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Box Shadow Playground

X Offset4px
Y Offset4px
Blur10px
Spread0px
#000000

Generated CSS

box-shadow: 4px 4px 10px 0px #000000;

About This Tool

The Box Shadow Playground by FreeQ.one is a free, no-login visual tool for generating CSS box-shadow values in real time. Adjust offset, blur radius, spread distance, and shadow color using intuitive sliders and a color picker. Toggle inset shadows to create inner shadow effects — perfect for depth, glow, and 3D-style UI accents.

The tool outputs valid box-shadow CSS ready to copy. Each parameter updates instantly: X Offset shifts the shadow horizontally, Y Offset vertically, Blur softens edges, and Spread expands or contracts the shadow area. The preview panel renders a live element with your current settings so you can see the effect before using it in production.

Common Use Cases

  • Designing button hover effects and card elevation states for modern UI frameworks like Tailwind CSS and Bootstrap
  • Creating realistic depth layers for landing page sections, hero banners, and testimonial cards
  • Building glow effects around input fields, notification badges, and call-to-action elements
  • Simulating material-surface elevation (shadow intensity) for prototype wireframes and mockups
  • Generating inset shadows for pressed-button states, inset panels, and recessed container effects
  • Quickly previewing and comparing multiple shadow configurations side-by-side without touching code

Pro Tips

  • Combine a small spread with a moderate blur for a soft, professional card shadow that looks natural
  • Use negative spread values to create sharper, tighter shadows that hug the element's edges
  • Layer multiple shadows by copying the CSS and adding comma-separated values in your stylesheet
  • For inset shadows, use subtle offsets (2-4px) with a moderate blur for realistic pressed-states
  • Pair box-shadow with transition: box-shadow 0.2s ease for smooth hover elevation changes

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a CSS box-shadow?
box-shadow is a CSS property that attaches one or more drop shadows to an element's box. The shadow is defined by X and Y offsets relative to the element, blur radius, spread radius, and color. It is commonly used to create depth, elevation, and visual hierarchy in user interfaces.
How do I create an inner shadow?
Toggle the Inset shadow checkbox. When checked, the shadow is rendered inside the element's border, creating a recessed or pressed-in effect. Inset shadows are often used for form inputs that appear "sunken" into the page.
What do offsetX and offsetY mean?
These values control the horizontal and vertical position of the shadow relative to the element. Positive offsetX moves the shadow to the right; positive offsetY moves it downward. Negative values shift the shadow left or upward respectively.
What does the spread value do?
The spread radius expands or contracts the shadow area. Positive values make the shadow larger than the element; negative values make it smaller. A positive spread combined with zero blur creates a hard, offset shadow edge — useful for simulating multiple light sources.
How do I copy the generated CSS?
The generated CSS appears in a code block below the preview panel. Click the Copy CSS button to copy it to your clipboard. The full property is output as box-shadow: Xpx Ypx Blurpx Spreadpx Color; and can be pasted directly into any CSS stylesheet.
Can I use this tool without creating an account?
Yes. This tool is completely free and requires no login, registration, or account. All settings are preserved in the URL so you can bookmark or share your exact configuration with others.

Part of the FreeQ.One tools suite.