FreeKit is a collection of free online tools for developers, SEO professionals, designers, students, content creators, and everyday users.

Are all tools completely free?

Yes. Every tool on FreeKit is free to use without subscriptions or hidden charges.

Do I need to create an account?

No. You can use all tools instantly without creating an account.

No. Most tools process data locally in your browser, and we do not permanently store your inputs.

Can I use FreeKit on mobile devices?

Yes. Every tool is fully responsive and works on smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers.

How often are new tools added?

We regularly add new tools and improve existing ones based on user feedback and industry needs.

Which browsers are supported?

FreeKit supports all modern browsers, including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, and other Chromium-based browsers.

Can I share these tools with others?

Absolutely. You are welcome to share FreeKit with friends, colleagues, students, and your team.

What is CSS box-shadow?

The CSS box-shadow property adds shadow effects around an element's frame. It accepts values for horizontal offset, vertical offset, blur radius, spread radius, and color. For example, box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.1); creates a subtle shadow below the element. Box shadows are rendered outside the element's border box by default, but can also be rendered inside using the 'inset' keyword.

What is the difference between inset and outer box shadows?

An outer box shadow (the default) renders the shadow outside the element, making it appear raised or floating above the background. An inset shadow renders inside the element's border box, creating a pressed-in or carved-out appearance. The inset keyword is placed at the beginning or end of the box-shadow value. You can combine both inset and outer shadows on the same element for complex depth effects.

Can I apply multiple box shadows to the same element?

Yes, you can apply multiple box shadows by separating them with commas. Each shadow is rendered independently, so they layer on top of each other in the order they are listed. For example: box-shadow: 0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.1), 0 10px 20px rgba(0,0,0,0.05);. This technique is commonly used to combine a sharp, close shadow for definition with a larger, softer shadow for depth. The first shadow in the list appears on top.

Do box shadows affect layout or performance?

Box shadows do not affect layout — they do not change the element's dimensions or position in the document flow. However, complex or multiple box shadows can impact rendering performance, especially during animations. Large blur radii and multiple shadow layers force the browser to repaint areas around the element. For best performance, keep blur values reasonable (under 50px) and limit the number of shadow layers. Avoid animating box-shadow on performance-critical elements; instead, use transform and opacity for smoother animations.

How does box-shadow interact with z-index and stacking context?

Box shadows are part of the element's painting and do not create a new stacking context on their own. However, if an element with a box-shadow is positioned (relative, absolute, fixed, or sticky), it establishes a stacking context. The shadow is painted as part of the element's background, below the element's content and border but above the parent's background. If two overlapping elements both have box shadows, z-index controls which shadow appears on top.

What is the browser support for CSS box-shadow?

CSS box-shadow is supported in all modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, and Opera. It has been supported since Chrome 10, Firefox 4, Safari 5.1, and IE9. For very old browsers, you may need the -webkit- prefix for older Safari and Chrome versions. Today, box-shadow can be used without any vendor prefixes in production code. It is one of the most widely supported CSS properties.

What are common box-shadow values used in modern design?

Common box-shadow values include: subtle elevation (0 1px 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.12)), medium elevation (0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.1)), high elevation (0 10px 25px rgba(0,0,0,0.15)), soft spread (0 0 0 3px rgba(0,0,0,0.05)), inset pressed (inset 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.1)), and neon glow (0 0 10px rgba(0,255,136,0.5), 0 0 40px rgba(0,255,136,0.2)). Material Design and Tailwind CSS provide standardized shadow scales for consistent UI depth.

What is the difference between box-shadow and the CSS drop-shadow filter?

The box-shadow property creates a rectangular shadow based on the element's border box. The drop-shadow() CSS filter function creates a shadow that follows the actual shape of the element, including transparency. This means drop-shadow works on non-rectangular elements like clipped images, SVGs, and elements with border-radius while box-shadow always produces a rectangular shadow. However, drop-shadow is a filter and may affect performance differently. For standard rectangular elements, box-shadow is preferred.

Can box-shadow be animated with CSS transitions?

Yes, box-shadow can be animated using CSS transitions and keyframe animations. However, animating box-shadow is less performant than animating transform or opacity because it triggers layout recalculations. For smooth hover effects, consider using a pseudo-element with opacity animation instead: create a pseudo-element with the target shadow, set opacity to 0, and transition it to 1 on hover. This approach is GPU-accelerated and significantly smoother, especially on mobile devices and lower-powered hardware.

What are best practices for using box shadows in production?

