UI Animations

In animation, tweening is the process of generating intermediate frames between two key points in a sequence. When designing a user interface, you can use tweening to transition a GuiObject smoothly from one state to another, such as:

  • Smoothly increasing the size of a button when a user selects it.
  • Sliding UI menus in and out from the screen edges.
  • Gradually animating a health bar between two widths when a user receives a health boost.

Single-Property Tweens

Position

To tween the position of a GuiObject:

  1. Set the AnchorPoint for the object.
  2. Determine UDim2 coordinates for the object's target position, using the scale parameters of UDim2 instead of exact pixel values so that the object tweens to the exact center of the screen.
  3. Pass a TweenInfo and the target position to TweenService:Create().
  4. Play the tween with Tween:Play().

The following code snippet moves an ImageLabel within a ScreenGui to the exact center of the screen:

UI Tween - Position

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local PlayerGui = Players.LocalPlayer:WaitForChild("PlayerGui")
local ScreenGui = PlayerGui:WaitForChild("ScreenGui")
local object = ScreenGui:WaitForChild("ImageLabel")
object.AnchorPoint = Vector2.new(0.5, 0.5)
local targetPosition = UDim2.new(0.5, 0, 0.5, 0)
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2)
local tween = TweenService:Create(object, tweenInfo, {Position = targetPosition})
tween:Play()

Size

To tween the size of a GuiObject:

  1. Determine UDim2 coordinates for the object's target size, using the scale parameters of UDim2 instead of exact pixel values so that the object tweens to a relative percentage of the screen size.
  2. Attach a UIAspectRatioConstraint to the object to maintain its designed aspect ratio when tweening.
  3. Pass a TweenInfo and the target size to TweenService:Create().
  4. Play the tween with Tween:Play().

The following code snippet scales an ImageLabel within a ScreenGui to 40% of the screen width or height (whichever is smaller) from the object's center anchor point:

UI Tween - Size

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local PlayerGui = Players.LocalPlayer:WaitForChild("PlayerGui")
local ScreenGui = PlayerGui:WaitForChild("ScreenGui")
local object = ScreenGui:WaitForChild("ImageLabel")
object.AnchorPoint = Vector2.new(0.5, 0.5)
local aspectRatioConstraint = Instance.new("UIAspectRatioConstraint")
aspectRatioConstraint.Parent = object
local targetSize = UDim2.new(0.4, 0, 0.4, 0)
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2)
local tween = TweenService:Create(object, tweenInfo, {Size = targetSize})
tween:Play()

Rotation

To tween the rotation of a GuiObject:

  1. Set the AnchorPoint for the object to rotate around.
  2. Determine the target Rotation for the object.
  3. Pass a TweenInfo and the target rotation to TweenService:Create().
  4. Play the tween with Tween:Play().
UI Tween - Size

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local PlayerGui = Players.LocalPlayer:WaitForChild("PlayerGui")
local ScreenGui = PlayerGui:WaitForChild("ScreenGui")
local object = ScreenGui:WaitForChild("ImageLabel")
object.AnchorPoint = Vector2.new(0.5, 0.5)
local targetRotation = 45
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2)
local tween = TweenService:Create(object, tweenInfo, {Rotation = targetRotation})
tween:Play()

Transparency

Multiple properties control UI transparency, depending on the object type. You can tween each of these properties individually or combined through a multi-property tween. Alternatively, you can tween an object's overall transparency by placing it inside a CanvasGroup and tweening the group's GroupTransparency.

UI Tween - Image Transparency

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local PlayerGui = Players.LocalPlayer:WaitForChild("PlayerGui")
local ScreenGui = PlayerGui:WaitForChild("ScreenGui")
local object = ScreenGui:WaitForChild("ImageLabel")
local targetTransparency = 0.8
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2)
local tween = TweenService:Create(object, tweenInfo, {ImageTransparency = targetTransparency})
tween:Play()
UI Tween - Canvas Group Transparency

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local PlayerGui = Players.LocalPlayer:WaitForChild("PlayerGui")
local ScreenGui = PlayerGui:WaitForChild("ScreenGui")
local canvasGroup = ScreenGui:WaitForChild("CanvasGroup")
local targetTransparency = 0.8
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2)
local tween = TweenService:Create(canvasGroup, tweenInfo, {GroupTransparency = targetTransparency})
tween:Play()

Color

Multiple properties control UI color, depending on the object type. You can tween each of these properties individually or combined through a multi-property tween. Alternatively, you can tween an object's overall color by placing it inside a CanvasGroup and tweening the group's GroupColor3.

