This paper describes the influence of the head field on transition fonnation. Two types of MIO heads and three thin film media which have various coercivities were used for the investigation. MIO heads generate the secondary field as a result of ferrite saturation by flux concentrated in metal films in the gap region. A degraded field gradient, such as the secondary field, produces not only a wider transition region, but also a more irregular transition configuration. The transition length is detennined by the relationship of (field gradient)-1/2, when the field is just over the coercivity. If the maximum field strength equals media coercivity, then the transition is detennined by the field gradient of zero. The transition configuration fluctuates by means of increasing the transition noise, when the transition is spread by the degraded field gradient .