# Easing

Canonical URL: https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/easing
Last updated: 2026-10-08

> Definition: Easing is the rate of change of an animation between two keyframes: whether the motion starts slowly, ends slowly, does both, or moves at a constant speed. It is what makes digital motion feel natural instead of mechanical.

Easing is the difference between a title that slides in like a sticker on a conveyor belt and one that glides in and lands. Real objects don't start or stop instantly; they accelerate and decelerate. Easing gives animated values that same behaviour by shaping the speed between two [keyframes](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/keyframe).

## Where does easing come from?

Easing comes from the "slow in and slow out" principle of hand-drawn animation. Disney animators Ollie Johnston and Frank Thomas listed it among their twelve basic principles in *The Illusion of Life: Disney Animation* (1981): animators drew more frames near the start and end of a movement and fewer in the middle, so motion sped up and slowed down like real objects ([source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_basic_principles_of_animation)). Software easing curves do the same thing mathematically.

## What are the common types of easing?

The common easing types differ in where the motion is fastest.

| Easing | How it moves | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Linear | Constant speed | Tickers, rotations, continuous moves |
| Ease in | Slow start, fast end | Exits, things leaving the frame |
| Ease out | Fast start, slow end | Entrances, things landing in place |
| Ease (in and out) | Slow start and end | Moves from one on-screen spot to another |
| Overshoot | Passes the target and settles back | Pops, stickers, playful labels |
| Hold | Jumps to the next value with no in-between | Punch-ins, hard cuts in a value |

## How is easing used in short-form and product videos?

In short-form and product videos, easing mostly decides whether motion feels polished or cheap. Text that enters with a strong ease out reads as confident. A screenshot that moves between two positions with ease in and out feels like a camera move. An overshoot on a number or icon adds energy without extra effects. A common mistake is using the same ease on everything; matching the ease to the role (enter, exit, move) is what motion designers do.

## How do you set easing in Vidiyo?

In Vidiyo, every keyframe has its own easing. Select a layer, open its keyframe lane under the timeline row, click a key and choose linear, ease, ease in, ease out, overshoot or hold; the choice shapes the motion leaving that key. The Animate presets (fade, slide, pop, zoom) come with sensible easing already set. For motion scenes, the assistant follows easing by role: an expo-style ease out for entrances, an in-out ease for on-screen moves, and overshoot used sparingly.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between ease in and ease out?

Ease in starts slowly and speeds up, so the motion accelerates into its end. Ease out starts fast and slows down, so it settles gently. For things entering the frame, ease out usually looks most natural.

### What is linear easing?

Linear easing moves at a constant speed from start to finish. It suits continuous motion like a scrolling ticker or a rotating object, but on entrances and exits it tends to look robotic.

### What is overshoot easing?

Overshoot goes slightly past the target value and settles back, like a spring. It gives pops and bounces their energy and works well on icons, stickers and short labels.

## Related terms

- [Keyframe](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/keyframe)
- [Motion graphics](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/motion-graphics)
- [Kinetic typography](https://getvidiyo.app/glossary/kinetic-typography)

## Where Vidiyo does this

- [Layers and keyframes, by hand or by chat](https://getvidiyo.app/features/layers-and-keyframes)
- [Motion graphics without After Effects](https://getvidiyo.app/features/motion-graphics)

## Sources

- [Twelve basic principles of animation (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve_basic_principles_of_animation) (accessed 2026-10-08)