diff --git a/lib/content-services/search/components/animations.ts b/lib/content-services/search/components/animations.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..964877ee94
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/content-services/search/components/animations.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+/*!
+ * @license
+ * Copyright 2019 Alfresco Software, Ltd.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+import { trigger, transition, animate, style, state, AnimationTriggerMetadata } from '@angular/animations';
+
+export const searchAnimation: AnimationTriggerMetadata = trigger('transitionMessages', [
+    state('active', style({
+        'margin-left': '{{ margin-left }}px',
+        'margin-right': '{{ margin-right }}px',
+        'transform': '{{ transform }}'
+    }), { params: { 'margin-left': 0, 'margin-right': 0, 'transform': 'translateX(0%)' } }),
+    state('inactive', style({
+        'margin-left': '{{ margin-left }}px',
+        'margin-right': '{{ margin-right }}px',
+        'transform': '{{ transform }}'
+    }), { params: { 'margin-left': 0, 'margin-right': 0, 'transform': 'translateX(0%)' } }),
+    state('no-animation', style({ transform: 'translateX(0%)', width: '100%' })),
+    transition('active <=> inactive', animate('400ms cubic-bezier(0.25, 0.8, 0.25, 1)'))
+]);
diff --git a/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.html b/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.html
index 317075412f..c72704c72d 100644
--- a/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.html
+++ b/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<div class="adf-search-container" [attr.state]="subscriptAnimationState">
+<div class="adf-search-container" [attr.state]="subscriptAnimationState.value">
     <div *ngIf="isLoggedIn()" [@transitionMessages]="subscriptAnimationState"
          (@transitionMessages.done)="applySearchFocus($event)">
         <button mat-icon-button
diff --git a/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.scss b/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.scss
index 42c75b60a0..d2889894e6 100644
--- a/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.scss
+++ b/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.scss
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@
         left: -13px;
     }
 
+    [dir='rtl'] .adf-search-button {
+        right: -13px;
+    }
+
+    [dir='ltr'] .adf-search-button {
+        left: -13px;
+    }
+
     .adf {
 
         &-search-fixed-text {
diff --git a/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.spec.ts b/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.spec.ts
index 4e727becde..04e5a36a17 100644
--- a/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.spec.ts
+++ b/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.spec.ts
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 import { Component, DebugElement, ViewChild } from '@angular/core';
 import { async, discardPeriodicTasks, fakeAsync, ComponentFixture, TestBed, tick } from '@angular/core/testing';
 import { By } from '@angular/platform-browser';
-import { AuthenticationService, SearchService, setupTestBed, CoreModule } from '@alfresco/adf-core';
+import { AuthenticationService, SearchService, setupTestBed, CoreModule, UserPreferencesService } from '@alfresco/adf-core';
 import { ThumbnailService } from '@alfresco/adf-core';
 import { noResult, results } from '../../mock';
 import { SearchControlComponent } from './search-control.component';
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
     let elementCustom: HTMLElement;
     let componentCustom: SimpleSearchTestCustomEmptyComponent;
     let searchServiceSpy: any;
+    let userPreferencesService: UserPreferencesService;
 
     setupTestBed({
         imports: [
@@ -81,7 +82,8 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
         ],
         providers: [
             ThumbnailService,
-            SearchService
+            SearchService,
+            UserPreferencesService
         ]
     });
 
@@ -90,6 +92,7 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
         debugElement = fixture.debugElement;
         searchService = TestBed.get(SearchService);
         authService = TestBed.get(AuthenticationService);
+        userPreferencesService = TestBed.get(UserPreferencesService);
         spyOn(authService, 'isEcmLoggedIn').and.returnValue(true);
         component = fixture.componentInstance;
         element = fixture.nativeElement;
@@ -187,7 +190,7 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
         });
 
         it('should not have animation', () => {
-            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState).toBe('no-animation');
+            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.value).toBe('no-animation');
         });
     });
 
@@ -466,12 +469,12 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
             tick(100);
 
             const searchButton: DebugElement = debugElement.query(By.css('#adf-search-button'));
-            component.subscriptAnimationState = 'active';
+            component.subscriptAnimationState.value = 'active';
             fixture.detectChanges();
 
             tick(100);
 
-            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState).toBe('active');
+            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.value).toBe('active');
 
             searchButton.triggerEventHandler('click', null);
             fixture.detectChanges();
@@ -481,7 +484,7 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
 
             tick(100);
 
-            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState).toBe('inactive');
+            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.value).toBe('inactive');
             discardPeriodicTasks();
         }));
 
@@ -498,7 +501,7 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
 
             tick(100);
 
-            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState).toBe('active');
+            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.value).toBe('active');
             discardPeriodicTasks();
         }));
 
@@ -526,12 +529,12 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
             tick(100);
 
             const searchButton: DebugElement = debugElement.query(By.css('#adf-search-button'));
-            component.subscriptAnimationState = 'active';
+            component.subscriptAnimationState.value = 'active';
             fixture.detectChanges();
 
             tick(100);
 