UI Tween - Image Color

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local PlayerGui = Players.LocalPlayer:WaitForChild("PlayerGui")
local ScreenGui = PlayerGui:WaitForChild("ScreenGui")
local object = ScreenGui:WaitForChild("ImageLabel")
local targetColor = Color3.fromRGB(255, 0, 0)
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2)
local tween = TweenService:Create(object, tweenInfo, {ImageColor3 = targetColor})
tween:Play()
UI Tween - Canvas Group Color

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local PlayerGui = Players.LocalPlayer:WaitForChild("PlayerGui")
local ScreenGui = PlayerGui:WaitForChild("ScreenGui")
local canvasGroup = ScreenGui:WaitForChild("CanvasGroup")
local targetColor = Color3.fromRGB(255, 0, 0)
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2)
local tween = TweenService:Create(canvasGroup, tweenInfo, {GroupColor3 = targetColor})
tween:Play()

Stroke

Multiple properties control UI borders, depending on the object type.

Alternatively, you can apply a UIStroke child and tween its thickness, color, and/or transparency.

UI ObjectProperties
UIStrokeColor, Thickness, Transparency
UI Tween - UIStroke Color & Thickness

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local PlayerGui = Players.LocalPlayer:WaitForChild("PlayerGui")
local ScreenGui = PlayerGui:WaitForChild("ScreenGui")
local object = ScreenGui:WaitForChild("TextLabel")
local stroke = Instance.new("UIStroke")
stroke.Color = Color3.fromRGB(255, 255, 255)
stroke.Thickness = 5
stroke.Parent = object
local targetColor = Color3.fromRGB(255, 0, 0)
local targetThickness = 10
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2)
local tween = TweenService:Create(stroke, tweenInfo, {Color = targetColor, Thickness = targetThickness})
tween:Play()

Multi-Property Tweens

You can combine any of the single-property tweens into more complex tweens by passing multiple target properties to TweenService:Create(), for example position + rotation or size + transparency.

UI Tween - Position & Rotation

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local PlayerGui = Players.LocalPlayer:WaitForChild("PlayerGui")
local ScreenGui = PlayerGui:WaitForChild("ScreenGui")
local object = ScreenGui:WaitForChild("ImageLabel")
object.AnchorPoint = Vector2.new(0.5, 0.5)
local targetPosition = UDim2.new(0.5, 0, 0.5, 0)
local targetRotation = 45
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2)
local tween = TweenService:Create(object, tweenInfo, {Position = targetPosition, Rotation = targetRotation})
tween:Play()
UI Tween - Size & Transparency

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local PlayerGui = Players.LocalPlayer:WaitForChild("PlayerGui")
local ScreenGui = PlayerGui:WaitForChild("ScreenGui")
local object = ScreenGui:WaitForChild("ImageLabel")
object.AnchorPoint = Vector2.new(0.5, 0.5)
local aspectRatioConstraint = Instance.new("UIAspectRatioConstraint")
aspectRatioConstraint.Parent = object
local targetSize = UDim2.new(0.4, 0, 0.4, 0)
local targetTransparency = 0.8
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2)
local tween = TweenService:Create(object, tweenInfo, {Size = targetSize, ImageTransparency = targetTransparency})
tween:Play()

Tween Sequences

You can chain UI animations to occur one after another by playing subsequent tweens upon the previous tween's Completed event. For example, the following script moves an object to the center of the screen, then rotates it by 45°.

UI Tween Sequence

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local Players = game:GetService("Players")
local PlayerGui = Players.LocalPlayer:WaitForChild("PlayerGui")
local ScreenGui = PlayerGui:WaitForChild("ScreenGui")
local object = ScreenGui:WaitForChild("ImageLabel")
object.AnchorPoint = Vector2.new(0.5, 0.5)
local targetPosition = UDim2.new(0.5, 0, 0.5, 0)
local targetRotation = 45
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2)
local positionTween = TweenService:Create(object, tweenInfo, {Position = targetPosition})
local rotationTween = TweenService:Create(object, tweenInfo, {Rotation = targetRotation})
-- Initially play position tween
positionTween:Play()
-- Play rotation tween upon completion of position tween
positionTween.Completed:Connect(function()
rotationTween:Play()
end)

Easing Options

Using the easing options of TweenInfo, you can control the easing style and direction of UI animations.

