Vynoe
VISUAL EDITOR • MULTIPLE LAYERS

CSS Box Shadow Generator

Create perfect CSS box shadows with a visual editor. Adjust offset, blur, spread, color, and opacity with live preview. Stack multiple shadow layers.

auto_awesomePresets
Layers:
4px
4px
12px
0px
25%

codeGENERATED CSS

box-shadow: 4px 4px 12px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25);

How It Works

1
tune

Adjust offset, blur, spread, and color

2
layers

Add multiple shadow layers

3
visibility

See changes in real-time preview

4
content_copy

Copy the generated CSS code

Understanding CSS Box Shadows

code

Box Shadow Syntax

The box-shadow property takes values for x-offset, y-offset, blur-radius, spread-radius, and color. You can stack multiple shadows separated by commas for complex effects.

layers

Multiple Shadows

Layering multiple shadows creates realistic depth effects. A common technique uses a sharp close shadow for definition and a soft distant shadow for ambient occlusion, mimicking real-world lighting.

brightness_6

Neumorphism

Neumorphism uses two box shadows - one light and one dark - on a matching background to create soft, extruded UI elements. It produces a modern, tactile look that simulates physical depth.

Shadow Design Tips

For natural-looking shadows, use rgba() with low opacity (0.1 to 0.3) rather than solid grey colors. Match your shadow direction to a consistent light source across the UI. Larger blur values create softer, more ambient shadows, while smaller blurs produce sharper, closer shadows. Use negative spread to make shadows smaller than the element, creating a floating effect. For elevated cards, combine a large soft shadow with a small sharp shadow. The inset keyword creates inner shadows, useful for pressed buttons and input fields.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CSS box-shadow property?expand_more
The CSS box-shadow property adds shadow effects around an element's frame. It takes values for horizontal offset (x), vertical offset (y), blur radius, spread radius, and color. Multiple shadows can be applied separated by commas, with the first shadow appearing on top.
What is the difference between blur and spread?expand_more
Blur radius controls how soft or sharp the shadow edge is - higher values create softer, more diffuse shadows. Spread radius controls the size of the shadow - positive values expand it beyond the element, negative values shrink it. A spread of 0 means the shadow is the same size as the element.
What is an inset shadow?expand_more
Adding the "inset" keyword creates an inner shadow that appears inside the element rather than outside. Inset shadows are commonly used for pressed button states, input fields, and creating depth within containers. You can combine inset and outset shadows on the same element.
How do I create a neumorphic shadow?expand_more
Neumorphism uses two box shadows on matching background colors: one dark shadow (bottom-right) and one light shadow (top-left). The element background should match the page background. Example: box-shadow: 8px 8px 16px rgba(0,0,0,0.15), -8px -8px 16px rgba(255,255,255,0.8); with both the element and page using the same light grey background.
Does box-shadow affect layout?expand_more
No, box-shadow does not affect element layout or dimensions. Shadows are purely visual and do not take up space in the document flow. They also do not trigger reflow. However, large shadows can overflow their containers, so you may need overflow: visible on parent elements.
Can I animate box-shadow?expand_more
Yes, box-shadow can be animated with CSS transitions and keyframes. However, animating box-shadow can be performance-intensive as it triggers repaints. For better performance, consider animating opacity of a pseudo-element with the shadow, or use CSS filter: drop-shadow() for simpler cases.