How to Use the CSS Box Shadow Generator
Adjust the Shadow ControlsUse the sliders to set Horizontal Offset, Vertical Offset, Blur Radius, Spread Radius, and Opacity for your shadow.
Set Color and InsetPick a shadow color using the color picker or type a hex value. Toggle Inset to switch between outer and inner shadows.
Choose a Background ColorSet the preview background color to match your actual page background for an accurate visual result.
Watch the Live PreviewThe preview element updates in real time as you adjust any control â what you see is exactly what the CSS produces.
Copy the CSS CodeClick Copy CSS to copy just the shadow value, or Copy Full Rule to copy the complete box-shadow: ...; declaration.
Key Features
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Real-Time Live Preview
Every slider and color change updates the preview box instantly â no clicking Generate, no waiting.
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Full Color Control
Pick shadow and background colors with a visual color picker or type any hex value directly. Opacity is controlled separately for precise rgba output.
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Inset Shadow Toggle
Switch between outer drop shadows and inner inset shadows with a single toggle â the preview updates instantly.
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Quick Presets
Start from professionally designed presets â Subtle Card, Deep Shadow, Purple Glow, Inner Shadow, and more â then customise from there.
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Two Copy Options
Copy just the shadow value or the full box-shadow: ...; property declaration, ready to paste into any stylesheet.
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Fully Browser-Side
All generation happens in your browser â nothing is sent to any server. Works offline once the page is loaded.
The CSS box-shadow property accepts up to six values in a specific order. Understanding each one gives you full control over the shadow effect.
Full Syntax box-shadow: [inset] <h-offset> <v-offset> <blur-radius> <spread-radius> <color>;
Horizontal Offset (required) Positive â shadow moves RIGHT Negative â shadow moves LEFT
Example: 10px (shadow 10px to the right) -10px (shadow 10px to the left)
Vertical Offset (required) Positive â shadow moves DOWN Negative â shadow moves UP
Example: 4px (shadow 4px below) -4px (shadow 4px above)
Blur Radius (optional, default 0) 0 â sharp hard edge Higher values â softer, more diffuse shadow
The shadow colour spreads outward from the shadow edge at the blur radius distance.
Example: 20px gives a soft natural shadow. 0px gives a solid block shadow.
Spread Radius (optional, default 0) Positive â shadow expands beyond the element dimensions
Negative â shadow shrinks inside the element dimensions
Example: 4px (shadow 4px larger on all sides) -4px (shadow 4px smaller)
Color (optional, default currentColor) Best practice: use rgba() for transparent shadows that blend with any background.
Example: rgba(0,0,0,0.15) â black at 15% opacity.
Hex colours (#000000) are always fully opaque â avoid for shadows.
Inset (optional keyword) When present: shadow appears INSIDE the element's border box.
When absent: shadow appears OUTSIDE (default outer shadow).
Example: box-shadow: inset 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);
Multiple shadows can be applied to a single element by separating each shadow definition with a comma. Shadows are rendered in front-to-back order â the first shadow listed appears on top:
Multiple Shadows Example (Material Design Elevation 4) box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.12), 0 4px 16px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);
Common Shadow Patterns
Subtle Card
Soft Lift
Deep Shadow
Glow
Inset
Hard Edge
Practical Examples
đŽđŗ Riya Sharma â Delhi, India | UI Designer
Riya is designing a SaaS dashboard for an Indian fintech startup. She needs card shadows that feel modern and lightweight without looking heavy on white backgrounds.
Values used: H-offset: 0, V-offset: 4px, Blur: 20px, Spread: 0, Color: rgba(0,0,0,0.08)
Generated CSS: box-shadow: 0px 4px 20px 0px rgba(0,0,0,0.08);
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Result: Cards appear to float 4px above the surface with soft diffusion. The 8% opacity ensures shadow is present but never distracting on white backgrounds.
đŽđŗ Arjun Menon â Bengaluru, India | Front-End Developer
Arjun is building an e-commerce product page. He wants the Add to Cart button to appear elevated when hovered, using a CSS transition on box-shadow for a satisfying interaction.
Default state CSS: box-shadow: 0px 2px 8px 0px rgba(102,126,234,0.3);
Hover state CSS: box-shadow: 0px 8px 24px 0px rgba(102,126,234,0.5);
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Result: Combined with transition: box-shadow 0.2s ease;, the button lifts noticeably on hover. Conversion rate on the product page improves measurably.
