October DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsClean PCRecommendedOne scan can reveal what keeps slowing WindowsLook for cleanup and repair opportunities.Run ScanOctober DealsAmazon USDeal season is back - check today's better picksAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.See Picks×
Skip to content
ThatPainter
accessibility

How to Easily Create a Spinner GIF Online: A Step-by-Step Tutorial for Web Designers and Developers

Build a small spinner GIF online from PNG frames, set its timing and loop, optimize the file, and embed it accessibly—or use CSS for a production web interface.

By ThatPainter Team 7 min read
Worth Installing

Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Outbyte PC Repair · freeRepair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallFix My PC Now →

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

ThatPainter is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More

The fastest way to create a spinner GIF online is to export a series of identically sized PNG frames, upload them to Ezgif GIF Maker, arrange the frames, set the delay and loop, then generate and optimize the animation. For a live website interface, however, CSS or SVG is usually easier to style and control. GIF is most useful when you need a standalone image for email, documentation, prototypes, CMS fields, or legacy software.

What a spinner GIF is—and what it is not

An animated spinner GIF is a sequence of raster images displayed repeatedly to suggest ongoing activity. It is normally an indeterminate loading indicator: it tells users that work is continuing, but it does not show whether the task is 10% or 90% complete.

That distinction matters:

  • Indeterminate spinner: Indicates that a process is still running without estimating completion.
  • Determinate progress indicator: Shows measurable progress, such as 65%.
  • Decorative rotating icon: Adds motion but does not communicate application state.
  • Preloader: A loading graphic shown while a page, asset, or application initializes.

GIF supports multiple frames and broad image compatibility, but it has a limited palette and palette-based transparency. According to Ezgif’s GIF guide, modern formats can often provide better quality or smaller files.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Should you use GIF, CSS, SVG, or another format?

Choose GIF when the destination accepts only an image, such as an email, README, documentation page, prototype, or legacy system. It is also reasonable for a small, fixed-size spinner that does not need to react to application state.

#1 Best Overall
Sale
Drawing Tablet XPPen StarG640 Digital Graphic Tablet 6x4 Inch Art Tablet with Battery-Free Stylus Pen Tablet for Mac, Windows and Chromebook (Drawing/E-Learning/Remote-Working)
  • Battery-Free Pen: StarG640 drawing tablet is the perfect replacement for a traditional mouse! The XPPen advanced Battery-free PN01 stylus does not require charging, allowing for constant uninterrupted Draw and Play, making lines flow quicker and smoother, enhancing overall performance
  • Ideal for Online Education: XPPen G640 graphics tablet is designed for digital drawing, painting, sketching, E-signatures, online teaching, remote work, photo editing, it's compatible with Microsoft Office apps like Word, PowerPoint, OneNote, Zoom, Xsplit etc. Works perfect than a mouse, visually present your handwritten notes, signatures precisely
  • Compact and Portable: The G640 art tablet is only 2 mm thick, it's as slim as all primary level graphic tablets, allowing you to carry it with you on the go
  • Chromebook Supported: XPPen G640 digital drawing tablet is ready to work seamlessly with Chromebook devices now, so you can create information-rich content and collaborate with teachers and classmates on Google Jamboard’s whiteboard; Take notes quickly and conveniently with Google Keep, and effortlessly sketch diagrams with the Google Canvas
  • Multipurpose Use: Designed for playing OSU! Game, digital drawing, painting, sketch, sign documents digitally, this writing tablet also compatible with Microsoft Office programs like Word, PowerPoint, OneNote and more. Create mind-maps, draw diagrams or take notes as replacement for mouse

Choose CSS or SVG for a production website UI when the spinner should inherit a theme color, scale responsively, respect reduced-motion preferences, or stop immediately when a request completes. Choose Lottie when you need complex animation and runtime playback control. Animated WebP, AVIF, or APNG may be better than GIF when the target platform supports them and transparency or file size is important.

Requirement Best fit
Standalone animated image GIF
Themeable website loader CSS or SVG
Sharp scaling and recoloring SVG
Complex, controllable animation Lottie
Broad email or legacy compatibility GIF, with client testing

Prepare the spinner frames

Before opening an online editor, define the output you actually need:

  • Canvas: Start with 24×24, 32×32, or 48×48 pixels for a UI spinner. Use a larger canvas for presentations or illustrations.
  • Shape: Use a ring, arc, segmented circle, dots, or rotating line.
  • Background: Use transparency unless the spinner will always sit on a fixed-color surface.
  • Color: Check contrast against the intended background.
  • Frame count: Use only as many frames as necessary for smooth motion.
  • Output context: Decide whether the file is for a website, email, documentation, prototype, or another fixed-size placement.

