---
title: "playAnimation(_:transitionDuration:startsPaused:)"
framework: realitykit
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "realitykit/entity/playanimation(_:transitionduration:startspaused:)"
---

# playAnimation(_:transitionDuration:startsPaused:)

Plays the given animation on the entity.

## Declaration

```swift
@discardableResult @MainActor @preconcurrency func playAnimation(_ animation: AnimationResource, transitionDuration: TimeInterval, startsPaused: Bool) -> AnimationPlaybackController
```

## Parameters

- `animation`: The animation to play.
- `transitionDuration`: The duration in seconds over which the animation fades in or cross-fades.
- `startsPaused`: A Boolean that you set to true to return from the call with the animation paused. Set to false to start the animation right away.

## Return Value

Return Value An animation playback controller that you can use to start and stop the animation.

## See Also

### Animating an entity

- [availableAnimations](realitykit/entity/availableanimations.md)
- [playAnimation(_:transitionDuration:blendLayerOffset:separateAnimatedValue:startsPaused:clock:)](realitykit/entity/playanimation(_:transitionduration:blendlayeroffset:separateanimatedvalue:startspaused:clock:).md)
- [playAnimation(_:transitionDuration:blendLayerOffset:separateAnimatedValue:startsPaused:clock:handoffType:)](realitykit/entity/playanimation(_:transitionduration:blendlayeroffset:separateanimatedvalue:startspaused:clock:handofftype:).md)
- [stopAllAnimations(recursive:)](realitykit/entity/stopallanimations(recursive:).md)
- [defaultAnimationClock](realitykit/entity/defaultanimationclock.md)
- [parameters](realitykit/entity/parameters.md)
- [Entity.ParameterSet](realitykit/entity/parameterset.md)
- [playAnimation(named:transitionDuration:startsPaused:recursive:)](realitykit/entity/playanimation(named:transitionduration:startspaused:recursive:).md)
- [bindableValues](realitykit/entity/bindablevalues.md)
- [subscript(_:)](realitykit/entity/subscript(_:).md)