CSS Box Shadow Generator

Free CSS Effects Tool

CSS Box Shadow Generator

Create beautiful CSS box shadows visually. Adjust horizontal and vertical offsets, blur radius, spread, color and inset mode, then copy clean CSS code for your project.

Adjust the shadow controls to generate CSS box-shadow code.

Generated CSS Code

CSS Box Shadow Generator

The CSS Box Shadow Generator is a powerful visual tool that helps you create beautiful shadow effects for your elements in just a few clicks. With real-time preview and intuitive controls, you can adjust shadow properties such as offset, blur, spread, color, and opacity - then instantly copy the generated CSS code for use in your web projects.

How to Use the CSS Box Shadow Generator

  1. Adjust the horizontal offset to move the shadow left or right.
  2. Adjust the vertical offset to move the shadow up or down.
  3. Increase or decrease the blur radius to control shadow softness.
  4. Use spread to make the shadow larger or smaller.
  5. Select a shadow color with the color picker.
  6. Enable inset mode if you want the shadow to appear inside the element.
  7. Copy the generated CSS code and use it in your project.

What Is This CSS Box Shadow Generator?

This CSS Box Shadow Generator is a free visual tool that helps you create box-shadow effects for cards, buttons, panels, modals, containers and other UI elements. Instead of manually changing shadow values in your stylesheet, you can adjust the controls and preview the result in real time.

The tool generates clean CSS using the standard box-shadow property. You can control the horizontal offset, vertical offset, blur radius, spread radius, color and optional inset mode.

CSS Box Shadow Examples

Card Shadow

A soft box shadow can make cards feel elevated from the background. This is useful for blog cards, product cards, pricing cards and dashboard widgets.

Floating Button Shadow

Buttons can use a small shadow to look clickable and visually separated from the rest of the interface.

Inset Shadow

Inset shadows appear inside the element. They are often used for pressed buttons, input fields or neumorphism-style interfaces.

Glow Effect

Colored shadows can create glow effects around buttons, icons, cards or text containers.

Layered Shadow

Multiple subtle shadows can create a more realistic sense of depth than a single heavy shadow.

CSS Box Shadow Guide

What Is box-shadow?

The box-shadow property adds one or more shadows around an HTML element. It is commonly used to create depth, elevation, focus and visual hierarchy in modern web interfaces.

Basic Syntax

A basic box shadow includes horizontal offset, vertical offset, blur radius and color.

.box {
  box-shadow: 5px 5px 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
}

Full Syntax

The full syntax can also include spread radius and inset mode.

.box {
  box-shadow: 5px 5px 20px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
}

Horizontal Offset

The first value controls the horizontal position of the shadow. Positive values move the shadow to the right. Negative values move it to the left.

.box {
  box-shadow: 20px 0 30px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
}

Vertical Offset

The second value controls the vertical position of the shadow. Positive values move the shadow down. Negative values move it up.

.box {
  box-shadow: 0 20px 30px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
}

Blur Radius

The blur radius controls how soft or sharp the shadow looks. Larger blur values create softer shadows, while smaller values create harder shadows.

.box {
  box-shadow: 0 10px 40px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
}

Spread Radius

The spread radius controls the size of the shadow. Positive values expand the shadow, while negative values shrink it.

.box {
  box-shadow: 0 10px 30px 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);
}

Shadow Color

Shadow color can be written as a HEX, RGB, HSL or RGBA value. For realistic UI shadows, transparent colors such as rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15) usually work better than solid black.

.box {
  box-shadow: 0 8px 24px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
}

Inset Shadow

The inset keyword makes the shadow appear inside the element instead of outside it.

.box {
  box-shadow: inset 0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);
}

Multiple Shadows

CSS allows multiple shadows on the same element. Separate each shadow with a comma. This is useful for layered shadows, realistic elevation and glow effects.

.box {
  box-shadow:
    0 2px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08),
    0 12px 32px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);
}

Performance Note

Heavy shadows with large blur values can affect rendering performance, especially when used on many elements or animated frequently. Use subtle shadows consistently and avoid applying large blurred shadows to too many elements at once.

Best Practices

  • Use subtle opacity instead of very dark shadow colors.
  • Keep shadows consistent across cards, buttons and panels.
  • Use larger blur values for soft elevation.
  • Use inset shadows for pressed or recessed UI elements.
  • Use multiple light shadows instead of one harsh shadow.
  • Avoid animating large shadows too aggressively.

CSS Box Shadow Generator FAQ

What is box-shadow in CSS?

The box-shadow property adds shadow effects around an HTML element. It can create depth, elevation, glow effects or inset shadows.

How do I create a soft shadow in CSS?

Use a low-opacity color and a larger blur radius. For example: box-shadow: 0 10px 30px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12);

What does blur radius do in box-shadow?

Blur radius controls how soft the shadow edge appears. A larger blur radius creates a softer and more diffused shadow.

What does spread radius do in box-shadow?

Spread radius controls the size of the shadow. Positive values expand it, while negative values shrink it.

How do inset shadows work?

An inset shadow appears inside the element instead of outside it. Add the inset keyword to the box-shadow value.

Can I add multiple box shadows?

Yes. You can add multiple shadows by separating each shadow value with a comma.

Does box-shadow affect performance?

Simple shadows are usually fine, but many large blurred shadows or animated shadows can affect performance on lower-powered devices.

Can I animate box-shadow?

Yes, box-shadow can be animated with transitions or keyframes, but for performance reasons it should be used carefully.

What Is Box Shadow?

The box-shadow property in CSS allows you to add shadow effects around any HTML element. It can simulate lighting, depth, or elevation in your design, giving elements a more natural, layered look. Shadows are often used for cards, modals, buttons, and containers to improve visual hierarchy and focus.

/* Basic Example */
.box {
  box-shadow: 10px 10px 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
}

Understanding the Syntax

The box-shadow property accepts several values that define how the shadow looks:

/* Example with all values */
.box {
  box-shadow: 5px 5px 15px 5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
}

How the Generator Works

The CSS Box Shadow Generator provides sliders and color pickers to control each shadow parameter. As you adjust the horizontal and vertical offsets, blur radius, spread, and color, you can see the effect update in real time. You can also toggle between inset and normal shadow modes. When you’re done, the generator will produce the complete CSS code, ready to copy and paste.

Multiple Shadows

You can add more than one shadow to an element by separating each shadow with a comma. This allows you to create layered shadow effects, glowing borders, or highlights.

/* Multiple shadows example */
.box {
  box-shadow: 
    0 0 10px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3),
    0 0 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
}

Tips for Using Shadows Effectively

Performance Note

While shadows can make designs look professional and modern, overusing them can impact rendering performance, especially on low-powered devices. Keep the number of heavy, blurred shadows to a minimum when working with complex layouts.

Example Use Cases

Experiment with the CSS Box Shadow Generator to bring your UI elements to life. Whether you want subtle elevation or dramatic depth, this generator makes it easy to create the perfect shadow for your design.

Last update: 03. 07. 2026.