đŠđĒ Lena Braun â Munich, Germany | WordPress Theme Developer
Lena is building a premium WordPress theme and needs input field focus states with an inner shadow to indicate active state without a heavy border change.
Values used: Inset ON, H: 0, V: 2px, Blur: 6px, Spread: 0, Color: rgba(102,126,234,0.35)
Generated CSS: box-shadow: inset 0px 2px 6px 0px rgba(102,126,234,0.35);
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Result: Focus state is clear and accessible without relying solely on border color changes â important for users who customise color themes.
đŽđŗ Priya Nair â Chennai, India | Freelance Web Designer
Priya needs a hard-edged retro shadow for a client's landing page with a bold design aesthetic. She uses zero blur and a coloured spread for a stacked offset look.
Values used: H: 6px, V: 6px, Blur: 0, Spread: 0, Color: rgba(102,126,234,1.0) â opacity at 100%
Generated CSS: box-shadow: 6px 6px 0px 0px rgba(102,126,234,1);
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Result: Retro offset shadow achieved. Combined with a matching border, the effect gives the design a bold editorial character that matches the client's brand.
What Is CSS Box Shadow?
The CSS box-shadow property adds shadow effects around an element's frame. It is one of the most widely used CSS properties in modern web design â responsible for the visual depth in cards, buttons, modals, tooltips, and inputs across virtually every contemporary website and app.
Unlike borders and outlines, box shadows do not affect the document layout. They are painted below the element and do not shift surrounding content. This makes them ideal for hover effects, focus states, and depth cues that need to be purely visual without changing the page structure.
Box shadows are fully animatable with CSS transitions, making them a powerful tool for interactive design. A button that gains a larger, deeper shadow on hover communicates lift and interactivity without any JavaScript. A card that loses its shadow on click communicates a pressed or selected state. These micro-interactions, built entirely in CSS, are standard in modern design systems including Google Material Design, Apple Human Interface Guidelines, and Microsoft Fluent Design.
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Bengali
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Marathi
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Gujarati
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Kannada
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Malayalam
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Spanish
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French
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German
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Japanese
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Portuguese
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Korean
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đ Want a complete guide to CSS box shadows, design patterns, and performance tips? Read our blog post.
Read the Blog Post âFrequently Asked Questions
Is this CSS box shadow generator free to use?
Yes, the CSS Box Shadow Generator on StoreDropship is completely free. No login, no account, and no usage limits.
What do the box-shadow parameters mean?
Horizontal Offset moves the shadow left or right. Vertical Offset moves it up or down. Blur Radius controls softness â zero gives a hard edge. Spread Radius expands or shrinks the shadow. Color sets the shadow color. Inset makes the shadow appear inside the element instead of outside.
What is an inset box shadow?
An inset shadow appears inside the element's border rather than outside it. It is commonly used for pressed button states, embossed effects, and inner glow effects. Add the inset keyword before the other values in the CSS to enable it.
Can I use multiple box shadows on one element?
Yes. CSS allows multiple box shadows on a single element by separating each shadow definition with a comma. For example: box-shadow: 0 4px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.2), 0 -2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); This tool generates one shadow at a time â copy each one and combine them manually in your CSS.
What is the difference between blur radius and spread radius?
Blur radius controls how soft and feathered the shadow edge is. A blur of 0 gives a sharp hard edge. Spread radius changes the size of the shadow before blurring â a positive spread makes the shadow larger than the element, a negative spread shrinks it.
Does box-shadow affect layout or take up space?
No. CSS box-shadow does not affect the document flow or box model. It is purely visual and does not shift other elements or add to the element's measured dimensions.
Is box-shadow supported in all browsers?
Yes. box-shadow has full support in all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. No vendor prefixes are required for modern browser support.
How do I create a soft card shadow like Google Material Design?
Material Design elevation shadows typically combine two shadows. A common example for elevation level 2 is: box-shadow: 0 3px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.16), 0 3px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.23); Use this tool to build each layer, then combine them in your CSS.
Can box-shadow be animated with CSS transitions?
Yes. box-shadow is animatable using CSS transitions and animations. Adding transition: box-shadow 0.3s ease; to your element will smoothly animate the shadow when it changes â for example on hover states.
What is rgba in a box-shadow color and why use it?
rgba stands for Red, Green, Blue, Alpha â where the fourth value (alpha) controls opacity from 0 (fully transparent) to 1 (fully opaque). Using rgba for shadow colors gives you transparent shadows that blend naturally with any background color, unlike hex colors which are always fully opaque.
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