ImageToSVG

How to Create SVG Loading Animations — Spinners & Skeletons

Build lightweight SVG loading spinners, animated progress rings, and skeleton loaders with pure CSS — no JavaScript required.

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VTracer vectorization + SVGO optimizationPrivacy protected

SVG Spinner with CSS Animation

A simple SVG spinner uses a `<circle>` with `stroke-dasharray` and CSS `animation: rotate 1s linear infinite`. The stroke-dasharray creates a partial arc; the rotation makes it spin.

  • Draw a <circle> with r=45 centered at cx=50 cy=50
  • Set stroke-dasharray='283' (2Ï€r) stroke-dashoffset='75'
  • Animate transform: rotate(360deg) on the SVG element

SVG Skeleton Screen Placeholders

Skeleton loaders use SVG `<rect>` elements with a gradient shimmer animation to mimic content layout while data loads. They improve perceived performance significantly.

  • Use <rect> shapes to represent text lines and images
  • Animate a linear gradient across the rects for shimmer effect
  • Match rect dimensions to the actual content layout

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the lightest SVG spinner approach?

A single <circle> with stroke-dasharray and a CSS rotate animation — under 200 bytes of SVG with no JavaScript dependency.

How do I make an SVG progress ring?

Calculate stroke-dashoffset as totalLength * (1 - progress). Update it with JavaScript or CSS transition as the progress value changes.

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