Animated display characteristic control for digital images is described. In an implementation, a control is animated in a user interface as progressing through a plurality of values of a display characteristic. A digital image is displayed in the user interface as progressing through the plurality of values of the display characteristic as specified by the animating of the control. An input is received via the user interface and a particular value of the plurality of values is detected as indicated by the animating of the control. The digital image is displayed as having the particular value of the display characteristic as set by the input.