Pinwheel Spinner
Four two-tone paper blades whirl up to speed and coast to a stop each turn, like a pinwheel in gusts of wind. Every blade is the same clip-path triangle, rotated a quarter turn from the last.
Also known as: windmill loader, fan spinner, paper pinwheel animation.
HTML
<div class="ldr-pinwheel-spinner" role="status" aria-label="Loading"> <span style="--i: 0"></span><span style="--i: 1"></span><span style="--i: 2"></span><span style="--i: 3"></span> </div>
CSS
.ldr-pinwheel-spinner {
--s: var(--ldr-size, 48px);
--c: var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6);
position: relative;
width: var(--s);
height: var(--s);
animation: ldr-pinwheel-spinner-whirl 1.6s cubic-bezier(0.55, 0, 0.45, 1) infinite;
}
/* Each blade fills half of a quadrant; transform-origin is the hub at the centre. */
.ldr-pinwheel-spinner span {
position: absolute;
left: 50%;
top: 14%;
width: 36%;
height: 36%;
background: linear-gradient(135deg, var(--c) 50%, color-mix(in srgb, var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6) 55%, transparent) 50%);
clip-path: polygon(0 0, 100% 0, 0 100%);
transform-origin: 0 100%;
transform: rotate(calc(var(--i) * 90deg));
}
.ldr-pinwheel-spinner::after {
content: "";
position: absolute;
top: 50%;
left: 50%;
width: calc(var(--s) / 8);
height: calc(var(--s) / 8);
border: calc(var(--s) / 32) solid var(--c);
border-radius: 50%;
background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6) 30%, transparent);
transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
}
@keyframes ldr-pinwheel-spinner-whirl {
to { transform: rotate(360deg); }
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.ldr-pinwheel-spinner, .ldr-pinwheel-spinner *, .ldr-pinwheel-spinner::before, .ldr-pinwheel-spinner::after, .ldr-pinwheel-spinner *::before, .ldr-pinwheel-spinner *::after {
animation-duration: 3s;
}
}Customizing this loader
- Color: set
--ldr-coloron the element or a parent. Currently previewing#3b82f6. - Size: set
--ldr-size. Every dimension in the snippet is derived from it. Currently previewing64px. - Speed: change the duration on the
animationshorthand. Delays on the children are relative, so they keep their rhythm. - Accessibility: the root carries
role="status"and anaria-labelso screen readers announce the wait. The reduced-motion rule at the end slows the animation for users who asked for less motion.