Web/API/Animation/play

This is an experimental technologyCheck the Browser compatibility table carefully before using this in production.

The play() method of the Web Animations API's Animation Interface starts or resumes playing of an animation. If the animation is finished, calling play() restarts the animation, playing it from the beginning.

Syntax

animation.play();

Parameters

None.

Return value

undefined

Example

In the Growing/Shrinking Alice Game example, clicking or tapping the cake causes Alice's growing animation (aliceChange) to play forward, causing her to get bigger, as well as triggering the cake's animation. Two Animation.play()s, one EventListener:

// The cake has its own animation:
var nommingCake = document.getElementById('eat-me_sprite').animate(
[
  { transform: 'translateY(0)' },
  { transform: 'translateY(-80%)' }   
], {
  fill: 'forwards',
  easing: 'steps(4, end)',
  duration: aliceChange.effect.timing.duration / 2
});

// Pause the cake's animation so it doesn't play immediately.
nommingCake.pause();

// This function will play when ever a user clicks or taps
var growAlice = function() {

  // Play Alice's animation.
  aliceChange.play();

  // Play the cake's animation.
  nommingCake.play();

}

// When a user holds their mouse down or taps, call growAlice to make all the animations play.
cake.addEventListener("mousedown", growAlice, false);
cake.addEventListener("touchstart", growAlice, false);

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
Web AnimationsThe definition of 'play()' in that specification.	Working Draft

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet
`play` Experimental'	Chrome Full support 39	Edge Full support 79	Firefox Full support 48 Full support 48 No support 46 — 48 Disabled' Disabled' From version 46 until version 48 (exclusive): this feature is behind the `dom.animations-api.core.enabled` preference (needs to be set to `true`). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.	IE No support No	Opera Full support 26	Safari No support No	WebView Android Full support 39	Chrome Android Full support 39	Firefox Android Full support 48 Full support 48 No support 46 — 48 Disabled' Disabled' From version 46 until version 48 (exclusive): this feature is behind the `dom.animations-api.core.enabled` preference (needs to be set to `true`). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.	Opera Android Full support 26	Safari iOS No support No	Samsung Internet Android Full support 4.0

Legend

Full support: Full support
No support: No support
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.': Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
User must explicitly enable this feature.': User must explicitly enable this feature.