Micro Animations (100-200ms)

Micro Animations (100-200ms)

The 100-200ms range is the sweet spot for micro-interactions. Fast enough to feel responsive, slow enough to be perceived as intentional motion.

Disney Principles at Micro Speed

Works Well

Squash & Stretch: Light application - 5-10% works for bouncy buttons, appearing elements.

Anticipation: Micro-anticipation possible - 20-30ms wind-up before 150ms action.

Staging: Single focal point - one element moving, rest static.

Straight Ahead/​Pose to Pose: Either works - simple enough for straight ahead, controlled enough for poses.

Follow Through: Minimal overshoot - 2-5% past target, settle quickly.

Slow In/​Slow Out: ease-out dominates - elements should arrive confidently.

Arcs: Slight curves possible - dropdown items can arc subtly rather than straight down.

Secondary Action: One secondary max - icon rotates while menu opens.

Timing: 6-12 frames at 60fps. Enough for smooth motion.

Exaggeration: Moderate - scale 0.9-1.1, rotation up to 30 degrees.

Solid Drawing: Simple transforms - scale, opacity, short translations.

Appeal: Quick animations feel modern and polished.

Doesn't Work

• Long travel distances
• Complex choreography
• Heavy physics simulations
• Multi-stage reveals
• Elaborate anticipation sequences

Easing Recommendations

/​* Standard micro-interaction */
transition: all 150ms ease-out;

/​* Appearing elements - start fast, land soft */
transition: opacity 120ms ease-out, transform 150ms ease-out;

/​* Bouncy micro-feedback */
transition: transform 180ms cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1);

Best Use Cases

• Tooltip appearance
• Dropdown menus opening
• Icon state changes
• Small hover animations
• Notification badges
• Tab switches
• Accordion headers

Implementation Pattern

.tooltip {
  opacity: 0;
  transform: translateY(-4px) scale(0.95);
  transition: opacity 120ms ease-out,
              transform 150ms ease-out;
}

.trigger:hover .tooltip {
  opacity: 1;
  transform: translateY(0) scale(1);
}

.dropdown-item {
  opacity: 0;
  transform: translateY(-8px);
  transition: all 150ms ease-out;
}

Key Insight

Micro-animations are felt more than watched. Users notice when they're missing but don't consciously observe them. This is where polish lives.