Box Shadow CSS Generator

box-shadow syntax packs offset-x, offset-y, blur radius, spread radius, and color into a single comma-separated value — and stacking multiple shadows (common for a soft, layered elevation effect) means managing several of these values at once without a visual reference. This tool provides sliders for each parameter with a live preview box, plus support for adding multiple shadow layers, and outputs the finished box-shadow CSS property ready to paste into a stylesheet.

Drag the offset sliders to position the shadow, adjust blur and spread separately (blur softens the edge, spread expands or shrinks the shadow’s size independent of blur), then set color and opacity. To build a layered shadow — the kind of subtle, multi-layer effect used in a lot of modern card and modal designs — add a second or third shadow layer and adjust each independently; the preview shows the combined result exactly as it will render.

FAQ

Why do professional-looking shadows often use two or three layered shadow values instead of one?

A single large shadow tends to look flat or heavy; stacking a tight, dark shadow close to the element with a larger, lighter shadow further out mimics how shadows actually behave in real lighting, which reads as more polished. The generator’s multi-layer support exists specifically for building this effect without guessing at the values by hand.

What’s the difference between blur and spread?

Blur radius softens the shadow’s edge (higher values feel more diffuse); spread radius expands or contracts the shadow’s size in every direction before blur is applied, independent of the element’s own size. Adjusting them separately in the live preview makes the distinction obvious quickly.

How do I create an inset (inward-facing) shadow instead of a drop shadow?

Toggle the inset option — this adds the inset keyword to the output and flips the shadow to render inside the element’s boundary rather than behind it, commonly used for pressed-button or input-field effects.

Is there a Tailwind-specific version of this if I’m working in a Tailwind project?

Yes — the Tailwind Shadow Generator has the same visual controls but outputs Tailwind utility classes (or arbitrary values for custom shadows) instead of raw CSS.

For gradient backgrounds that often accompany elevated card designs, the CSS Gradient Visual Picker uses a similar layered, visual-first approach.