Box Shadow Generator

Create beautiful CSS box shadows with our visual generator. Customize offset, blur, spread, and color with live preview. Perfect for web designers and developers who want to add depth and dimension to their elements.

box-shadow: 0px 4px 8px 0px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);

About Box Shadow Generator

Box shadows are one of those CSS properties that can transform flat, boring designs into something with depth and visual interest. They add dimension, create hierarchy, and make interfaces feel more polished. But getting shadows right isn't always easy—there are multiple properties to adjust, and seeing how they work together can be tricky without a visual tool.

A box shadow is basically a blurred, offset copy of an element's shape. It creates the illusion that the element is elevated above the background or inset into it. The CSS property has several values: horizontal offset (how far left or right the shadow is), vertical offset (how far up or down), blur radius (how soft the shadow is), spread (how much the shadow expands), and color. Getting all these values right to create the effect you want can be frustrating when you're just guessing.

Material Design popularized elevation-based shadows, where different components use different shadow levels to show their importance in the visual hierarchy. A button might have a subtle shadow, while a modal dialog has a stronger shadow to make it appear above everything else. Understanding how to create these different elevation levels helps you design interfaces that feel cohesive and follow established patterns.

Depth and hierarchy use shadows to guide users' attention. Important elements get stronger shadows, making them stand out. Less important elements get subtle or no shadows. Navigation bars might float above content with shadows, while buttons might have shadows that increase on hover to show interactivity. Shadows help create visual layers that make interfaces easier to understand and navigate.

Interactive states benefit from shadow changes. A button might have a subtle shadow normally, but on hover, the shadow gets stronger or changes position slightly to suggest it's being lifted. Active states might reduce the shadow to suggest the button is pressed. These subtle changes provide visual feedback that helps users understand how to interact with elements.

Cards and containers commonly use shadows. A card floating above a background needs a shadow to show it's separate. The shadow depth can indicate how important or prominent the card is. Content cards might have subtle shadows, while popup modals have stronger shadows. Getting the shadow right makes cards feel like physical objects rather than just colored rectangles.

Modern web design uses shadows more subtly than in the past. Heavy, dramatic shadows look dated, while soft, subtle shadows look current. The trend is toward lighter, more diffused shadows that add depth without being obvious. Understanding how to create these subtle effects is important for modern design work.

Performance can be affected by shadows, especially complex ones or multiple shadows on the same element. Browser rendering needs to calculate and draw shadows, which takes processing power. On mobile devices or lower-end hardware, complex shadows can impact performance. Understanding how shadow complexity affects performance helps you make informed design choices.

This generator makes creating shadows visual and intuitive. Adjust sliders to see how each property affects the shadow in real-time. Try different combinations, layer multiple shadows, experiment with colors and opacity. See the result instantly, then copy the CSS code when you're ready to use it. No more guessing values or tweaking code repeatedly—just adjust visually until it looks right.

Features

Shadow Properties

  • Horizontal offset
  • Vertical offset
  • Blur radius
  • Spread radius
  • Shadow color
  • Opacity control
  • Inset option

Multiple Shadows

  • Layer shadows
  • Stack effects
  • Drop shadows
  • Inner shadows
  • Glow effects
  • Ambient shadows

Common Styles

Material Design

  • Elevation 1: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.12)
  • Elevation 2: 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.14)
  • Elevation 3: 0 3px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.16)
  • Elevation 4: 0 4px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.18)
  • Elevation 5: 0 6px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.20)

Modern Effects

  • Soft shadow
  • Sharp shadow
  • Layered shadow
  • Floating effect
  • Pressed state
  • Hover effect

Design Applications

UI Components

  • Cards
  • Buttons
  • Modals
  • Dropdowns
  • Navigation
  • Form elements

Interactive States

  • Default state
  • Hover state
  • Active state
  • Focus state
  • Disabled state
  • Loading state

Design Patterns

  • Card layouts
  • Floating actions
  • Stacked elements
  • Depth hierarchy
  • Layer separation
  • Visual feedback

Best Practices

  1. Use consistent shadows
  2. Consider light direction
  3. Match design system
  4. Test performance
  5. Check dark mode
  6. Maintain accessibility

Export Options

  • CSS code
  • SCSS variables
  • Tailwind config
  • Design tokens
  • React styles
  • Vue directives

Technical Features

Real-time Preview

  • Live updates
  • Multiple presets
  • Code generation
  • Cross-browser
  • Mobile preview
  • Dark mode view

Advanced Options

  • Multiple layers
  • Color picker
  • Preset saving
  • Custom variables
  • Browser prefixes
  • Performance tips

Related Tools

  • Gradient Generator
  • Color Picker
  • Border Radius Tool
  • Transform Generator
  • Filter Effects

Note: Some advanced shadow effects may impact performance. Consider using simpler shadows for better performance on mobile devices.

How to Use

  1. Adjust the sliders to modify shadow properties:
    • Move horizontal/vertical offset to position the shadow
    • Increase blur for a softer shadow
    • Adjust spread to expand/contract the shadow
    • Set opacity for transparency
  2. Choose a shadow color
  3. Toggle inset for inner shadows
  4. Copy the generated CSS code

Understanding Box Shadows

Basic Properties

  • Offset X: Horizontal position (positive = right, negative = left)
  • Offset Y: Vertical position (positive = down, negative = up)
  • Blur: How soft/diffused the shadow appears
  • Spread: How large the shadow grows
  • Color: Shadow color with opacity
  • Inset: Creates an inner shadow instead of outer

Common Use Cases

Subtle Elevation

  • Small offset
  • Light blur
  • Low opacity
  • Used for cards and containers

Strong Depth

  • Larger offset
  • Higher blur
  • Medium opacity
  • Used for modals and popups

Inner Shadow

  • Inset enabled
  • Small offset
  • Medium blur
  • Used for pressed buttons and inputs

Why Use Our Generator

  • Instant preview
  • Precise control
  • Clean CSS output
  • User-friendly interface
  • Works offline
  • Free to use