> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://captivatehelp.newbluelive.com/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-3.md).

# Animate & transition

Bring graphics to life — keyframes, transitions, effects, and flexible durations — once the layers are in place.

Use this chapter after you have a static graphic that looks right. It covers the four ways Captivate adds motion: keyframes for precise per-layer animation, transitions for on/off behavior, effects for built-in motion styles, and flexible durations for graphics that need to hold variable lengths on air.

## What’s in this chapter

* [Animate design layers with keyframes](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-3/animate-design-layers-with-keyframes.md) — use this when you need exact, frame-level control.
* [Add transitions to design layers](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-3/add-transitions-to-design-layers.md) — use this when you want a layer to fly on or off in a chosen style.
* [Add effects to design layers](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-3/add-effects-to-design-layers.md) — use this when a preset motion effect saves you from keyframing by hand.
* [Loop videos and animations in a graphic](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-3/loop-videos-and-animations-in-a-graphic.md) — use this when a graphic must keep moving for as long as it stays on air.
* [Create custom designs with flexible durations](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-3/create-custom-designs-with-flexible-durations.md) — use this when a graphic needs to hold for a variable length of time.
* [Optimize the timing of a graphic](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-3/optimize-timing.md) — use the Designer’s **Title** > **Optimize Timing** to strip dead space from a timeline before saving to the Library.
* [Tune a graphic for performance](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-3/tune-a-graphic-for-performance.md) — the checklist of design choices that most often slow a graphic down at playout, and the cheaper alternatives.

## Related

* [Build a graphic from scratch](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-2.md) — place layers before animating them.
* [Conductors](/design-and-customize-graphics/chapter-index-5.md) — for crawls, rolls, and leaderboards that animate themselves.


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