Websites that stay static as users browse are quickly becoming outdated. CSS animations on scroll examples show how simple code transforms ordinary pages into engaging experiences.
Scroll-triggered animations create that perfect balance between functionality and visual appeal. Using the Intersection Observer API and CSS3 properties like transform and opacity transitions, you can build smooth scroll-based effects without heavy JavaScript frameworks.
This guide explores:
- Fade in on scroll techniques that reveal content naturally
- Parallax scrolling effects that add depth to flat designs
- Scroll animation libraries like AOS, GSAP ScrollTrigger, and ScrollReveal
- Performance tips for responsive animations that work across devices
Whether you’re looking for scroll animation code snippets or complete interactive web design examples, you’ll find practical solutions that can be implemented today.
Examples Of CSS Animations On Scroll
Bind that Scroll to a Beat
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Bind CSS keyframe animation to scroll by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Chris Coyier? Oh, he’s the mastermind behind this scroll and dance magic with CSS.
Page’s Little Reveal Party
Just a sweet lil thing. Pop in your Js, sprinkle some animate.css, and voilà, your page reveals its inner diva.
Transitioning with Every Scroll
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Scroll Transition by Amith Jayapraban (@amithjayapraban)
on CodePen.
Props to Amith Jayapraban for this piece.
Trigger Happy Animations (With a Touch of jQuery)
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Scroll-Triggered Animations (jQuery) by Bramus (@bramus)
on CodePen.
Bramus rolled out these eight slick intros. Drop them into your site and watch the magic.
Text Cascades Like Waterfalls
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Cascading text effects w/ Splitting + ScrollOut ✍️🤓 by Jhey (@jh3y)
on CodePen.
Shoutout to Jhey for this mind-bending piece.
ScrollMagic in its Pure Essence
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ScrollMagic – Basic by Anushka Chauhan (@anushkachauhan)
on CodePen.
Anushka Chauhan made the page dance to the user’s scroll.
Skew Till You Can’t No More
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Scroll Animation by Snafu Studio (@SnafuParadise)
on CodePen.
Simon Serrano’s got game! Skew and play as you wish.
Halfway to Perfection
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scrollHalf by elgatodealien (@elgatodealien)
on CodePen.
The genius of elgatodealien.
Crossroads of Animations
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Crossing on scroll by Ofek Nakar (@OfekNakar)
on CodePen.
Ofek Nakar makes the page pop with every scroll.
A Whole New Parallax World
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Parallax Scrolling animations by Sonia Grant (@webwitch)
on CodePen.
Sonia Grant’s toolkit. A dream for full-size site lovers.
Deck of Illusions
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Image Deck Animation by sandeshsapkota (@sandeshsapkota)
on CodePen.
Magic crafted by sandeshsapkota.
Righteous Scroll
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Justified Scroll Animation by Yoav Kadosh (@ykadosh)
on CodePen.
Yoav Kadosh’s spin on CSS magic.
Zoom, But Only When You’re Watching
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Efficient Scroll Zoom by Chris Weissenberger (@CAWeissen)
on CodePen.
Chris Weissenberger’s smart zoom. Efficient and stylish!
Pizza, But Animated
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Pizza example (animated images) by Donovan Hutchinson (@donovanh)
on CodePen.
Donovan Hutchinson serving animated deliciousness.
Timeline’s Slide n’ Glide
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Physic Milestones Timeline – Date 11 (24 days of animation) by januaryofmine (@januaryofmine)
on CodePen.
Khanh’s moving timeline. A real scroll treat.
Stories from the Scroll
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Scroll Animation by Julia Undeutsch (@YuriDevAT)
on CodePen.
Julia Undeutsch’s masterpiece.
Icon that Jives with the Scroll
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Animated-Scroll-Icon by Wilhelm Mitschev (@skalar)
on CodePen.
Wilhelm Mitschev’s touch.
Smoother Than Your Average Scroll
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Pure CSS Smooth Scrolling Effect No Javascript by Bousahla Mounir (@bousahla-mounir)
on CodePen.
Bousahla Mounir’s smooth moves with HTML and CSS.
Story Cards that Move with Time
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Scrolling Story Cards by Mike England (@mengland)
on CodePen.
Mike England’s timeline animation. A site’s storytelling champ.
Animating with Each Scroll
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Scroll Animation by Kostas Tepetes (@kostastepetes)
on CodePen.
Kudos to Kostas Tepetes.
Parallax, But Make it Fashion
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On scroll parallax by Nadeesha Eranjan (@nadeeshae)
on CodePen.
Nadeesha Eranjan’s stylish scroll spin.
Carousel’s Dreamy Dance
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Vertical carousel with TweenMax.js by Danil Goncharenko (@Danil89)
on CodePen.
Danil Goncharenko’s carousel. Three’s a charm, especially when they scroll.
Content That Glows with Every Scroll
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Content Animation With Scroll by Sanjit Sarkar (@sanjitbrwnsmith)
on CodePen.
