CSS Text Shadow Generator

Create stunning text shadow effects with real-time preview and professional presets

Controls

Adjust the settings to customize your CSS

Shadow Layers

A
Layer 1
X: 2px, Y: 2px, Blur: 4px, Opacity: 100%

Active Shadow Controls

Edit the selected shadow layer

2px
2px
4px
100%

Live Preview

See your changes in real-time

Sample Text
Click text to edit

Presets

Choose from pre-designed effects or start with a template

Generated Code

Copy the CSS or Tailwind classes to use in your project

text-shadow: 2px 2px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 1);

What is CSS Text Shadow?

The CSS text-shadow property adds shadow effects to text characters. Unlike box shadows, text shadows follow the shape of letters and create depth for typography elements.

Essential for improving text readability over backgrounds, creating visual hierarchy, and adding professional polish to typography and headlines.

Subtle
Aa
Medium
Aa
Strong
Aa
Glow
Aa

CSS Text Shadow Syntax

text-shadow: offset-x offset-y blur-radius color;
/* Example */
text-shadow: 2px 2px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);

Required Parameters

offset-x

Horizontal distance

offset-y

Vertical distance

Optional Parameters

blur-radius

Shadow blur effect

color

Shadow color

Special Parameters

multiple

Comma-separated layers

glow

Zero offset for glow effect

Popular Use Cases

Text Readability

Improve text visibility over images and complex backgrounds

Typography Depth

Add depth and dimension to headlines and important text elements

Creative Effects

Create glow, neon, and artistic text treatments for modern designs

Brand Identity

Enhance logos and brand text with professional shadow styling

Advanced Techniques

1 Multiple Text Shadows

Combine multiple shadows for complex text effects:

text-shadow:
  1px 1px 0px #ff0000, /* Red shadow */
  2px 2px 0px #00ff00, /* Green shadow */
  3px 3px 5px #0000ff; /* Blue blurred shadow */
Multi-Layer Text

2 Neon Glow Effect

Create glowing text with multiple shadow layers:

text-shadow:
  0 0 5px #fff, /* Inner glow */
  0 0 10px #49ff18, /* Medium glow */
  0 0 20px #49ff18; /* Outer glow */
Neon Text

Best Practices

Do This

  • Use subtle shadows for better readability
  • Test shadows on different backgrounds
  • Keep accessibility in mind with sufficient contrast
  • Use transitions for smooth hover effects

Avoid This

  • Overusing complex multiple shadows
  • Applying shadows to frequently animated elements
  • Using shadows that reduce text readability
  • Creating shadows that clash with your design

Explore Related Tools

Frequently Asked Questions

? How do I animate CSS text shadows?

CSS text shadows can be smoothly animated using transitions or keyframe animations. Add transition: text-shadow 0.3s ease to create smooth hover effects.

? Do text shadows impact website performance?

Modern browsers handle text shadows efficiently with minimal performance impact. However, avoid complex multiple shadows on elements that animate frequently.

? What's the difference between text-shadow and box-shadow?

Text-shadow applies specifically to text characters and follows their shape precisely, while box-shadow creates shadows around the entire element box.

? Can text shadows improve accessibility?

Yes! Subtle text shadows can significantly improve readability when text appears over images or complex backgrounds, enhancing accessibility by ensuring content remains legible.