-            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState).toBe('active');
+            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.value).toBe('active');
             searchButton.triggerEventHandler('click', null);
             fixture.detectChanges();
 
@@ -545,7 +548,7 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
 
             tick(100);
 
-            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState).toBe('inactive');
+            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.value).toBe('inactive');
             discardPeriodicTasks();
         }));
 
@@ -555,12 +558,12 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
             tick(100);
 
             const inputDebugElement = debugElement.query(By.css('#adf-control-input'));
-            component.subscriptAnimationState = 'active';
+            component.subscriptAnimationState.value = 'active';
             fixture.detectChanges();
 
             tick(100);
 
-            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState).toBe('active');
+            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.value).toBe('active');
 
             inputDebugElement.triggerEventHandler('keyup.escape', {});
 
@@ -569,7 +572,7 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
 
             tick(100);
 
-            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState).toBe('inactive');
+            expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.value).toBe('inactive');
             discardPeriodicTasks();
         }));
     });
@@ -598,7 +601,7 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
             spyOn(component, 'isSearchBarActive').and.returnValue(true);
             searchServiceSpy.and.returnValue(of(JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(results))));
             const clickDisposable = component.optionClicked.subscribe((item) => {
-                expect(component.subscriptAnimationState).toBe('inactive');
+                expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.value).toBe('inactive');
                 clickDisposable.unsubscribe();
                 done();
             });
@@ -662,4 +665,92 @@ describe('SearchControlComponent', () => {
             });
         });
     });
+
+    describe('directionality', () => {
+        describe('initial animation state', () => {
+            beforeEach(() => {
+                component.expandable = true;
+            });
+
+            it('should have positive transform translation', () => {
+                userPreferencesService.setWithoutStore('textOrientation', 'ltr');
+                fixture.detectChanges();
+                expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.params.transform).toBe('translateX(82%)');
+            });
+
+            it('should have negative transform translation ', () => {
+                userPreferencesService.setWithoutStore('textOrientation', 'rtl');
+                fixture.detectChanges();
+                expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.params.transform).toBe('translateX(-82%)');
+            });
+        });
+
+        describe('toggle animation', () => {
+            beforeEach(() => {
+                fixture.detectChanges();
+            });
+
+            it('should have margin-left set when active and direction is ltr', fakeAsync(() => {
+                userPreferencesService.setWithoutStore('textOrientation', 'ltr');
+                fixture.detectChanges();
+
+                const searchButton: DebugElement = debugElement.query(By.css('#adf-search-button'));
+
+                searchButton.triggerEventHandler('click', null);
+                tick(100);
+                fixture.detectChanges();
+                tick(100);
+
+                expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.params).toEqual({ 'margin-left': 13 });
+                discardPeriodicTasks();
+            }));
+
+            it('should have positive transform translateX set when inactive and direction is ltr', fakeAsync(() => {
+                userPreferencesService.setWithoutStore('textOrientation', 'ltr');
+                component.subscriptAnimationState.value = 'active';
+
+                fixture.detectChanges();
+                const searchButton: DebugElement = debugElement.query(By.css('#adf-search-button'));
+
+                searchButton.triggerEventHandler('click', null);
+                tick(100);
+                fixture.detectChanges();
+                tick(100);
+
+                expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.params).toEqual({ 'transform': 'translateX(82%)' });
+                discardPeriodicTasks();
+            }));
+
+            it('should have margin-right set when active and direction is rtl', fakeAsync(() => {
+                userPreferencesService.setWithoutStore('textOrientation', 'rtl');
+                fixture.detectChanges();
+
+                const searchButton: DebugElement = debugElement.query(By.css('#adf-search-button'));
+
+                searchButton.triggerEventHandler('click', null);
+                tick(100);
+                fixture.detectChanges();
+                tick(100);
+
+                expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.params).toEqual({ 'margin-right': 13 });
+                discardPeriodicTasks();
+            }));
+
+            it('should have negative transform translateX set when inactive and direction is rtl', fakeAsync(() => {
+                userPreferencesService.setWithoutStore('textOrientation', 'rtl');
+                component.subscriptAnimationState.value = 'active';
+
+                fixture.detectChanges();
+                const searchButton: DebugElement = debugElement.query(By.css('#adf-search-button'));
+
+                searchButton.triggerEventHandler('click', null);
+                tick(100);
+                fixture.detectChanges();
+                tick(100);
+
+                expect(component.subscriptAnimationState.params).toEqual({ 'transform': 'translateX(-82%)' });
+                discardPeriodicTasks();
+            }));
+        });
+    });
 });
diff --git a/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.ts b/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.ts
index b3d9df5d35..c5b8a00268 100644
--- a/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.ts
+++ b/lib/content-services/search/components/search-control.component.ts
@@ -15,32 +15,23 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-import { AuthenticationService, ThumbnailService } from '@alfresco/adf-core';
-import { animate, state, style, transition, trigger } from '@angular/animations';
+import { AuthenticationService, ThumbnailService, UserPreferencesService } from '@alfresco/adf-core';
 import { Component, EventEmitter, Input, OnDestroy, OnInit, Output,
          QueryList, ViewEncapsulation, ViewChild, ViewChildren, ElementRef, TemplateRef, ContentChild } from '@angular/core';
 import { NodeEntry } from '@alfresco/js-api';
 import { Observable, Subject } from 'rxjs';
 import { SearchComponent } from './search.component';
+import { searchAnimation } from './animations';
 import { MatListItem } from '@angular/material';
 import { EmptySearchResultComponent } from './empty-search-result.component';
-import { debounceTime, filter } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import { debounceTime, filter, takeUntil } from 'rxjs/operators';
+import { Direction } from '@angular/cdk/bidi';
 