Export each position as a separate PNG. For a 12-frame spinner, rotate the artwork by 30 degrees per frame:

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Frame 01: 0°
Frame 02: 30°
Frame 03: 60°
Frame 04: 90°
...
Frame 12: 330°

Keep every frame the same pixel dimensions and center the spinner identically. Name the files with leading zeroes:

spinner-01.png
spinner-02.png
spinner-03.png
...
spinner-12.png

This avoids alphabetical ordering such as spinner-1.png, spinner-10.png, spinner-2.png. Online tools commonly sort uploaded images by filename. Ezgif recommends similarly sized images in its slideshow guidance.

Rank #2
Sale
HUION Inspiroy H640P 6x4 inch Drawing Tablet 8192 Pen Pressure
  • Customize Your Workflow: The 6 customizable press keys on Huion H640P drawing tablet for pc let you assign your most-used commands—like undo, zoom, brush switch, or save—so you can keep your hands on the tablet and your mind on the art. Whether you're a digital painter switching brushes, or a comic artist zooming in and out, these keys keep your workflow smooth and uninterrupted. Plus, the Huion driver lets you save different shortcut profiles for different apps, so you never have to reconfigure when switching software.
  • Professional Pen Performance: Huion H640P drawing pad for computer comes with the battery-free PW100 stylus that's always ready when inspiration strikes. With 8192 levels of pressure sensitivity, every light sketch, or bold stroke responds naturally to your hand—just like a real pen. The 5080 LPI resolution and 233 PPS report rate deliver lag-free, precise strokes, so you can draw confidently without second-guessing your cursor. The pen side buttons help you switch between pen and eraser instantly.
  • Compact and Portable: Huion H640P computer graphics tablet features a compact, ultra-portable design at just 0.3 inches thin and 0.61 lbs light, so it slides easily into your backpack—perfect for sketching in coffee shops, taking notes in class, or editing on the go between home and studio. The 6x4 inch active area offers enough room for natural pen movements while fitting comfortably on crowded desks, or lecture hall seats.
  • Stable Compatibility: Huion H640P graphic drawing tablet works seamlessly with Mac, Windows, Linux PCs, and Android smartphones/tablets (OS version 6.0 or later). Left-handed friendly, and you just need to flip the tablet and adjust the settings in the driver. Please note: H640P does NOT support iPhone/iPad.
  • Move Beyond the Mouse: Huion Inspiroy H640P is a pen tablet that replaces your mouse for more natural, precise control. Freehand draw, take notes, or even play OSU—everything you do with a mouse, you can do better with a pen. The precise tip makes it ideal for detailed photo editing, graphic design, or signing PDF. Meanwhile, the ergonomic pen grip helps you avoid the strain that comes from hours of using a mouse.

Create the GIF with Ezgif

Ezgif is the most direct browser-based route when you want precise control over frame order and timing. Its current workflow accepts multiple image files, supports drag-and-drop ordering, and uses centiseconds—hundredths of a second—for frame delay. Interface labels can change, so verify them when you use the tool.

  1. Open Ezgif GIF Maker.
  2. Upload all PNG frames. Select or drag multiple files into the uploader.
  3. Confirm the order. Make sure the frames progress in one direction and that the final frame joins naturally to the first.
  4. Set the delay. Enter a centisecond value for how long each frame should remain visible.
  5. Set looping. Use an infinite loop for an indeterminate loader, or a finite loop for a demonstration or documentation example.
  6. Generate the animation. The current documented button is labeled Animate it!.
  7. Preview the result. Check speed, centering, transparency, edge quality, and the transition from the last frame to the first.

Frame-delay reference

Ezgif delay Approximate display time
5 0.05 seconds
8 0.08 seconds
10 0.10 seconds
12 0.12 seconds
15 0.15 seconds
20 0.20 seconds

As a starting point, try 6–10 centiseconds for a fast spinner, 10–15 for balanced motion, or 15–25 for a slower animation. These are starting points, not universal settings. If the animation looks frantic, increase the delay. If it looks jerky, adding intermediate frames may help more than simply changing playback speed.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Crop, resize, and optimize the GIF

Do not treat export as the final step. Use Ezgif’s optimizer and work through the changes in this order:

  1. Crop excess transparent canvas.
  2. Resize to the actual display dimensions.
  3. Remove redundant frames.
  4. Reduce the frame rate if the motion remains clear.
  5. Try lossy GIF compression.
  6. Reduce the color count only if necessary.
  7. Test transparency and edge quality again.

