CSS Box Shadow Generator

Design beautiful CSS box shadows visually. Adjust offsets, blur, spread, color, and opacity with interactive controls. Add multiple shadow layers, apply presets, and copy the generated CSS code. Everything runs in your browser.

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Shadow Presets

How to Use CSS Box Shadows

The CSS box-shadow property lets you add shadow effects to any HTML element. Shadows can create depth, highlight interactive elements, and make your UI feel more polished. The syntax is: box-shadow: [inset] offset-x offset-y blur-radius spread-radius color.

Understanding Box Shadow Values

Each shadow is defined by up to six values. The horizontal offset moves the shadow left (negative) or right (positive). The vertical offset moves it up or down. The blur radius controls how soft or sharp the edges are. The spread radius expands or contracts the shadow. The color determines the shadow's appearance, and inset makes the shadow appear inside the element.

Multiple Shadows

CSS allows multiple comma-separated shadows on a single element. Layering shadows with different offsets, blurs, and opacities creates realistic depth effects. Material Design and neumorphism both rely on multi-layer shadows for their distinctive look.

Performance Tips

Box shadows are rendered by the browser's compositor and generally perform well. However, very large blur radii on many elements can impact performance on lower-end devices. Consider using will-change: box-shadow if you animate the shadow, and test on mobile devices for smooth rendering.

Features

Browser Support

The box-shadow property is supported in all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. No vendor prefixes are needed for current browser versions. The generated CSS code works universally without any polyfills.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CSS box-shadow property?▼
The CSS box-shadow property adds shadow effects around an element's frame. You can set multiple effects separated by commas. A box shadow is described by X and Y offsets relative to the element, blur and spread radii, color, and optionally the inset keyword. It works on any block-level or inline element and is widely supported in all modern browsers.
What is the difference between box-shadow and drop-shadow?▼
box-shadow applies a rectangular shadow to the element's box model (including padding and border), while filter: drop-shadow() follows the actual shape of the element including transparency. box-shadow supports the inset keyword and spread radius, which drop-shadow does not. Use box-shadow for cards and containers, and drop-shadow for irregularly shaped elements like PNG images.
Can I use multiple box shadows on one element?▼
Yes, CSS allows you to apply multiple box shadows to a single element by separating each shadow value with a comma. The first shadow listed appears on top. This technique is commonly used to create layered shadow effects, realistic depth, glowing borders, neumorphic designs, and other advanced visual effects.
How do inset shadows work in CSS?▼
Adding the inset keyword to a box-shadow declaration makes the shadow appear inside the element instead of outside. Inset shadows create the illusion that the content is pressed into the page, which is commonly used for input fields, neumorphic designs, and creating depth effects. You can combine inset and outset shadows on the same element.
What are good box-shadow values for a subtle, professional look?▼
For a subtle, professional shadow, use small offset values (0-2px), moderate blur (4-12px), slight spread (0-2px), and low-opacity black or dark colors. A common approach is: box-shadow: 0 2px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1). For elevated cards, try layered shadows: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.12), 0 1px 2px rgba(0,0,0,0.24) for a Material Design feel.

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Embed this Tool

Copy and paste this code to embed the CSS Box Shadow Generator on your website:

<iframe src="https://devtoolbox.dedyn.io/tools/css-box-shadow-generator" width="100%" height="800" frameborder="0"></iframe>

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