Release date: 2012-06-27)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 43 (Release date: 2015-05-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 5 (Release date: 2011-06-21)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 49 (Release date: 2016-09-20)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 16 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – No support
Opera Android 12 – 12.1 (Release date: 2012-02-25)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -o-
Opera Android – No support
Opera Android 12.1 – 12.1 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
unknown Support unknown
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 14 (Release date: 2013-05-21)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 30 (Release date: 2015-06-10)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 3.2 (Release date: 2010-04-03)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 9 (Release date: 2015-09-16)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1 (Release date: 2013-04-27)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 4 (Release date: 2016-03-11)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 43 (Release date: 2015-05-27)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 3.2 (Release date: 2010-04-03)
prefix
prefix Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 9 (Release date: 2015-09-16)
footnote Full support
alternate
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 3 (Release date: 2009-09-15)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 5 (Release date: 2011-06-21)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 15 (Release date: 2013-07-02)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 4 (Release date: 2009-06-08)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 18 (Release date: 2012-06-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 5 (Release date: 2011-06-21)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 14 (Release date: 2013-05-21)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 3.2 (Release date: 2010-04-03)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1 (Release date: 2013-04-27)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 3.2 (Release date: 2010-04-03)
footnote Full support
alternate-reverse
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 19 (Release date: 2012-05-15)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 16 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 12.1 (Release date: 2012-11-20)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 6 (Release date: 2012-07-25)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 25 (Release date: 2013-02-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 16 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 12.1 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 6 (Release date: 2012-09-10)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1.5 (Release date: 2013-09-25)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 6 (Release date: 2012-09-10)
footnote Full support
normal
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 3 (Release date: 2009-09-15)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 5 (Release date: 2011-06-21)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 15 (Release date: 2013-07-02)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 4 (Release date: 2009-06-08)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 18 (Release date: 2012-06-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 5 (Release date: 2011-06-21)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 14 (Release date: 2013-05-21)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 3.2 (Release date: 2010-04-03)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1 (Release date: 2013-04-27)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 3.2 (Release date: 2010-04-03)
footnote Full support
reverse
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 19 (Release date: 2012-05-15)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 16 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 12.1 (Release date: 2012-11-20)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 6 (Release date: 2012-07-25)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 25 (Release date: 2013-02-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 16 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 12.1 (Release date: 2012-10-09)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 6 (Release date: 2012-09-10)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1.5 (Release date: 2013-09-25)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 6 (Release date: 2012-09-10)
footnote Full support

Legend

Tip: you can click/tap on a cell for more information.

Full support
Full support
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.
Has more compatibility info.

See also