Glitch Rotating Text
Each word cuts in hard with a short glitch burst: tinted copies jump through clip-path slices and the letters jitter, then everything locks steady. steps() timing keeps the burst crisp.
Also known as: glitch word swap, glitch text transition, channel switch text.
System
booting
online
secure
HTML
<div class="txt-glitch-rotating-text">System
<span class="txt-glitch-rotating-text-words">
<span style="--i: 0" data-text="booting">booting</span>
<span style="--i: 1" data-text="online">online</span>
<span style="--i: 2" data-text="secure">secure</span>
</span>
</div>CSS
.txt-glitch-rotating-text {
--c: var(--txt-color, #3b82f6);
font-size: var(--txt-size, 32px);
font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
font-weight: 700;
line-height: 1.2;
display: flex;
align-items: baseline;
gap: 0.28em;
white-space: nowrap;}
.txt-glitch-rotating-text-words {
display: inline-grid;
color: var(--c);
}
.txt-glitch-rotating-text-words span {
grid-area: 1 / 1;
justify-self: start;
position: relative;
/* 3 words x 2.2s = 6.6s; each word cuts in, glitches for 0.26s, then holds */
animation: txt-glitch-rotating-text-cut 6.6s steps(1, end) infinite;
animation-delay: calc(var(--i) * 2.2s - 7.1s);
}
.txt-glitch-rotating-text-words span:not(:first-child) {
opacity: 0;
}
.txt-glitch-rotating-text-words span::before,
.txt-glitch-rotating-text-words span::after {
content: attr(data-text);
position: absolute;
inset: 0;
clip-path: inset(50% 0 50% 0);
animation: 6.6s steps(1, end) infinite;
animation-delay: inherit;
}
.txt-glitch-rotating-text-words span::before {
color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 45%, #ec4899);
animation-name: txt-glitch-rotating-text-slice-a;
}
.txt-glitch-rotating-text-words span::after {
color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 45%, #22d3ee);
animation-name: txt-glitch-rotating-text-slice-b;
}
@keyframes txt-glitch-rotating-text-cut {
0% { opacity: 1; transform: translateX(0.06em) skewX(-10deg); }
0.91% { opacity: 1; transform: translateX(-0.05em) skewX(8deg); }
1.82% { opacity: 1; transform: translateX(0.03em) skewX(-3deg); }
2.73% { opacity: 1; transform: translateX(-0.02em) skewX(0); }
3.94% { opacity: 1; transform: none; }
33.33%, 100% { opacity: 0; transform: none; }
}
@keyframes txt-glitch-rotating-text-slice-a {
0% { clip-path: inset(8% 0 58% 0); transform: translateX(-0.1em); }
0.91% { clip-path: inset(62% 0 12% 0); transform: translateX(0.12em); }
1.82% { clip-path: inset(30% 0 44% 0); transform: translateX(-0.06em); }
2.73% { clip-path: inset(78% 0 4% 0); transform: translateX(0.08em); }
3.94%, 100% { clip-path: inset(50% 0 50% 0); transform: none; }
}
@keyframes txt-glitch-rotating-text-slice-b {
0% { clip-path: inset(55% 0 20% 0); transform: translateX(0.1em); }
0.91% { clip-path: inset(12% 0 70% 0); transform: translateX(-0.08em); }
1.82% { clip-path: inset(70% 0 8% 0); transform: translateX(0.05em); }
2.73% { clip-path: inset(20% 0 60% 0); transform: translateX(-0.1em); }
3.94%, 100% { clip-path: inset(50% 0 50% 0); transform: none; }
}
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.txt-glitch-rotating-text, .txt-glitch-rotating-text *, .txt-glitch-rotating-text::before, .txt-glitch-rotating-text::after, .txt-glitch-rotating-text *::before, .txt-glitch-rotating-text *::after {
animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
}
}Customizing this snippet
- Color: set
--txt-coloron the element or a parent. Currently previewing#3b82f6. - Font size: set
--txt-size. Every other dimension is inem, so the whole thing scales together. Currently previewing40px. - Speed: change the duration on the
transitionoranimationshorthand. Staggered delays are relative, so they keep their rhythm. - Reduced motion: the rule at the end of the CSS turns the motion off for people who asked their OS for less of it. Keep it.