Key best practices include: use rgba() colors for shadows to allow easy opacity control, keep shadows subtle for a professional look (low opacity, small blur), use consistent shadow scales across your design system (e.g., sm/md/lg/xl), avoid excessively large blur radii that look unrealistic, combine multiple shadows for realistic depth (one sharp close shadow + one soft distant shadow), use inset shadows sparingly for interactive states like pressed buttons, always test shadows on both light and dark backgrounds, and consider using CSS custom properties to define shadow tokens for your design system.

Box Shadow Generator

Design box shadows with a visual editor and copy the CSS.

BeginnerCSS ToolsFreev1.0.0Updated Jun 12, 2025

Presets

Live preview

Shadow Layers

X Offset

Y Offset

Blur Radius

Spread Radius

Shadow Color

Opacity

Inset Shadow

Renders shadow inside the element

Generated CSS

box-shadow: 0px 4px 6px -1px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);

How to Use the Box Shadow Generator

Choose a preset or start fresh — Select one of the 8 built-in shadow presets for a quick start, or begin with the default medium shadow.
Adjust shadow properties — Use the sliders and number inputs to fine-tune the X/Y offset, blur radius, and spread radius until the shadow looks right.
Customize color and opacity — Pick a shadow color with the color picker and set the opacity percentage to control how transparent the shadow appears.
Layer multiple shadows — Add up to 3 shadow layers for complex depth effects, then toggle inset mode for inner shadows.
Copy the CSS — Click the Copy CSS button to copy the production-ready box-shadow property and paste it into your stylesheet.

Features

Real-time visual preview with a white card on a subtle background
X offset control from -50px to 50px with slider and number input
Y offset control from -50px to 50px with slider and number input
Blur radius from 0 to 100px for fine-tuned shadow softness
Spread radius from -50px to 50px to shrink or expand the shadow
Separate color picker and opacity slider for precise alpha control
Inset toggle to switch between outer and inner shadows
Up to 3 shadow layers for complex, multi-layered depth effects
8 built-in presets: Subtle, Medium, Dramatic, Neon Glow, Soft Float, Sharp, Inset Press, Layered
Syntax-highlighted CSS output with one-click copy to clipboard
Individual layer CSS breakdown for debugging and fine-tuning
100% client-side — no data leaves your browser
Fully responsive design for desktop and mobile devices

Understanding Box Shadow Properties

Offset (X and Y)

The X offset moves the shadow horizontally — positive values shift it right, negative values shift it left. The Y offset moves the shadow vertically — positive values shift it down, negative values shift it up. A shadow with X: 0 and Y: 4 creates a shadow directly below the element, simulating a light source from above. Combining both offsets allows you to position the shadow at any angle around the element.

Blur Radius

The blur radius controls how soft or sharp the shadow edges appear. A value of 0 produces a hard-edged shadow with no blurring, while larger values create progressively softer, more diffused shadows. At 0px, the shadow is an exact copy of the element's shape. At 20px, the shadow edges fade smoothly into the background. Most modern designs use blur values between 4px and 30px for natural-looking depth.

Spread Radius

The spread radius expands or contracts the shadow area. A positive spread value makes the shadow larger in all directions, while a negative value makes it smaller. At -1px, the shadow is 1px smaller than the element on each side. At 10px, the shadow extends 10px beyond the element's border. A spread of 0 keeps the shadow the same size as the element. Combined with blur, spread is essential for creating the Material Design elevation system.

Color and Opacity

Box shadow color can be any CSS color value. Using rgba() is recommended because it allows separate opacity control. Low opacity (5-15%) creates subtle, professional shadows, while higher opacity (30-50%) produces dramatic effects. Black is the standard shadow color because it simulates realistic light blocking. However, colored shadows can create neon glow effects, brand-colored depth, or themed UI elements when used intentionally.

Common Use Cases

Card Elevation

Add depth to content cards, panels, and containers with subtle shadows that make elements appear to float above the background.

Button Hover Effects

Create interactive button states where shadows grow or shift on hover, providing tactile visual feedback to users.

Dropdown Menus

Apply shadows to dropdown menus and popovers to separate them visually from the underlying page content.

Modal Dialogs

Use large, dramatic shadows on modal overlays to draw user attention and create a clear visual hierarchy.

Neon and Glow Effects

Combine colored shadows with zero offset and large blur for neon glow effects on dark-themed interfaces.

Inset Form Fields

Apply inset shadows to input fields and text areas to create a subtle pressed-in appearance that invites interaction.

Image Frames

Add soft shadows to images and thumbnails to lift them off the page and create visual interest.

Design Systems

Establish a consistent shadow scale (sm, md, lg, xl) for your entire design system to maintain cohesive visual hierarchy.

