---
title: "Add animations and transitions"
canonical_url: https://docs.zvid.io/docs/editor/animations/
source: docs/editor/animations.md
content_revision: 6338386a1dd87e4a
---

# Add animations and transitions

Animate how an element enters and leaves, transition between footage, or build layered motion in Design Studio.

## When to use it

Use enter and exit effects for individual titles and graphics. Use video transitions to join footage, and [scene transitions](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/editor/scenes/#how-to-add-a-scene-transition) to join whole compositions.

## Before you begin

Open a video project and add the element you want to animate. Give it enough time on the timeline for its enter, visible, and exit windows.

## How to animate an element

**Navigation:** **Editor → select an element → Effects**.

1. Select a visual element on the stage or timeline.
2. Open **Effects → Enter animation** and choose an effect.
3. Set its **Duration**.
4. Choose an effect under **Exit animation** and set its **Duration**.
5. Play from before the element begins to after it ends.

![Zvid Effects panel for the selected demo heading with Enter animation and Exit animation controls.](https://docs.zvid.io/img/dashboard-guide/editor-effects.png)

The enter effect runs from **Appears at (enterBegin)** to **Enter anim ends (enterEnd)**. The exit effect runs from **Exit anim starts (exitBegin)** to **Disappears at (exitEnd)**. Use the **Timing** tab or yellow clip handles for precise boundaries.

## How to transition between video clips

1. Add two video elements in the same scene or editing context.
2. Select the first video and open **Effects**.
3. Expand **Transition to another video**.
4. Select **Target video**, then choose **Effect**.
5. Set **Overlap duration** and review both clips' timing.
6. Preview the join, then inspect a render for the final appearance.

Set **Target video** to **none** to remove the link. A video with a linked transition suppresses its separate exit animation during rendering.

## How to adjust color filters

1. Select an image, video, or SVG element.
2. Open **Effects → Color filters**.
3. Adjust **Brightness**, **Contrast**, **Saturation**, **Hue rotate**, **Blur**, **Invert**, or **Color tint**.
4. Check the stage and the final render when color matching matters.

The filter controls are separate from animation timing. See the [filter reference](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/structure/properties/filter-options/) for their JSON behavior.

## How to create layered or custom motion

For a visual workflow, open **Design → New design**, add layers, and use each layer's **Animation** section. [Design Studio](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/editor/text-and-design/) provides entrance, loop, and text animation presets with the controls relevant to each preset.

For existing text or SVG elements with custom animation code:

1. Select the element and open **Effects → Animation code (customCode)**.
2. Edit **CSS** and, if required, **JavaScript**.
3. Set **Loop duration** and review any warning.
4. Preview the animation and render a test output before reusing it in a template.

## Important notes

Browser previews approximate some transition effects. Effects marked **≈** can differ from the rendered output. Chroma key is represented by a badge in the editor. See [effect preview differences](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/structure/properties/xfade-effects/) and [preview guidance](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/editor/preview/).

## What happens next

Effects remain editable in the project. [Save](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/editor/projects/) your changes and [render](https://docs.zvid.io/docs/editor/export/) when you are ready to verify the complete result.