Spinner
Also called: loading spinner, loader, throbber, activity indicator.
A small shape that spins or pulses to say "please wait" when you can't tell how long something will take.
A spinner says “please wait” when you can't tell how long it will take.
Idle
Say it in a prompt
While the video loads, show a small spinner centered over it (8 bars that fade one after another, 0.8s per turn), with the text "Loading video…" under it. Seen on
- Apple AirPods Pro 3: The video player shows a loading spinner made of 8 small bars that fade one after another.
You might describe it as
- spinning circle while waiting
- loading wheel
- the thing that spins when stuff loads
Not to be confused with
- Progress bar
A spinner only says "wait"; a progress bar shows how much is done.
- Skeleton screen
A spinner hides the page while waiting; a skeleton screen shows the shape of what's coming.
- Preloader
A spinner is a small sign of waiting inside a page; a preloader covers the whole screen until the site is ready.