Screen Wipe Transitions Screensaver
The Screen Wipe Transitions screensaver continuously cycles through classic film and slideshow wipe transitions between color fields. It is free, runs in your browser, and ESC exits.
How the Screen Wipe Transitions screensaver works
The saver renders a sequence of classic geometric wipe transitions — including clock, blinds, iris and star wipes.
Each wipe reveals a fresh solid color field beneath the last, timed for a smooth, unhurried pace.
The sequence of wipe styles and colors rotates so the pattern stays varied.
This nods to the classic transition styles found in vintage slideshow and video-editing software.
A short history of the wipe
A wipe is a film transition in which one shot replaces another by moving across the frame or taking a special shape; a barn door wipe, for instance, moves in from two opposite edges. One of the earliest known examples is George Albert Smith’s Mary Jane’s Mishap from 1903. The iris, a circle that closes or opens around part of the image, was a silent-era technique used to open and end scenes.
A clock wipe sweeps a radius around the centre of the frame like a clock hand, and it often signals that time has passed. Matrix wipes break the frame into patterns such as grids or stars, which is the family of shapes this saver draws from.
Wipes are often associated with the Star Wars films, where George Lucas used them frequently, inspired by a similar use of wipes by Akira Kurosawa. Because a wipe moves visibly across the frame, it draws attention to the edit, whereas a dissolve blends the two images gradually. That openly stylised quality is why wipes work best when the artifice is the point.
A worked example
A circular iris wipe closes in from the edges, briefly forming a spotlight before revealing an entirely new color field beneath.
Settings & tips
- Accent tints the wipe edge highlight.
- A nostalgic nod to classic slideshow and video-editing transition styles.
- Wipe styles rotate for variety.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this a real slideshow?
- No — it is a generative recreation of classic wipe transition styles, not real photos.
- Is a key needed?
- No — it is a pure visual animation.
- Is it free?
- Yes — free, no download, in your browser.
- How many wipe styles are there?
- Several classic styles rotate, including clock, blinds, iris and star wipes.
- What is the difference between a wipe and a dissolve?
- A dissolve blends two images through a gradual fade, while a wipe replaces one with the other along a visible moving edge.
- What is a clock wipe?
- A radius sweeps around the centre of the frame like a clock hand, revealing the next shot behind it. It is often used to signal that time has passed.
- Who made wipes famous in Star Wars?
- George Lucas used wipes frequently in the Star Wars films, inspired by a similar use of wipes by the director Akira Kurosawa.