Spotlight Text
A moving-highlight text effect that guides attention across selected words, metrics, and short product claims.

Overview
Spotlight Text helps important words arrive with intent: a highlight moves across the words.
Best on short, high-emphasis text: headlines, launch lines, section openers, proof points. Avoid it on body copy, errors, legal text, or instructions, where legibility cannot be negotiable.
The thing to watch is the text disappearing into the effect. Ship the final phrase as genuine HTML, keep per-character motion out of the accessibility tree, and serve the settled, legible text immediately when motion is reduced.
Install Command
This is a Pro Effect.
You can preview it now. Upgrade to Pro for instant install access.
Usage Code
This is a Pro Effect.
You can preview it now. Upgrade to Pro for instant install access.
Component Code
This is a Pro Effect.
You can preview it now. Upgrade to Pro for instant install access.
This is a Pro Effect.
You can preview it now. Upgrade to Pro for instant install access.
Example Production Use Case
Use this as text-animation implementation guidance. Verify the shipped component API, splitting strategy, accessible text exposure, duplicated span handling, layout reservation, and reduced-motion behavior before relying on exact props, defaults, imports, or installation steps.
Best Used For
- Short claims, metrics, or product phrases where one phrase needs guided emphasis.
- Text moments where the highlight supports attention without hiding the sentence.
- Spotlight Text makes a short phrase arrive with timing while keeping the final text readable and indexable.
Not For
Avoid it on body copy, labels, error and legal text, or any wording that has to be read on sight.
Performance Budget
Move only the words that carry weight, pre-reserve their space to avoid shift, and skip costly filters on large text blocks.
Accessibility and Mobile
Assistive technology should hear the phrase once, not character by character; visually split fragments are hidden from the accessibility tree with aria-hidden.
Common Mistakes
- Using Spotlight Text on long body copy.
- Removing the readable text from the DOM.
- Letting split text cause layout shift.
Changelog
v1.1.0
Jul 30, 2026v1.0.0
Feb 10, 2026Props
| Prop | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
baseTextColor | string | #525252 | Dim base text color. |
spotlightColor | string | #ffffff | Text color inside the spotlight. |
lerp | number | 0.08 | Pointer-follow smoothing amount; higher values track faster. |
spotlightSize | number | 220 | Spotlight radius in pixels. |
smoothness | number | 0.12 | Spotlight opacity smoothing amount. |
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I use Spotlight Text?
Use it when a headline needs a highlight moving across the words.
How do I keep Spotlight Text accessible?
Keep the resolved phrase in the DOM, exposed once; mark any duplicated animated fragments hidden from assistive technology.
Does Spotlight Text affect SEO?
Not as long as the resolved text is genuine HTML and never trapped in canvas or client-only animation.
How do I avoid layout shift with Spotlight Text?
Hold the finished text's footprint so wrapping does not jump between breakpoints.
What should reduced motion do for Spotlight Text?
Land directly on the finished, readable text: no character scramble, no stagger, no loop.
Request a Custom Text Animation
Need a custom effect? Tell us what to create.



