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Browser Based CSS Box Shadow Generator (Free)

Design realistic CSS box shadows with interactive visual controls and one-click code export.

100% FreeNo Sign-upRuns in BrowserPrivacy First

CSS Box Shadow Generator

Design modern, realistic CSS box shadows with live interactive visual controls.

Horizontal Offset0px
Vertical Offset20px
Blur Radius25px
Spread Radius-5px
Shadow Opacity30%
Preview Box
CSS Code
box-shadow: 0px 20px 25px -5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
-webkit-box-shadow: 0px 20px 25px -5px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);

Overview

The CSS Box Shadow Generator is a free visual tool that lets you design modern, realistic CSS box shadows using interactive sliders and see the result in real-time. Instead of guessing pixel values and RGBA opacity, simply drag the sliders for horizontal offset, vertical offset, blur radius, spread radius, and opacity, then copy the production-ready CSS code with one click.

Box shadows are one of the most impactful visual effects in modern UI design. A well-crafted shadow can make a card feel like it is hovering above the page, make a button feel physically pressable, or give a form field a clean, professional depth. However, writing the raw box-shadow CSS syntax from memory — with its 6 space-separated values plus an optional inset keyword — is tedious and easy to get wrong.

Our generator includes quick presets like Subtle Soft, Floating 3D, Glow Effect, and Inner Inset, so you can start from a proven design foundation and customize from there. Unlike Figma or Photoshop, this tool runs 100% in your browser — no account, no download, no cloud processing. Perfect for frontend developers who want to prototype shadow styles in seconds during a live design session.

Key Features

Interactive Sliders: Adjust horizontal offset, vertical offset, blur, spread, and opacity with real-time visual feedback.
Inset/Outset Toggle: Switch between outer (outset) shadows and inner (inset) shadows with one click.
Quick Presets: Start from proven shadow styles — Subtle Soft, Floating 3D, Glow Effect, Sharp Shadow, Inner Inset.
Live Preview Box: See your shadow applied to a preview element that updates instantly as you adjust values.
Complete CSS Output: Get both standard box-shadow and -webkit-box-shadow vendor prefix in the output.
One-Click Copy: Copy the complete CSS code to your clipboard instantly.
Color & Opacity Control: Set any shadow color with a precise opacity slider for subtle or dramatic effects.
100% Client-Side: No server required. Everything runs in your browser.

How to Use CSS Box Shadow Generator

1Choose a quick preset to start from (optional), or begin adjusting sliders manually.
2Drag the 'Horizontal Offset' slider to move the shadow left or right.
3Drag the 'Vertical Offset' slider to move the shadow up or down.
4Adjust 'Blur Radius' for a softer or sharper shadow edge.
5Adjust 'Spread Radius' to expand or contract the shadow size.
6Set the shadow 'Opacity' and toggle 'Inset' if you want an inner shadow.
7Review the live preview, then click 'Copy CSS' to copy the code.

Benefits

  • No Guesswork: See exactly what your shadow looks like before committing to CSS values.
  • Faster Development: Generate production-ready CSS in seconds instead of manually tweaking values.
  • Design Consistency: Use presets to maintain consistent shadow styles across your project.
  • Learn CSS: See how each property (blur, spread, offset) affects the visual result in real-time.

Common Use Cases

UI Designer Creating Card Shadows

A designer needs a subtle floating shadow for a product card grid. They select the 'Floating 3D' preset, reduce the opacity to 15%, nudge the vertical offset to 6px, and copy the resulting CSS directly into their shared design system tokens — saving 20 minutes of trial-and-error tweaking.

Developer Adding Depth to Buttons

A frontend developer wants to add an inset shadow to pressed-state CTA buttons to simulate a physical click effect. They toggle the 'Inset' switch, set blur to 12px and opacity to 40%, then copy the CSS value for use in their :active pseudo-class, achieving a realistic pressed feel with zero design software needed.

CSS Student Learning Shadows

A student learning CSS for the first time uses the live sliders to understand how each parameter (offset, blur, spread, opacity) independently affects the visual output. Seeing the shadow update in real-time turns a confusing MDN documentation page into an instantly understandable visual experiment.

Tips & Best Practices

  • For the most natural-looking shadows, use a vertical offset slightly larger than horizontal, with moderate blur.
  • Use spread with a negative value to create tighter, more focused shadows that look more realistic.
  • Combine multiple box shadows by copying the value and adding another comma-separated shadow in your CSS.
  • For a glow effect, set both offsets to 0 and increase blur with a bright color like blue or green.