transition

The transition CSS property is a shorthand property for transition-property, transition-duration, transition-timing-function, and transition-delay.

Transitions enable you to define the transition between two states of an element. Different states may be defined using pseudo-classes like :hover or :active or dynamically set using JavaScript.

Constituent properties

This property is a shorthand for the following CSS properties:

Syntax

/* Apply to 1 property */
/* property name | duration */
transition: margin-right 4s;

/* property name | duration | delay */
transition: margin-right 4s 1s;

/* property name | duration | timing function */
transition: margin-right 4s ease-in-out;

/* property name | duration | timing function | delay */
transition: margin-right 4s ease-in-out 1s;

/* Apply to 2 properties */
transition: margin-right 4s, color 1s;

/* Apply to all changed properties */
transition: all 0.5s ease-out;

/* Global values */
transition: inherit;
transition: initial;
transition: unset;

The transition property is specified as one or more single-property transitions, separated by commas.

Each single-property transition describes the transition that should be applied to a single property (or the special values all and none). It includes:

  • zero or one value representing the property to which the transition should apply. This may be any one of:
    • the keyword none
    • the keyword all
    • a <custom-ident> naming a CSS property.
  • zero or one <single-transition-timing-function> value representing the timing function to use
  • zero, one, or two <time> values. The first value that can be parsed as a time is assigned to the transition-duration, and the second value that can be parsed as a time is assigned to transition-delay.

See how things are handled when lists of property values aren't the same length. In short, extra transition descriptions beyond the number of properties actually being animated are ignored.

Formal definition

Initial valueas each of the properties of the shorthand:
Applies toall elements, ::before and ::after pseudo-elements
Inheritedno
Computed valueas each of the properties of the shorthand:
Animation typediscrete

Formal syntax

<single-transition>#

where
<single-transition> = [ none | <single-transition-property> ] | <time> | <timing-function> | <time>

where
<single-transition-property> = all | <custom-ident>
<timing-function> = linear | <cubic-bezier-timing-function> | <step-timing-function>

where
<cubic-bezier-timing-function> = ease | ease-in | ease-out | ease-in-out | cubic-bezier(<number <a href="/docs/CSS/Value_definition_syntax#Brackets" title="Brackets: enclose several entities, combinators, and multipliers to transform them as a single component">[0,1]>, <number>, <number <a href="/docs/CSS/Value_definition_syntax#Brackets" title="Brackets: enclose several entities, combinators, and multipliers to transform them as a single component">[0,1]>, <number>)
<step-timing-function> = step-start | step-end | steps(<integer>[, <step-position>]?)

where
<step-position> = jump-start | jump-end | jump-none | jump-both | start | end

Examples

There are several more examples of CSS transitions included in the Using CSS transitions article.

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Transitions
The definition of 'transition' in that specification.
Working Draft Initial definition

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
transitionChrome Full support 26
Full support 26
Full support 1
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Edge Full support 12
Full support 12
Full support 12
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Firefox Full support 16
Notes
Full support 16
Notes
Notes Before Firefox 57, transitions do not work when transitioning from a text-shadow with a color specified to a text-shadow without a color specified (see bug 726550).
Notes Before Firefox 57, cancelling a filling animation (for example, with animation-fill-mode: forwards set) can trigger a transition set on the same element, although only once (see bug 1192592 and these test cases for more information).
Notes Before Firefox 57, the background-position property can't be transitioned between two values containing different numbers of <position> values, for example background-position: 10px 10px; and background-position: 20px 20px, 30px 30px; (see bug 1390446).
Full support 4
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-
Full support 49
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Full support 44
Prefixed Disabled
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Disabled From version 44: this feature is behind the layout.css.prefixes.webkit preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
IE Full support 10
Full support 10
Full support 10
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -ms-
Opera Full support 12.1
Full support 12.1
Full support 15
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
No support 10.1 — 15
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -o-
Safari Full support 9
Full support 9
Full support 3.1
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
WebView Android Full support ≤37
Full support ≤37
Full support 2
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Chrome Android Full support 26
Full support 26
Full support 18
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Firefox Android Full support 16
Notes
Full support 16
Notes
Notes Before Firefox 57, transitions do not work when transitioning from a text-shadow with a color specified to a text-shadow without a color specified (see bug 726550).
Notes Before Firefox 57, cancelling a filling animation (for example, with animation-fill-mode: forwards set) can trigger a transition set on the same element, although only once (see bug 1192592 and these test cases for more information).
Notes Before Firefox 57, the background-position property can't be transitioned between two values containing different numbers of <position> values, for example background-position: 10px 10px; and background-position: 20px 20px, 30px 30px; (see bug 1390446).
Full support 4
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-
Full support 49
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Full support 44
Prefixed Disabled
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Disabled From version 44: this feature is behind the layout.css.prefixes.webkit preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
Opera Android Full support 12.1
Full support 12.1
Full support 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
No support 10.1 — 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -o-
Safari iOS Full support 9
Full support 9
Full support 2
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.5
Full support 1.5
Full support 1.0
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
GradientsChrome No support NoEdge No support 12 — 79Firefox No support NoIE Full support 10Opera No support NoSafari No support NoWebView Android No support NoChrome Android No support NoFirefox Android No support NoOpera Android No support NoSafari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android No support No

Legend

Full support
Full support
No support
No support
See implementation notes.
See implementation notes.
User must explicitly enable this feature.
User must explicitly enable this feature.
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.

See also