 @Component({
     selector: 'adf-search-control',
     templateUrl: './search-control.component.html',
     styleUrls: ['./search-control.component.scss'],
-    animations: [
-        trigger('transitionMessages', [
-            state('active', style({ transform: 'translateX(0%)', 'margin-left': '13px' })),
-            state('inactive', style({ transform: 'translateX(82%)'})),
-            state('no-animation', style({ transform: 'translateX(0%)', width: '100%' })),
-            transition('inactive => active',
-                animate('300ms cubic-bezier(0.55, 0, 0.55, 0.2)')),
-            transition('active => inactive',
-                animate('300ms cubic-bezier(0.55, 0, 0.55, 0.2)'))
-        ])
-    ],
+    animations: [searchAnimation],
     encapsulation: ViewEncapsulation.None,
     host: { class: 'adf-search-control' }
 })
@@ -103,20 +94,25 @@ export class SearchControlComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
     emptySearchTemplate: EmptySearchResultComponent;
 
     searchTerm: string = '';
-    subscriptAnimationState: string;
+    subscriptAnimationState: any;
     noSearchResultTemplate: TemplateRef <any> = null;
 
     private toggleSearch = new Subject<any>();
     private focusSubject = new Subject<FocusEvent>();
+    private onDestroy$ = new Subject<boolean>();
+    private dir = 'ltr';
 
-    constructor(public authService: AuthenticationService,
-                private thumbnailService: ThumbnailService) {
+    constructor(
+        public authService: AuthenticationService,
+        private thumbnailService: ThumbnailService,
+        private userPreferencesService: UserPreferencesService
+    ) {
 
         this.toggleSearch.asObservable().pipe(debounceTime(200)).subscribe(() => {
             if (this.expandable) {
-                this.subscriptAnimationState = this.subscriptAnimationState === 'inactive' ? 'active' : 'inactive';
+                this.subscriptAnimationState = this.toggleAnimation();
 
-                if (this.subscriptAnimationState === 'inactive') {
+                if (this.subscriptAnimationState.value === 'inactive') {
                     this.searchTerm = '';
                     this.searchAutocomplete.resetResults();
                     if ( document.activeElement.id === this.searchInput.nativeElement.id) {
@@ -134,7 +130,15 @@ export class SearchControlComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
     }
 
     ngOnInit() {
-        this.subscriptAnimationState = this.expandable ? 'inactive' : 'no-animation';
+        this.userPreferencesService
+            .select('textOrientation')
+            .pipe(takeUntil(this.onDestroy$))
+            .subscribe((direction: Direction) => {
+                this.dir = direction;
+                this.subscriptAnimationState = this.getAnimationState();
+            });
+
+        this.subscriptAnimationState = this.getAnimationState();
         this.setupFocusEventHandlers();
     }
 
@@ -152,6 +156,9 @@ export class SearchControlComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
             this.toggleSearch.complete();
             this.toggleSearch = null;
         }
+
+        this.onDestroy$.next(true);
+        this.onDestroy$.complete();
     }
 
     isLoggedIn(): boolean {
@@ -189,7 +196,7 @@ export class SearchControlComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
     }
 
     isSearchBarActive() {
-        return this.subscriptAnimationState === 'active' && this.liveSearchEnabled;
+        return this.subscriptAnimationState.value === 'active' && this.liveSearchEnabled;
     }
 
     toggleSearchBar() {
@@ -266,4 +273,27 @@ export class SearchControlComponent implements OnInit, OnDestroy {
         return node.previousElementSibling;
     }
 
+    private toggleAnimation() {
+        if (this.dir === 'ltr') {
+            return this.subscriptAnimationState.value === 'inactive' ?
+                { value: 'active', params: { 'margin-left': 13 } } :
+                { value: 'inactive', params: { 'transform': 'translateX(82%)' } };
+        } else {
+            return this.subscriptAnimationState.value === 'inactive' ?
+                { value: 'active', params: { 'margin-right': 13 } } :
+                { value: 'inactive', params: { 'transform': 'translateX(-82%)' } };
+        }
+    }
+
+    private getAnimationState() {
+        if (this.dir === 'ltr') {
+            return this.expandable ?
+                { value: 'inactive', params: { 'transform': 'translateX(82%)' } } :
+                { value: 'no-animation' };
+        } else {
+            return this.expandable ?
+                { value: 'inactive', params: { 'transform': 'translateX(-82%)' } } :
+                { value: 'no-animation' };
+        }
+    }
 }