Ezgif’s optimization guide says lossy compression can sometimes reduce file size by roughly 30%–50%, but that is an approximate, tool-specific possibility rather than a guarantee. Test the result visually and check the actual file size.

Keep the first frame useful as a static image. Some email environments may show only the first frame or handle animation differently, so test the GIF in the specific clients that matter to you.

Rank #3
Wacom Intuos Small, Wired Graphic Drawing Tablet with Pen + Software
  • Wacom Intuos Small Graphics Drawing Tablet: Enjoy industry leading tablet performance in superior control and precision with Wacom's EMR, battery free technology that feels like pen on paper
  • Works With All Software: Wacom Intuos tablet can be used in any software program to explore new facets of digital creativity; draw, paint, edit photos/videos, create designs, and mark up documents
  • What the Professionals Use: Wacom's industry leading pen technology and pen to paper feeling makes it the preferred drawing tablet of professional graphic designers
  • Software and Training Included: Only Wacom gives you software with every purchase. Register your Intuos tablet and gain access to some of the best creative software and Wacom's online training
  • Wacom is the Global Leader in Drawing Tablet and Displays: For over 40 years in pen display and tablet market, you can trust that Wacom to help you bring your vision, ideas and creativity to life

Alternative: create the spinner in Adobe Express

Use Adobe Express when you prefer a visual editor, templates, or animated design elements over manual frame preparation.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
  1. Create a square design.
  2. Add a circle, arc, line, or dot pattern.
  3. Apply a Looping animation.
  4. Adjust direction, speed, and timing.
  5. Preview the result.
  6. Export or download it as a GIF using the available GIF format option.

Adobe’s current documentation describes In, Looping, and Out animation controls and a GIF export path: animation help and GIF export help. Controls and plan availability can change, so check the current interface before publishing instructions or screenshots.

Adobe Express is better suited to visual design and templates. Ezgif is usually better when you need deterministic frame order, exact delays, and a small, straightforward asset. You do not need a paid product for the basic frame-assembly workflow.

Add the spinner to HTML

Decorative spinner

If the motion is purely decorative, use an empty alternative text value and hide it from assistive technology:

<img
  src="/assets/spinner.gif"
  alt=""
  width="24"
  height="24"
  aria-hidden="true">

Fixed dimensions reserve layout space and help prevent content from shifting when the image loads.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
Rank #4
Sale
HUION Inspiroy 2 Large Drawing Tablet with 3-Group 8 Customized ExpressKeys
  • Advanced PenTech 3.0: Upgraded from PenTech 2.0 to PenTech 3.0, Inspiroy 2 drawing pad offers amazing precision & control over every line with no noticeable lag & wobble, just like a standard pen
  • Ergonomics Pen Design: The new digital stylus PW110 is improved designed with slimmer body, soft silicone grip & accessible side buttons for better ergonomics & comfort
  • Programmable Scroll & 3-Set Shortcut Keys: The digital art tablet with unique scroll wheel & 3-Set 8-press keys can be customized to your favorite shortcut so that your creative work becomes smoother and more efficient. You also can change the settings for different apps
  • Mobile Friendly: Enjoy creating on your Inspiroy 2 drawing tablet for pc and see your drawings and paintings come to life on your Android smartphone or tablet (OS version 6.0 or later)
  • Multi-OS Compatibility: Inspiroy 2 digital drawing pad is compatible with Mac (MacOS 10.12 or later), PC (Windows 7 or later), Linux(Ubuntu), and certain Android devices (OS version 6.0 or later)

Spinner with accessible status text

<div class="loading-indicator" role="status" aria-live="polite">
  <img
    src="/assets/spinner.gif"
    alt=""
    width="24"
    height="24"
    aria-hidden="true">
  <span>Loading results...</span>
</div>

A spinner alone does not make an interface accessible. Provide meaningful status text and appropriate semantics. If the process has measurable progress, use a determinate progress indicator instead of implying that a looping GIF communicates a percentage.