Style

Enum.EasingStyle sets the rate of interpolation from start to end. By default, easing style is set to Quad.

StyleDescription
LinearMoves at a constant speed.
SineSpeed is determined by a sine wave.
QuadSpeed is determined by quadratic interpolation.
CubicSimilar to Quad, but starts at a lower speed.
QuartSimilar to Quad, but starts at a higher speed.
QuintSimilar to Quart, but starts at a higher speed.
ExponentialSpeed reduces very quickly as tween approaches the target.
CircularFollows a circular arc, slowing down as tween approaches the target.
BackSlightly overshoots the target, then backs into place.
BounceBounces backwards multiple times after reaching the target, before eventually settling.
ElasticMoves as if attached to a rubber band, overshooting the target several times.
Easing Style - Cubic

local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2, Enum.EasingStyle.Cubic)
local tween = TweenService:Create(object, tweenInfo, {Rotation = 45})

Direction

Enum.EasingDirection defines how the easing style interpolation applies to an object, with a default of Out. Note that a tween with Linear easing style is not affected, as linear interpolation is constant from start to end.

DirectionDescription
InThe easing style applies in a forward direction.
OutThe easing style applies in a reverse direction.
InOutThe easing style applies forward for the first half and in reverse for the second half.
Easing Direction - InOut

local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(2, Enum.EasingStyle.Cubic, Enum.EasingDirection.InOut)
local tween = TweenService:Create(object, tweenInfo, {Rotation = 45})

Animating Text

You can easily enhance text-based UI, such as cutscene banners, player instructions, and prompts, with animated effects.

Typewriter Effect

The "typewriter" effect is ideal for TextLabels that tell a story, output NPC conversations, etc.

  1. Create a new ModuleScript within ReplicatedStorage.

  2. Rename the new script AnimateUI.

  3. Paste the following code into the script:

    ModuleScript - AnimateUI

    local LocalizationService = game:GetService("LocalizationService")
    local Players = game:GetService("Players")
    local SOURCE_LOCALE = "en"
    local translator = nil
    local AnimateUI = {}
    function AnimateUI.loadTranslator()
    pcall(function()
    translator = LocalizationService:GetTranslatorForPlayerAsync(Players.LocalPlayer)
    end)
    if not translator then
    pcall(function()
    translator = LocalizationService:GetTranslatorForLocaleAsync(SOURCE_LOCALE)
    end)
    end
    end
    function AnimateUI.typeWrite(guiObject, text, delayBetweenChars)
    guiObject.Visible = true
    guiObject.AutoLocalize = false
    local displayText = text
    -- Translate text if possible
    if translator then
    displayText = translator:Translate(guiObject, text)
    end
    -- Replace line break tags so grapheme loop will not miss those characters
    displayText = displayText:gsub("<br%s*/>", "\n")
    -- Remove RichText tags since char-by-char animation will break the tags
    displayText = displayText:gsub("<[^<>]->", "")
    -- Set translated/modified text on parent
    guiObject.Text = displayText
    local index = 0
    for first, last in utf8.graphemes(displayText) do
    index += 1
    guiObject.MaxVisibleGraphemes = index
    task.wait(delayBetweenChars)
    end
    end
    return AnimateUI
  4. Create a TextLabel in a suitable location, such as within a ScreenGui parented to StarterGui.

  5. Insert a new LocalScript as a direct child of the label and paste in the following code. Note that each message is output by calling AnimateUI.typeWrite() with parameters for the parent object, the string to output, and the delay between characters.

    LocalScript

    local ReplicatedStorage = game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage")
    local AnimateUI = require(ReplicatedStorage:WaitForChild("AnimateUI"))
    local label = script.Parent
    -- Load translator if game is localized
    --AnimateUI.loadTranslator()
    local message1 = [[Beyond this door is the<br /><font size="46" color="rgb(255,50,25)">Great Zorgoth...</font> <font size="40">🗡</font>]]
    AnimateUI.typeWrite(label, message1, 0.05)
    task.wait(1)
    local message2 = [[...who rules this dungeon <font color="rgb(255,200,50)">unchallenged!</font> <font size="30">😈</font>]]
    AnimateUI.typeWrite(label, message2, 0.05)