---
name: masked-reveal-a3e4fb96f609
description: Create masked staggered word reveals on scroll with GSAP ScrollTrigger. Use when headings, hero copy, section titles, or editorial text should reveal word-by-word through an overflow mask as they enter the viewport.
---

# Masked Reveal

## Use When
- A headline or short text block needs a premium reveal on scroll.
- Words should rise through an invisible mask with a staggered sequence.
- The project already uses GSAP or needs ScrollTrigger-based motion.

## Motion Defaults
- Trigger: start when the text top reaches `82%` of the viewport.
- Duration: `0.7s` to `0.9s`.
- Stagger: `0.025s` to `0.045s` per word.
- Offset: `yPercent: 110` to `0`.
- Ease: `power3.out` or `expo.out`.
- Replay: reveal once by default.

## HTML

```html
<h1 class="masked-reveal" data-masked-reveal>
  Design systems that feel alive from the first scroll.
</h1>
```

## CSS Mask

```css
.masked-reveal {
  visibility: visible;
}

html.js .masked-reveal[data-masked-reveal] {
  visibility: hidden;
}

html.js .masked-reveal.is-split {
  visibility: visible;
}

.masked-reveal .word-mask {
  display: inline-block;
  overflow: hidden;
  vertical-align: top;
}

.masked-reveal .word {
  display: inline-block;
  transform: translateY(110%);
  will-change: transform;
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  html.js .masked-reveal[data-masked-reveal] {
    visibility: visible;
  }

  .masked-reveal .word {
    transform: none;
  }
}
```

## GSAP ScrollTrigger
This helper avoids the paid SplitText plugin and keeps spaces intact.

```js
document.documentElement.classList.add("js");
gsap.registerPlugin(ScrollTrigger);

function escapeHTML(value) {
  return value
    .replace(/&/g, "&amp;")
    .replace(/</g, "&lt;")
    .replace(/>/g, "&gt;")
    .replace(/"/g, "&quot;")
    .replace(/'/g, "&#039;");
}

function splitMaskedReveal(element) {
  if (element.dataset.maskedRevealReady === "true") return;

  const text = element.textContent.trim();
  element.setAttribute("aria-label", text);
  element.innerHTML = text
    .split(/(\s+)/)
    .map((part) => {
      if (!part.trim()) return part;
      return `<span class="word-mask" aria-hidden="true"><span class="word">${escapeHTML(part)}</span></span>`;
    })
    .join("");
  element.dataset.maskedRevealReady = "true";
  element.classList.add("is-split");
}

function initMaskedReveals(selector = "[data-masked-reveal]") {
  if (window.matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)").matches) return;

  document.querySelectorAll(selector).forEach((element) => {
    splitMaskedReveal(element);
    const words = element.querySelectorAll(".word");

    gsap.set(element, { autoAlpha: 1 });
    gsap.fromTo(
      words,
      { yPercent: 110 },
      {
        yPercent: 0,
        duration: 0.8,
        ease: "power3.out",
        stagger: 0.035,
        scrollTrigger: {
          trigger: element,
          start: "top 82%",
          once: true,
        },
      }
    );
  });
}

initMaskedReveals();
```

## React Cleanup Pattern

```js
useLayoutEffect(() => {
  const ctx = gsap.context(() => {
    initMaskedReveals("[data-masked-reveal]");
  }, rootRef);

  return () => ctx.revert();
}, []);
```

## Taste Rules
- Use on short headlines, labels, and section intros; avoid long paragraphs.
- Keep the vertical offset clean. Do not combine with blur unless the style explicitly calls for it.
- Stagger by word, not letter, for a calmer editorial feel.
- Initialize after fonts are loaded if line wrapping is critical.
- Use `ScrollTrigger.refresh()` after late-loading images or layout shifts.
- Do not split text that contains links, buttons, or meaningful inline markup.

## Quick Checks
- Text is hidden before GSAP initializes, then becomes visible with `autoAlpha: 1`.
- Screen readers get the original full text through `aria-label`.
- Spaces between words are preserved.
- Reduced-motion users see static text.
- ScrollTrigger is cleaned up in SPA routes.


---
Source attribution: MengTo
Original project: https://github.com/MengTo/Skills
License: MIT
License information: https://opensource.org/license/mit
Original upstream instructions; downloaded from Mega AI Hub.

## Upstream license notice

MIT License

Copyright (c) 2026 Gabriel Moreira

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
SOFTWARE.



# Mega AI Hub resource metadata

Creator / publisher: MengTo
Original project: https://github.com/MengTo/Skills
Attribution basis: Upstream repository explicitly recorded in package mirror path

Fields of work: Design, Development & Engineering
Roles: Frontend Developer, Product Designer, UX Designer
Specialties: Cross Platform, Frontend
Tools: Gsap
Country applicability: Country not specified
Classification basis: Source catalog labels
Instruction SHA-256: d7ed7d63296617c0614154f7da5b6db4d28988e4bc4e03addb6afe4db5b463a0