CSS Box Shadow Generator – Create & Preview box-shadow Online
Create CSS box shadows visually with a live preview. Add multiple shadow layers, adjust offset, blur, spread, color and opacity. Copy the final CSS rule with one click.
What Is the CSS Box Shadow Generator?
The CSS Box Shadow Generator is a live, visual tool for creating CSS box-shadow declarations with full control over horizontal offset, vertical offset, blur radius, spread radius, color, and opacity. Toggle inset shadows, add multiple shadow layers, and preview the result on a live element preview. The generated CSS is ready to copy and paste directly into your stylesheet — no manual syntax required.
How to Use the Tool
Adjust Shadow Parameters
Use the sliders to set the horizontal offset (X), vertical offset (Y), blur radius, and spread radius. Each slider updates the live preview in real time.
Choose Color & Opacity
Click the shadow color input to pick any color. Use the opacity slider to control transparency — especially useful for subtle, realistic shadows.
Add Layers & Copy
Click 'Add Shadow' to stack multiple box-shadow layers for complex effects like inner glow + drop shadow. Then click 'Copy CSS' to get the final declaration.
Why This Tool Is Useful
The CSS box-shadow property is one of the most powerful but syntactically complex properties in CSS. A single declaration can contain multiple shadow layers, each with 5–6 parameters. Getting realistic-looking shadows requires careful tuning of blur, spread, and color opacity. Elevation systems (like Material Design's 24-level shadow scale) require precisely calibrated shadows for every UI component. Our generator makes this precision accessible without requiring deep CSS knowledge or multiple trial-and-error iterations.
See every parameter change reflected on the preview element immediately.
Layer multiple shadow definitions on one element for depth effects.
Toggle between drop shadow (outer) and inset (inner) shadow.
Choose any color and opacity for precise, realistic shadow effects.
Generated code is properly formatted CSS ready for any project.
No installation, no registration, works on any device.
Frequently Asked Questions
The parameters are: horizontal offset (positive = right, negative = left), vertical offset (positive = down, negative = up), blur radius (higher = softer edge), spread radius (positive = larger shadow, negative = smaller), color (including opacity via RGBA), and the optional 'inset' keyword for inner shadows.
Set a small positive horizontal and vertical offset (4–8px), a moderate blur (8–20px), spread of 0 or slightly negative, and use a dark color at low opacity (e.g., rgba(0,0,0,0.15)). This mimics natural light with a shadow falling to one side.
An inset shadow appears inside the element's border rather than outside it. It is used to create pressed/depressed button effects, inner glow effects, or to simulate concave surfaces.
Yes. CSS supports multiple box-shadow values separated by commas: box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,.1), 0 8px 24px rgba(0,0,0,.08). The layers render back to front.
Spread radius expands or contracts the shadow size uniformly. A positive value makes the shadow larger than the element; a negative value makes it smaller. Setting spread to a negative value with high blur creates a smooth diffuse glow without hard edges.
Use a 0 offset, 0 spread, a large blur radius, and a bright color: box-shadow: 0 0 20px #7c3aed. Stacking multiple glow layers at different sizes produces a neon or glowing LED effect.
Yes, completely free. Generate, preview, and copy as many shadow styles as you need.