Loading spinner

Web features: prefers-reduced-motion media query Conic gradients <progress>

A loading spinner (or activity indicator) informs users that a process is underway when the exact duration is unknown. Unlike a progress ring, a spinner is "indeterminate" and typically uses animation to signal activity.

This guide implements a spinner by:

  • Using the native <progress> element as the semantic foundation. By omitting the value attribute, the browser treats it as an indeterminate progress bar, ensuring correct announcement by assistive technologies.
  • Styling the component with conic-gradient() to create a visual "trail" and background-clip: border-area to hollow out the center into a ring.
  • Animating the spinner efficiently using CSS transforms and respecting prefers-reduced-motion to ensure a comfortable experience for all users.

See Progress ring for handling determinate tasks with a known duration.

Implementation

1. Markup

Use the native <progress> element as both the semantic source of truth and the visual component. Without a value attribute, it is implicitly indeterminate.

<progress aria-label="Loading" class="loading-spinner"></progress>

2. Styles

Hiding Native UI

To style the <progress> element as a spinner, first hide the default browser styling for indeterminate progress bars.

/* Hide native bars */
progress.loading-spinner:indeterminate::-webkit-progress-bar {
  display: none;
  background: none;
}
progress.loading-spinner:indeterminate::-webkit-progress-value {
  display: none;
  background: none;
}
progress.loading-spinner:indeterminate::-moz-progress-bar {
  display: none;
  background: none;
}
progress.loading-spinner:indeterminate::slider-fill {
  display: none;
  background: none;
}

Spinner Ring and Trail

The spinner uses a conic-gradient to create a visual trail.

@property --arc-start {
  syntax: "<angle>";
  inherits: false;
  initial-value: 0deg;
}
@property --arc-end {
  syntax: "<angle>";
  inherits: false;
  initial-value: 0deg;
}
/* Use a custom property to conditionally include the dash animation */
@property --progress-dash-animation {
  syntax: "*";
  inherits: false;
  initial-value: , progress-dash 3s ease-in-out infinite;
}

progress.loading-spinner:indeterminate {
  --_from: calc(90deg + var(--arc-start, 0deg));
  --_to: calc(90deg + var(--arc-end, 158deg));
  --size: 40px;
  --thickness: 2px;
  --spinner-color: #3b82f6;
  --track-color: #e2e5e7;
  --spinner-duration: 1.5s;
  --_used-spinner-duration: var(--spinner-duration);
  --spinner-timing: linear;

  position: relative;
  width: var(--size);
  height: var(--size);
  border-radius: 50%;
  appearance: none;

  /* Create the fading trail with dynamic angles */
  background: conic-gradient(
      from var(--_from),
      var(--spinner-color) calc(var(--_to) - var(--_from)),
      transparent 0
    )
    var(--track-color);

  @supports (background-clip: border-area) {
    background-clip: border-area;
    border: var(--thickness) solid transparent;
    background-origin: border-box;
  }

  /* ... fallback for background-clip: border-area ... */

  /* The dash animation is only included if @property is supported */
  animation:
    progress-spin var(--_used-spinner-duration) linear infinite
    var(--progress-dash-animation, );
}

@keyframes progress-spin {
  to {
    rotate: 1turn;
  }
}

@keyframes progress-dash {
  from {
    --arc-start: 0deg;
    --arc-end: 3deg;
  }
  50% {
    --arc-start: 100deg;
    --arc-end: 358deg;
  }
  to {
    --arc-start: 360deg;
    --arc-end: 363deg;
  }
}

Respecting Motion Preferences

Users with motion sensitivities may find fast-spinning elements disorienting. Always respect the prefers-reduced-motion media query. Set the internal --_used-spinner-duration property to override the user's --spinner-duration value.

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .loading-spinner {
    /* Slow down the animation significantly rather than stopping it entirely,
       so the user still knows that the process is active. */
    --_used-spinner-duration: 6s;
  }
}

Fallback strategies

If @property is supported, the dash animation is automatically included via the --progress-dash-animation property's initial-value. In browsers without @property support, the property registration is ignored, and the animation falls back to a simple rotation. No JavaScript is required for this fallback.

For browsers that don't yet support background-clip: border-area, fall back to a mask-image to hollow out the center.

/* Fallback: use mask-image to create the ring */
@supports not (background-clip: border-area) {
  --clip-boundary: calc(100% - var(--thickness));
  mask-image: radial-gradient(
    farthest-side,
    transparent var(--clip-boundary),
    black var(--clip-boundary)
  );
  border: 0;
}