JSON Animation Viewer
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JSON Animation Viewer

A browser-based tool for previewing and inspecting Lottie JSON animations. Selected JSON files are parsed locally and are not stored in a product database.

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How to Use JSON Animation Viewer

JSON Animation Viewer previews and inspects Lottie-style JSON files in your browser without an account. The selected JSON is parsed client-side and is not intentionally uploaded to an application server. This guide explains the available controls, analysis panels, privacy boundary, and checks still required in your target runtime.

Step 1: Open the Viewer

Navigate to the JSON Animation Viewer homepage. You'll see a clean interface with a large drop zone in the center of the screen. The viewer is ready to accept your animation file right away. There's no login required and nothing to configure before you start.

Step 2: Load Your Animation File

You have two ways to load a Lottie JSON file into the viewer:

  • Drag and Drop: Grab your .json file from your file explorer and drop it directly onto the viewer area. The drop zone will highlight when it detects a file being dragged over it, confirming that the viewer is ready to receive your animation.
  • Click to Select: Click the "Select File" button to open your system's file picker. Browse to a Lottie JSON file and select it. The browser begins parsing the file after selection.

The .json extension alone does not prove that a file is a Lottie animation. If loading fails, check its JSON syntax and expected Lottie properties such as version, dimensions, frame range, frame rate, and layers.

Step 3: Preview Your Animation

Once your file loads, the animation starts playing automatically. You'll see it rendered in the viewport at its original dimensions. The file name appears above the animation so you can confirm you've loaded the correct file, which is especially helpful when you're working with multiple animation files during a project.

The web preview uses lottie-web. It is useful for visual inspection, but it does not guarantee identical output in iOS, Android, React Native, or a production container. Test every target runtime, especially files that use masks, effects, expressions, 3D layers, or external assets.

Step 4: Test Playback and Backgrounds

Use play, pause, direction, speed, loop mode, segment, and frame controls to inspect timing. Change the background preset, custom color, or local background image to check contrast and transparency.

The metadata panel reports composition dimensions, frame rate, frame range, duration, layer and asset counts, markers, and file size. Use these facts to plan containers and compare exports.

Step 5: Review Analysis and Compatibility

The layer panel exposes names, types, frame ranges, masks, effects, blend information, and hierarchy. The performance grade combines documented static signals such as layer count, expressions, masks, effects, 3D layers, embedded images, and frame rate.

Optimization suggestions and platform compatibility flags are heuristics, not runtime benchmarks or certification. Follow the linked layers, review the documented method, and confirm the findings in the target application.

Step 6: Use a Snippet or Inspect Another File

The snippet panel creates starter examples for common web and mobile runtimes using the current file context. Treat them as integration starting points, then adapt asset paths, lifecycle behavior, accessibility, and error handling. To inspect another file, select or drop a new JSON file.

Tips for Best Results

  • Optimize your JSON files: Large animation files with many layers can be slow to parse. Use tools like LottieFiles to optimize your animations before previewing. Removing unused layers and simplifying paths can dramatically reduce file size.
  • Test the production container: The viewer reports source dimensions, but responsive sizing belongs to your application. Verify the animation at real breakpoints, pixel densities, backgrounds, and reduced-motion settings.
  • Validate your JSON: If an animation doesn't load, the JSON file might be malformed. Try opening it in a text editor to check for syntax errors, or run it through a JSON validator.
  • Check cross-browser rendering: Open the viewer in different browsers to see if your animation renders consistently. While lottie-web handles most cross-browser issues, complex animations with masks or expressions can sometimes behave differently.
  • Use the viewer during development: Keep the viewer open in a browser tab while you iterate on animations in After Effects. Each time you export a new version, drop it into the viewer for a quick check before integrating it into your codebase.

Privacy and Security

The selected JSON is parsed in browser memory and is not intentionally uploaded to an application server or stored in a product database. The page itself is delivered by a hosting provider, advertising code may run when enabled, and external asset references inside a file can trigger browser requests. Review the Privacy Policy and your browser's network panel before using sensitive material.

Supported Formats

JSON Animation Viewer supports standard Lottie JSON files exported from Adobe After Effects using the Bodymovin plugin. It also works with animations created in other tools that output the Lottie JSON format, such as Haiku Animator, LottieFiles editor, and Figma plugins that export to Lottie. The file must be a valid .json file containing Lottie animation data. DotLottie (.lottie) files are not currently supported.

Need Help?

If you run into any issues or have questions about using the viewer, check our FAQ page for answers to common questions. You can also visit our GitHub Issues page to report bugs or request features.

Related Resources

  • What is Lottie Animation? — A complete guide to the Lottie format.
  • JSON Animation Tutorial — From After Effects to Web.
  • About JSON Animation Viewer — Learn about our tool and technology.