Shoutout to my dude, Sanjit Sarkar. Rocking the scroll game!
Marquee Madness: Dance On Scroll
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GSAP ScrollTrigger – Marquee Page Border by Ryan Mulligan (@hexagoncircle)
on CodePen.
Ryan Mulligan brings the old school marquee back to life. Twist it, turn it, customize it; it’s all yours!
Weekly Groove with CSS
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scroll animation with CSS — week 32/52 by Mert Cukuren (@knyttneve)
on CodePen.
Brought to you by Mert Cukuren, making every scroll count.
Unmasking the Scroll: SVG Text Edition
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ScrollTrigger: SVG Text Mask by Tom Miller (@creativeocean)
on CodePen.
Tom Miller, folks! Dropping some GSAP scrolltrigger action. Personalize? Why not!
Fade, Slide, Amaze
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CSS/JS Fadeout scroll animation by Elwin van den Hazel (@elwinvdhazel)
on CodePen.
Elwin van den Hazel’s epic fadeout move. Mind. Blown.
Snap to the Groove with CSS
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css scroll snap by Logan Liffick (@loganliffick)
on CodePen.
A scroll masterpiece from the talented Logan Liffick.
Hover and Shine: Image Gallery
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Image Accordions – Date 9 (24 days of animation) by januaryofmine (@januaryofmine)
on CodePen.
Four stunning hover effects using Swiper.js. Bravo, Khanh!
Dive into Dynamic Scrolls
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Scroll Animations by Jaymie Rosen (@jaymierosen)
on CodePen.
Jaymie Rosen, doing wonders. Scroll, rejoice, repeat.
Unravel the Scroll Magic
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Amazing Scroll by Mr Neo (@Mr_Neo)
on CodePen.
The mystery unfolds with Mr Neo’s touch.
Tilt and Play: The Skew Game
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Skew Scrolling Effect ▲ by Dronca Raul (@rauldronca)
on CodePen.
Props to Dronca Raul for this captivating skew effect. Keep scrolling and watch the magic unfold!
jQuery Spices up the CSS Scroll
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CSS animation on scroll with jQuery by Anna Karlovskaya (@annakarlovskaya)
on CodePen.
Anna Karlovskaya sprinkling some jQuery charm.
Slicing Words with Every Scroll
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Split-text effect with scroll based animation by Thiago (@thigs)
on CodePen.
Thiago crafts a split-text marvel. Customize? Heck, yeah!
Taking Steps with GSAP
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GSAP On-Scroll Walking Cycle by Ksenia Kondrashova (@ksenia-k)
on CodePen.
Ksenia Kondrashova’s on-scroll walking cycle is chef’s kiss.
Captivate with Smoove.js
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smoove.js css3 scroll effects by Yifang Di (@diyifang)
on CodePen.
Crafted by Y ifang Di, showcasing groups of images that will make your jaw drop!
Paper Plane Dreams On Scroll
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Banner animation on scroll (paper plane) by Yudiz Solutions Limited (@yudizsolutions)
on CodePen.
All aboard Yudiz Solutions Limited’s animated journey!
3D Scrolls That’ll Make You Blink Twice
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3D CSS Scroll by Shaw (@shshaw)
on CodePen.
Kudos to Shaw for this mesmerizing 3D touch.
The Never-Ending GSAP Scroll Tale
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GSAP Infinite Scroll Animation by Vishal (@Vishal4225)
on CodePen.
A scroll saga, handcrafted by Vishal. Get lost in the endless animations.
Artistry in Scroll: Draw as You Go
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Scroll Drawing by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Chris Coyier presents a masterpiece, where SVG comes alive with each scroll. And guess what? If it ain’t your jam, you can twist it and tweak it!
Smooth Moves with JS
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JS: Scroll Animation using Intersection Observer API by Saief Al Emon (@iamsaief)
on CodePen.
Saief Al Emon, my guy, dropping CSS scroll-based wonders like it’s hot.
Making Words Pop on Scroll
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trigger a css animation on scroll by MrJohnson (@mrjohnson)
on CodePen.
Kudos to MrJohnson. This isn’t just text; it’s text with attitude and a wee bit of delay.
Tilt the World: One Page at a Time
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Skewed One Page Scroll by Nikolay Talanov (@suez)
on CodePen.
Nikolay Talanov’s skewed vision. Jazz up your scrolling experience, or tweak it if you’re feeling fancy.
Scroll with a Touch of Jquery
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Scroll-animation Jquery by Deepak Saini (@Saini-deepak)
on CodePen.
Deepak Saini’s take on the game.
Not Just Any Scroll… It’s Magical
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Scroll animation by ankit (@celebstori)
on CodePen.
Ankit’s spellbinding touch. Images, videos, and more dancing with your scroll.
Scroll and Spin: An SVG Tale
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Scroll Spinning SVG by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Another gem from Chris Coyier. It’s not just scrolling; it’s an adventure!
