Rotating Dots Loader
Three dots in a row, the middle one larger, spin a full turn with a strong ease so they whip around and rest flat for a beat. A single keyframe on the wrapper; the dots themselves never animate.
Also known as: spinning three dots, propeller dots loader, rotating ellipsis.
HTML
<div class="ldr-rotating-dots" role="status" aria-label="Loading"> <span></span><span></span><span></span> </div>
CSS
.ldr-rotating-dots {
--s: var(--ldr-size, 48px);
--c: var(--ldr-color, #3b82f6);
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
gap: calc(var(--s) / 10);
width: var(--s);
height: var(--s);
animation: ldr-rotating-dots-spin 1.2s cubic-bezier(0.7, 0, 0.3, 1) infinite;
}
.ldr-rotating-dots span {
width: calc(var(--s) / 4.5);
height: calc(var(--s) / 4.5);
border-radius: 50%;
background: var(--c);
}
.ldr-rotating-dots span:nth-child(2) {
width: calc(var(--s) / 3.4);
height: calc(var(--s) / 3.4);
}
@keyframes ldr-rotating-dots-spin {
to { transform: rotate(360deg); }
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.ldr-rotating-dots, .ldr-rotating-dots *, .ldr-rotating-dots::before, .ldr-rotating-dots::after, .ldr-rotating-dots *::before, .ldr-rotating-dots *::after {
animation-duration: 3s;
}
}Tailwind CSS version
The same loader using only Tailwind's built-in animation utilities. No custom keyframes or config needed.
<div class="flex h-12 w-12 animate-[spin_1.2s_cubic-bezier(0.7,0,0.3,1)_infinite] items-center justify-center gap-[5px]" role="status" aria-label="Loading"> <span class="h-[11px] w-[11px] rounded-full bg-blue-500"></span> <span class="h-[14px] w-[14px] rounded-full bg-blue-500"></span> <span class="h-[11px] w-[11px] rounded-full bg-blue-500"></span> </div>
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.