Free Online CSS Box Shadow Generator – Design Perfect Shadows Instantly
Crafting the perfect CSS box shadow by hand is tedious. Tweaking pixel values, opacity, and blur radius while switching back and forth between your code editor and browser is a time sink every developer knows too well.
That's where jsonweb.in's Box Shadow Generator comes in – a live, visual tool that lets you design stunning CSS shadows in seconds and copy the exact CSS code in one click.
What Is a CSS Box Shadow?
The box-shadow CSS property adds shadow effects around an element's frame. It accepts multiple comma-separated values, each defining:
- X Offset – Horizontal distance of the shadow
- Y Offset – Vertical distance of the shadow
- Blur Radius – How soft or sharp the shadow is
- Spread Radius – How much the shadow expands or contracts
- Color & Opacity – The shadow's color and transparency
- Inset – Whether the shadow is inside or outside the element
How to Use the Box Shadow Generator (3 Easy Steps)
- Adjust the sliders – Use the X/Y Offset, Blur, Spread, and Opacity controls to dial in your shadow.
- Pick a color – Choose any shadow color and toggle Inset for inner shadows.
- Copy your CSS – Click the "📋 Copy" button to grab the ready-to-use
box-shadowCSS value.
The preview updates in real time as you move the sliders, so what you see is exactly what you get in your project.
Multi-Shadow Support
One of the most powerful features of CSS box-shadow is stacking multiple shadows on a single element. Our generator supports this too — click "+ Add" to layer additional shadows and create complex effects like:
- Neon glow effects with colored outer shadows
- Retro pixel-art style hard shadows
- Layered depth effects with multiple soft shadows
- Combined inset + outer shadow for pressed-button states
Handy Presets to Get You Started
Not sure where to start? The tool includes one-click presets:
- Soft – Subtle, modern soft shadow
- Hard – Sharp, neumorphic-style shadow
- Glow – Colorful neon glow effect
- Retro – Double hard shadow for a pixel art look
- Inset – Inner shadow for depressed elements
- Neon – Vivid green glow for dark UIs
Real CSS Output Example
/* Soft shadow */
box-shadow: 0px 4px 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);
/* Neon glow */
box-shadow: 0px 0px 20px 4px rgba(52, 211, 153, 0.80);
/* Multi-layer */
box-shadow: 5px 10px 30px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.40),
0px 0px 15px rgba(124, 92, 252, 0.30);
Why Use This Box Shadow Generator?
- 100% visual – See changes instantly with the live preview
- No install needed – Works entirely in your browser
- Multi-shadow support – Stack as many layers as you need
- Copy & paste ready – Output is valid CSS you can use immediately
- Dark mode support – Preview shadows in both light and dark contexts
- 100% free – No sign-up, no limits, no ads
Pro Tips for Great Shadows
- For subtle card depth, use a very low opacity (10–20%) with a large blur.
- Hard shadows (blur = 0) work great for retro and brutalist design styles.
- Use colored shadows (tinted to your accent color) for a modern, premium feel.
- Inset shadows are perfect for input fields, giving a recessed appearance.
- Combine this with the CSS Gradient Generator for complete card designs.