Box Shadow Design Tips

Use Color Converter to find the perfect shadow color by converting between HEX, RGB, HSL, and other formats before applying it.
Pair your shadows with CSS gradients using Gradient Generator to create rich, layered backgrounds beneath elevated elements.
Round your shadow containers with Border Radius Generator to ensure shadows flow smoothly around corners without visual artifacts.
For responsive layouts, use CSS Clamp Generator to create fluid shadow values that scale appropriately across different screen sizes.
Use low opacity (5-15%) with moderate blur for natural-looking elevation that works on both light and dark backgrounds.
Combine a small, sharp shadow with a larger, soft shadow for realistic multi-layered depth that mimics real-world lighting.
Avoid animating box-shadow directly on performance-critical elements — use pseudo-elements with opacity transitions instead.
Define shadow tokens using CSS custom properties (e.g., --shadow-sm, --shadow-md) to maintain consistency across your design system.
Test your shadows on both light and dark themes, as the same shadow values can look very different depending on the background.
Use inset shadows sparingly — they are most effective for active/pressed states on buttons and interactive elements.

Frequently Asked Questions

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How to Use the Box Shadow Generator

Choose a preset or start fresh — Select one of the 8 built-in shadow presets for a quick start, or begin with the default medium shadow.

Adjust shadow properties — Use the sliders and number inputs to fine-tune the X/Y offset, blur radius, and spread radius until the shadow looks right.

Customize color and opacity — Pick a shadow color with the color picker and set the opacity percentage to control how transparent the shadow appears.

Layer multiple shadows — Add up to 3 shadow layers for complex depth effects, then toggle inset mode for inner shadows.

Copy the CSS — Click the Copy CSS button to copy the production-ready box-shadow property and paste it into your stylesheet.

Features

Real-time visual preview with a white card on a subtle background

X offset control from -50px to 50px with slider and number input

Y offset control from -50px to 50px with slider and number input

Blur radius from 0 to 100px for fine-tuned shadow softness

Spread radius from -50px to 50px to shrink or expand the shadow

Separate color picker and opacity slider for precise alpha control

Inset toggle to switch between outer and inner shadows

Up to 3 shadow layers for complex, multi-layered depth effects

8 built-in presets: Subtle, Medium, Dramatic, Neon Glow, Soft Float, Sharp, Inset Press, Layered

Syntax-highlighted CSS output with one-click copy to clipboard

Individual layer CSS breakdown for debugging and fine-tuning

100% client-side — no data leaves your browser

Fully responsive design for desktop and mobile devices

Understanding Box Shadow Properties

Offset (X and Y)

Blur Radius

Spread Radius

Color and Opacity

Common Use Cases

Card Elevation

Add depth to content cards, panels, and containers with subtle shadows that make elements appear to float above the background.

Button Hover Effects

Create interactive button states where shadows grow or shift on hover, providing tactile visual feedback to users.

Dropdown Menus

Apply shadows to dropdown menus and popovers to separate them visually from the underlying page content.

Modal Dialogs

Use large, dramatic shadows on modal overlays to draw user attention and create a clear visual hierarchy.

Neon and Glow Effects

Combine colored shadows with zero offset and large blur for neon glow effects on dark-themed interfaces.

Inset Form Fields

Apply inset shadows to input fields and text areas to create a subtle pressed-in appearance that invites interaction.

Image Frames

Add soft shadows to images and thumbnails to lift them off the page and create visual interest.

Design Systems

Establish a consistent shadow scale (sm, md, lg, xl) for your entire design system to maintain cohesive visual hierarchy.

Box Shadow Design Tips

Use Color Converter to find the perfect shadow color by converting between HEX, RGB, HSL, and other formats before applying it.

Pair your shadows with CSS gradients using Gradient Generator to create rich, layered backgrounds beneath elevated elements.

Round your shadow containers with Border Radius Generator to ensure shadows flow smoothly around corners without visual artifacts.

For responsive layouts, use CSS Clamp Generator to create fluid shadow values that scale appropriately across different screen sizes.

Use low opacity (5-15%) with moderate blur for natural-looking elevation that works on both light and dark backgrounds.

Combine a small, sharp shadow with a larger, soft shadow for realistic multi-layered depth that mimics real-world lighting.

Avoid animating box-shadow directly on performance-critical elements — use pseudo-elements with opacity transitions instead.

Define shadow tokens using CSS custom properties (e.g., --shadow-sm, --shadow-md) to maintain consistency across your design system.

Test your shadows on both light and dark themes, as the same shadow values can look very different depending on the background.

Use inset shadows sparingly — they are most effective for active/pressed states on buttons and interactive elements.

Frequently Asked Questions