How to Change Bootstrap Carousel Slider Transition Speed (Time Interval)

Bootstrap is one of the most popular and lightweight HTML/CSS/JavaScript responsive frameworks for developers.
It’s widely used to build image sliders, hero banners, and even WordPress themes.
The Bootstrap carousel slider is a favorite feature for showcasing images or content in a smooth, responsive way.

By default, the carousel slides automatically with a set interval, but you may want to
control the slider speed to fit your design—faster for quick image previews, or slower for storytelling slideshows.
Below, you’ll learn how to adjust the time interval and even fine-tune the
transition animation speed with just a few lines of code.

👉 Don’t worry—you don’t need to touch Bootstrap’s core JavaScript or CSS files.
Just override settings in your HTML and stylesheet.

Bootstrap Carousel Slider Time Interval Setting

Here’s the default Bootstrap carousel snippet:

<div id="myCarousel" class="carousel slide" data-ride="carousel"> 
  <!-- Indicators -->
  <ol class="carousel-indicators">
    <li data-target="#myCarousel" data-slide-to="0" class="active"></li>
    <li data-target="#myCarousel" data-slide-to="1"></li>
    <li data-target="#myCarousel" data-slide-to="2"></li>
    <li data-target="#myCarousel" data-slide-to="3"></li>
  </ol>
  
  <!-- Wrapper for slides -->
  <div class="carousel-inner" role="listbox">
    <div class="item active"> <img src="img_chania.jpg" alt="Chania"> </div>
    <div class="item"> <img src="img_chania2.jpg" alt="Chania"> </div>
    <div class="item"> <img src="img_flower.jpg" alt="Flower"> </div>
    <div class="item"> <img src="img_flower2.jpg" alt="Flower"> </div>
  </div>
  
  <!-- Left and right controls --> 
  <a class="left carousel-control" href="#myCarousel" role="button" data-slide="prev"> 
    <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-left" aria-hidden="true"></span>
    <span class="sr-only">Previous</span>
  </a>
  <a class="right carousel-control" href="#myCarousel" role="button" data-slide="next">
    <span class="glyphicon glyphicon-chevron-right" aria-hidden="true"></span>
    <span class="sr-only">Next</span>
  </a> 
</div>

Add the data-interval attribute

To set how long each slide stays visible, add data-interval to the carousel wrapper:

<div id="myCarousel" class="carousel slide" data-ride="carousel" data-interval="3000"></div>

• 1000 = 1 second
• 3000 = 3 seconds
• Replace 3000 with your desired interval.

This is the simplest way to control carousel speed across your responsive site.

Change Slider Animation Time in CSS

The interval controls how long the slide is displayed, but you may also want to
customize the animation effect itself. By default, Bootstrap uses a 0.6 second transition.
If you want a slower fade or slide, increase the time in your own stylesheet.

.carousel-inner>.item {
    -webkit-transition: -webkit-transform 1.2s ease-in-out !important;
    -o-transition: -o-transform 1.2s ease-in-out !important;
    transition: transform 1.2s ease-in-out !important;
}

Here, the animation is slowed to 1.2 seconds.
You can adjust this higher or lower depending on the effect you want.

Why Adjust Carousel Speed?

• User experience: Longer slides for storytelling or product highlights.
• E-commerce: Faster slides for browsing product images.
• SEO & engagement: Visitors stay engaged longer with smoother interactions.
• WordPress themes: Many WP templates rely on Bootstrap; these tweaks work the same way.

Final Thoughts

The Bootstrap carousel is simple, responsive, and widely supported.
By learning how to adjust interval timing and animation duration,
you can make your site’s slider stand out—whether it’s a portfolio showcase, blog homepage, or online store.
Small changes in motion design can make a huge impact on how professional and polished your website feels.