Dive Deep with Parallax Scrolls
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Parallax Scrolling Website by Kodplay (@kodplay)
on CodePen.
Brought to you by Kodplay. Customize? Heck, yeah!
Fade. Rise. Scroll. Repeat.
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CSS Animations on Scroll – Fade From Bottom up by SitePoint (@SitePoint)
on CodePen.
Crafted by the wizards at SitePoint.
Gallery Slides: Now That’s Smooth
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Slide-out Scrolling Gallery by Teegan Lincoln (@teeganlincoln)
on CodePen.
Teegan Lincoln’s magnum opus for every pic lover out there.
Floating Text and Wobbly Pics
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Untitled by bellachen (@bellachen1010)
on CodePen.
Bellachen gives us the feels with this fun scrolling adventure.
Blossom Your Words with Each Scroll
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Directionally blooming words 🎨 by Jhey (@jh3y)
on CodePen.
Jhey takes the cake with directionally blooming words. And yup, you can play around and make it your own. Enjoy the scroll ride!
FAQ on CSS Animations on Scroll Examples
How do I implement basic fade-in animations on scroll?
Use the Intersection Observer API to detect when elements enter the viewport. Apply CSS transitions with opacity and transform properties. Libraries like AOS (Animate On Scroll) simplify this with attributes:
[data-aos="fade-up"] {
transform: translateY(50px);
opacity: 0;
transition: 0.6s;
}
What’s the difference between scroll-triggered animations and parallax effects?
Scroll-triggered animations activate once when elements enter the viewport using viewport-based animations. Parallax scrolling effects create depth by moving elements at different speeds continuously during scroll. One uses intersection observer animations, the other relies on scroll event listeners with position calculations.
Which animation libraries work best for scroll animations?
Top libraries include:
- GSAP ScrollTrigger – powerful and flexible
- ScrollReveal – lightweight and simple
- AOS library – easy to implement
- WOW.js – minimal configuration
- ScrollMagic – complex sequences
Each offers different approaches to scroll animation timing and easing functions.
How can I improve performance of scroll animations?
For smooth scroll animation performance:
- Use CSS transform instead of animating position properties
- Utilize requestAnimationFrame for JavaScript animations
- Implement lazy loading with animations
- Avoid simultaneous animations of many elements
- Consider using CSS Grid or Flexbox for layout instead of animating layout properties
Do scroll animations work on mobile devices?
Yes, but scroll animations for mobile require special consideration. Use responsive breakpoints to adjust animation timing functions and distances. Test on actual devices. Some heavy parallax effects may need simplification. Viewport width units help maintain proportional animations across screen sizes.
How do I create scroll animations without JavaScript?
Pure CSS animation without JavaScript is possible using the :target selector or scroll-behavior: smooth. However, triggering based on scroll position typically requires JavaScript. CSS handles the actual animation via keyframes and transition-delay, while JS manages when they start.
What’s the best way to sequence multiple animations on scroll?
For animation sequence on scroll, stagger animations using either:
- Different animation delay techniques
- Library features like GSAP timeline
- Manual Intersection Observer thresholds
- Custom scroll animation duration calculations
The key is coordinating animation easing functions for natural flow.
Can scroll animations affect SEO?
Properly implemented scroll-activated animations don’t affect SEO negatively. Ensure content exists in the DOM even before animation. Avoid hiding important text with opacity transitions until scroll. Use progressive scroll animations as enhancement, not requirement, for content accessibility.
How do I debug issues with scroll animations?
Troubleshoot scroll-based animations by:
- Using browser dev tools to inspect element classes
- Adding visible indicators for trigger points
- Temporarily slowing animations with longer scroll animation duration
- Testing cross-browser animations compatibility
- Checking for conflicts between libraries and CSS variables
What are some creative scroll animation examples I can implement?
Try these scroll animation inspiration ideas:
- Text characters that assemble as you scroll
- Images that reveal with SVG animations masks
- Content cards with staggered entrance animations
- Statistics that count up using Lottie or dynamic content reveal
- Background color shifts tied to scroll position using CSS variables
Conclusion
Exploring CSS animations on scroll examples opens up a world of creative possibilities for front-end developers aiming to craft engaging, interactive web experiences. These animations not only improve user interface design but also elevate the overall web page aesthetics by bringing movement and flow as users scroll through content. Leveraging tools like ScrollMagic or Intersection Observer API, designers can trigger animations based on element visibility and viewport interactions—making websites feel dynamic and modern.
By integrating scroll-triggered effects with responsive layouts and precise animation timing, developers can create seamless UX animations that boost both usability and visual appeal. Want to go beyond the basics? Tap into resources like MDN, experiment on CodePen, or explore libraries such as GSAP for more complex animation techniques.
Key takeaways:
Use HTML, CSS, and JavaScript together for advanced effects.
Optimize animations for web performance and mobile devices.
Enhance engagement with thoughtfully timed transition effects.