Hide it when the operation completes

A GIF cannot detect that a network request has finished. The surrounding application must hide or replace it:

const loader = document.querySelector('.loading-indicator');

function showLoader() {
  loader.hidden = false;
}

function hideLoader() {
  loader.hidden = true;
}
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

For production web UI, use CSS instead

A CSS spinner is normally easier to theme, scale, pause, and remove than a GIF. It can inherit currentColor and respond to user motion preferences:

<span class="spinner" aria-hidden="true"></span>
<span class="sr-only">Loading...</span>
.spinner {
  width: 1.25rem;
  height: 1.25rem;
  display: inline-block;
  border: 0.18rem solid currentColor;
  border-right-color: transparent;
  border-radius: 50%;
  animation: spinner-rotate 0.75s linear infinite;
}

@keyframes spinner-rotate {
  to { transform: rotate(360deg); }
}

.sr-only {
  position: absolute;
  width: 1px;
  height: 1px;
  padding: 0;
  margin: -1px;
  overflow: hidden;
  clip: rect(0, 0, 0, 0);
  white-space: nowrap;
  border: 0;
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .spinner {
    animation: none;
    border-right-color: currentColor;
  }
}

Use a static indicator or text for users who prefer not to see continuous motion. CSS and SVG also avoid the GIF-specific problem of palette-based transparency and jagged antialiased edges.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Troubleshooting

The frames play in the wrong order

Rename them with zero-padded numbers such as frame-01.png through frame-12.png, then drag them into the correct order and preview the result. Remove duplicates or misplaced frames before regenerating the GIF.

Best Value
Sale
HUION Inspiroy H1060P Graphics Drawing Tablet, 10 x 6.25 in, 12+16 Hot Keys
  • Working Area Configuration - HUION art tablet equips with a 10 x 6.25 inches working area, providing the user with the most comfortable size to work; the 10mm slim structure and minimalist design of appearance make the drawing tablet more attractive.
  • Tilt Function Battery-free Stylus: This computer graphics tablet come with a battery-free stylus PW100, no need to charge, allowing for constant uninterrupted drawing. ±60° tilt support enables imitation of lines input with diverse drawing gestures, with accuracy ensured.
  • Press Keys:12 programmable press keys plus 16 programmable soft keys, you can set shortcut keys on drawing tablet's driver based on your preferences, such as erase, zoom in/out, scroll up and down, and so on.
  • Compatibility: HUION graphics tablet supports Windows 7 or later/ macOS 10.12 or later/ Android 6.0 or later/ Linux (Ubuntu). A USB adapter is required to connect to a Mac computer. H1060P supports various mainstream design and drawing software, including PS, SAI, AI, CDR, etc. (Please note: The H1060P is compatible with Ubuntu, but it requires the use of the Xorg display server. Wayland is not supported.)
  • NOTE: You can easily connect your phone to the art tablet via the OTG connector; while iPhone and iPad are NOT at the moment. The cursor will not show up in the SAMSUNG Galaxy S series at present. If you are not sure whether the product is compatible with your Phone or any help, please contact us.

The spinner flickers

Check that every frame has identical dimensions, that the artwork is centered consistently, and that transparency is treated the same way in every frame. Rebuild without aggressive optimization, then test optimization methods individually. Ezgif maintains troubleshooting guidance for broken and flickering animations at its help center.

The file is too large

Reduce the canvas dimensions first, then the number of frames, animation duration, frame rate, color count, and compression settings. A small 24×24 spinner is a different asset from a large, high-frame-rate animation; do not export more pixels or frames than the destination requires.

The animation looks jagged

GIF’s limited palette, dithering, low-resolution scaling, and thin translucent strokes can all create rough edges. Try a slightly larger source and resize it down once, use a solid high-contrast shape, avoid extremely thin semitransparent lines, or switch to CSS or SVG when crispness is essential.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Transparency looks wrong

GIF transparency is palette-based rather than full alpha transparency. A background color may have been baked into the frames, or semitransparent edges may have been quantized poorly. Test the output on both light and dark backgrounds. For smooth alpha transparency, consider SVG, CSS, APNG, or WebP if the target supports it.

The spinner is too fast or too slow

Change the frame delay. Increase it for calmer motion and decrease it for faster motion. If the result still jumps between positions, add intermediate frames instead of relying only on a shorter delay.

The GIF does not stop

That is expected for an infinitely looping animation. Hide or replace the image when the application state changes. The GIF itself cannot know when loading has completed.

It works locally but not in email

Email clients do not all handle animated images identically. Use a meaningful first frame, and test the final asset in the email clients relevant to your audience rather than assuming universal animation support.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Final decision guide

  • Need a standalone image? Create and optimize a GIF.
  • Need a website loader? Prefer CSS or SVG.
  • Need exact frame timing without installing software? Use Ezgif with numbered PNG frames.
  • Want templates and visual animation controls? Try Adobe Express.
  • Need complex playback control? Consider Lottie.
  • Need the smallest practical asset? Compare GIF with modern formats instead of assuming GIF is most efficient.

More from the Paint Desk

Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.