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Lesson 33 of 50 – Animation Timing
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Animation Timing in PowerPoint

Animation timing controls when an animation starts, how long it takes, and how much time passes before it begins. By adjusting start options, duration, and delay, you can create a smooth sequence of animated objects.

1. What Is Animation Timing?

Animation timing determines how and when an object performs its animation during a slide show.

Three important timing settings are:

  • Start: Determines what triggers the animation.
  • Duration: Determines how long the effect takes.
  • Delay: Determines how long the animation waits before starting.

These settings help control the presentation's pace and sequence.

2. Where to Find Timing Settings
  1. Select the object that has an animation.
  2. Open the Animations tab.
  3. Locate the Timing group.
  4. Adjust Start, Duration, or Delay.

You can also select an animation in the Animation Pane and open its timing or effect settings, depending on your PowerPoint version.

3. Start: On Click

On Click starts an animation when you click during the slide show.

Example: A teacher explains a heading and then clicks to reveal the first bullet point.

  • Provides control over when information appears.
  • Useful for classroom teaching and step-by-step explanations.
  • Requires a click or equivalent presentation input to trigger the effect.
4. Start: With Previous

With Previous starts an animation at the same time as the preceding animation in the sequence.

Example: A title fades in while a small logo appears at the same time.

This option is useful when two objects should animate together.

5. Start: After Previous

After Previous starts an animation automatically after the preceding animation finishes.

Example:

  1. The title fades in.
  2. The picture appears after the title animation finishes.
  3. The description appears after the picture animation finishes.

This option is useful for creating an automatic animation sequence.

6. Understanding Duration

Duration is the amount of time an animation effect takes to complete.

Duration Typical Result
0.5 seconds Quick effect
1 second Short effect
2 seconds Slower effect
4 seconds Longer effect

The available duration depends on the effect and PowerPoint version. Longer duration does not necessarily mean a better animation.

7. Understanding Delay

Delay determines how long an animation waits before starting after its trigger condition is met.

Example: An animation configured with a 3-second delay waits three seconds after it is triggered before beginning.

  • Use a short delay to separate related effects.
  • Use a longer delay when the audience needs time to read.
  • Check delays carefully when building automatic sequences.
8. Difference Between Duration and Delay
Duration Delay
Controls how long an effect takes. Controls how long an effect waits before starting.
Affects the speed of the effect. Affects the start time of the effect.
Example: 2 seconds to fade in. Example: Wait 2 seconds before fading in.
9. Setting Timing Step by Step
  1. Select a picture or text box.
  2. Apply an animation effect.
  3. Open the Animations tab.
  4. Choose a Start option.
  5. Set the Duration value.
  6. Set the Delay value if needed.
  7. Preview the animation.
  8. Run the slide show to test its behavior.
10. Timing Multiple Objects

You can assign different timing settings to different objects on the same slide.

Object Start Duration
Title On Click 1 second
Picture After Previous 2 seconds
Description After Previous 1.5 seconds

This arrangement lets the title appear first, followed by the picture and then the description.

11. Timing and the Animation Pane

The Animation Pane helps you inspect the animation sequence and select individual effects for editing.

  • Select an animation from the pane.
  • Adjust timing settings from the ribbon or effect settings.
  • Reorder animations when necessary.
  • Preview the final sequence.

Remember that the sequence and timing work together to determine how objects animate during the slide show.

12. Repeating an Animation

Some animation effects provide repeat options through their effect or timing settings.

Depending on the selected effect, you may be able to:

  • Repeat an effect a specified number of times.
  • Repeat an effect until the slide is clicked again.
  • Repeat an effect until the end of the slide.

Repeat options vary by effect and PowerPoint version. Use them only when repetition supports your presentation.

13. Common Timing Mistakes
  • Using excessive delays between objects.
  • Making animations unnecessarily slow.
  • Starting too many effects at the same time.
  • Choosing the wrong start option.
  • Forgetting to preview the slide show.
  • Creating a sequence that interrupts the presentation's flow.
Best practice: Use timing to support your message, not to distract the audience.
14. Practical Timing Example

Create a slide containing a title, a picture, and a description.

  1. Set the title to Fade, On Click, with a duration of 1 second.
  2. Set the picture to Zoom, After Previous, with a duration of 2 seconds.
  3. Set the description to Fly In, After Previous, with a duration of 1 second.
  4. Set a short delay on the description if required.
  5. Run the slide show and review the sequence.

The example values are starting points. Adjust them to suit your content and presentation style.

15. Practical Exercise

Create a presentation about your computer institute and complete the following tasks:

  1. Add a title, logo, and description to a slide.
  2. Apply different animation effects to each object.
  3. Set the title to On Click.
  4. Set the logo to With Previous.
  5. Set the description to After Previous.
  6. Adjust the duration of each animation.
  7. Add a delay to one animation.
  8. Preview the sequence and make improvements.
Goal: Learn to control animation start options, duration, delay, and sequence.

Key Points to Remember

  • Start determines how an animation is triggered.
  • On Click waits for a click during the slide show.
  • With Previous starts alongside the preceding animation.
  • After Previous starts after the preceding animation finishes.
  • Duration controls how long an effect takes.
  • Delay controls how long an effect waits before starting.
  • Always preview timing changes before presenting.

Quick Quiz

1. What does Duration control?

2. Which option starts an animation after the previous one finishes?

3. What does Delay control?

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