Box Shadow Generator
Create beautiful CSS box shadows with live preview. Adjust offset, blur, spread, and color for perfect shadows.
Preview
CSS Code
box-shadow: 0px 4px 6px 0px #00000040;Shadow Layers
Layer 1
How to Use
- • Adjust horizontal and vertical offset to position the shadow
- • Increase blur radius for softer shadows
- • Use spread radius to make the shadow larger or smaller
- • Choose shadow color and opacity with the color picker
- • Enable inset for inner shadows
- • Add multiple shadow layers for complex effects
- • Copy the CSS code and paste it into your stylesheet
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Everything You Need to Know
Complete guide, features, use cases, and frequently asked questions
What is a Box Shadow Generator? Complete Guide
A box shadow generator is a visual tool that helps you create CSS box-shadow effects for your web elements. Our 2026 box shadow generator goes beyond basic tools with multiple shadow layers, inset shadows, precise controls for offset/blur/spread, color customization with transparency support, and live preview. Unlike basic shadow generators that only offer simple outer shadows, our tool provides unlimited shadow layers for complex depth effects, inset mode for pressed/recessed elements, and fine-tuned controls for all shadow properties. Design professional shadow effects for cards, buttons, form inputs, and navigation menus without memorizing CSS syntax.
How to Use the Box Shadow Generator
- Adjust horizontal offset slider to position shadow left/right
- Adjust vertical offset slider to position shadow up/down
- Increase blur radius slider for softer shadow edges
- Adjust spread radius to make shadow larger or smaller
- Click the color picker to choose shadow color
- Toggle "Inset shadow" checkbox for inner shadows
- Click "Add Layer" to create multi-layer shadow effects
- Preview your shadow on the white box in real-time
- Click "Copy" to copy the CSS code to clipboard
- Paste the code into your stylesheet
Box Shadow Generator Features
Multiple Shadow Layers
Stack unlimited shadow layers to create complex, professional depth effects.
Inset Shadow Support
Toggle inset mode to create inner shadows for pressed buttons and recessed elements.
Live Preview Box
Real-time preview shows your shadow effect on a white box against gray background.
Precise Offset Controls
Adjust horizontal (-50 to 50px) and vertical (-50 to 50px) offset with pixel precision.
Blur & Spread Sliders
Control blur radius (0-100px) for softness and spread radius (-50 to 50px) for size.
Color Picker with Hex Input
Visual color picker plus manual hex code input for exact color matching.
When to Use the Box Shadow Generator
Card & Panel Designs
Add subtle elevation shadows to cards, panels, and content containers for depth.
Button Hover Effects
Create shadow transitions for buttons that lift or depress on hover and click.
Form Input Fields
Design focus shadows for input fields to highlight active form elements.
Navigation Menus
Add dropdown shadows to navigation menus and flyout panels for layering.
Image Gallery Frames
Create photo frame effects with multi-layer shadows for depth and dimension.
Inset UI Elements
Use inset shadows for pressed buttons, sunken panels, and recessed text inputs.
Why Choose Our Box Shadow Generator?
- ✓100% free with no registration or account required
- ✓Live preview shows exactly how shadows will render
- ✓Support for multiple shadow layers on a single element
- ✓Inset shadow mode for inner shadow effects
- ✓Precise controls for all shadow properties
- ✓Color picker with hex code input for exact colors
- ✓Add/remove shadow layers with one click
- ✓Instant CSS code generation with proper syntax
- ✓One-click copy functionality to clipboard
- ✓No watermarks or premium features - completely free forever
Box Shadow Generator Comparison - How We Compare to Competitors
| Feature | 10xTools Box Shadow Generator | CSS Portal Box Shadow | Box Shadow Generator (Mojotech) | Fancy Border Radius | CSS Tricks Box Shadow | HTML CSS Box Shadow |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price (Free Forever) | ✅ 100% Free | ✅ Free | ✅ Free | ✅ Free | ✅ Free | ✅ Free |
| Multiple Layers | ✅ Unlimited | ❌ Single Only | ❌ Single Only | ✅ Multiple | ❌ Manual Entry | ❌ Single Only |
| Inset Shadows | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | ❌ Not Available | ❌ Not Available |
| Live Preview | ✅ Real-Time | ✅ Real-Time | ✅ Real-Time | ✅ Real-Time | ❌ Not Available | ✅ Real-Time |
| Color Picker | ✅ Full Color | ✅ Basic | ✅ Full Color | ✅ Full Color | ❌ Not Available | ✅ Basic |
| No Registration | ✅ No Signup | ✅ No Signup | ✅ No Signup | ✅ No Signup | ✅ No Signup | ✅ No Signup |
| Privacy (Client-Side) | ✅ 100% Private | ✅ 100% Private | ✅ 100% Private | ✅ 100% Private | ✅ 100% Private | ✅ 100% Private |
| No Ads | ✅ No Ads | ❌ Has Ads | ❌ Has Ads | ❌ Has Ads | ❌ Has Ads | ❌ Has Ads |
| Mobile Friendly | ✅ Mobile Ready | ❌ Desktop Only | ✅ Mobile Ready | ✅ Mobile Ready | ✅ Mobile Ready | ❌ Desktop Only |
| One-Click Copy | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | ✅ Manual | ✅ Supported |
✅ = Feature Available | ❌ = Not Available or Limited
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different box shadow properties?
Box shadow has 5 properties: horizontal offset (X position), vertical offset (Y position), blur radius (softness), spread radius (size), and color. Optional "inset" keyword creates inner shadows instead of outer.
How do I create a soft, subtle shadow?
Use small offset values (2-4px), medium blur (6-10px), no spread (0px), and a semi-transparent black color (like #00000020). This creates gentle elevation commonly used in material design.
What does the spread radius do?
Spread radius makes the shadow grow larger (positive values) or smaller (negative values) before applying blur. Positive spread creates larger shadows, negative spread creates smaller, tighter shadows.
How do I create multi-layer shadows?
Click "Add Layer" to add more shadow layers. Each layer has independent controls. Multiple layers create rich depth effects - for example, a subtle close shadow plus a larger soft shadow.
What are inset shadows used for?
Inset shadows create inner shadow effects, making elements appear recessed or pressed. Common for text input fields, pressed button states, and creating inner depth on elements.
Can I use box shadows on any HTML element?
Yes! Box shadows work on any block or inline-block element - divs, buttons, images, cards, etc. They don't work on inline elements like span (unless you set display: inline-block).
How do negative offset values work?
Negative horizontal offset moves shadow left instead of right. Negative vertical offset moves shadow up instead of down. Use negative values to position shadows on opposite sides of your element.
Do box shadows affect element size or layout?
No! Box shadows are painted outside the element's box without affecting layout. They don't add to element dimensions or push other content. Use padding or margins if you need layout spacing.
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