CSS Filter Generator
Visually adjust CSS filter effects with live preview. Tweak blur, brightness, contrast, and more — then copy the generated CSS instantly.
Filter Controls
Live Preview
Sample image — filters applied in real time
Generated CSS
filter: none;
All filters at default — adjust any slider to see the generated CSS. Toggle "Show all" to always display the full string.
Quick Presets
CSS Filter Reference
blur(px)
Applies a Gaussian blur. Higher values = more blurry. Default: 0px.
brightness(%)
0% is black, 100% is original, 200% is twice as bright.
contrast(%)
0% is flat grey, 100% is original, higher increases contrast.
grayscale(%)
Converts to greyscale. 0% is original, 100% is fully greyscale.
hue-rotate(deg)
Rotates the hue of every pixel. 0–360deg cycles through the colour wheel.
invert(%)
Inverts colours. 0% is original, 100% is fully inverted.
opacity(%)
CSS filter opacity (like the opacity property). 100% is fully visible.
saturate(%)
0% is greyscale, 100% is original, 200% is super saturated.
sepia(%)
Applies a warm brown tint. 0% is original, 100% is fully sepia.
CSS Filter Generator — adjust 9 filter properties with live preview
What Is a CSS Filter Generator?
A CSS filter generator is a visual tool that lets you dial in CSS filter property values
using sliders and see the result in real time — without writing or memorising any CSS syntax. The filter property applies graphical effects like blur, colour shifts, and brightness adjustments
directly to any HTML element using the GPU, making it one of the most powerful and performant ways to style images, backgrounds, and UI components in CSS.
This tool supports all nine standard filter functions: blur, brightness, contrast, grayscale, hue-rotate, invert, opacity, saturate, and sepia. Adjust any slider and the live preview updates instantly. When you are happy with the result, copy the ready-to-use CSS with one click.
Everything runs entirely in your browser — no server, no uploads, no sign-up required.
How to Generate CSS Filter Effects Online
- 1 Adjust the sliders — move any slider in the Filter Controls panel to apply that effect. The live preview image updates instantly as you drag.
- 2 Try a preset — click a Quick Preset (Grayscale, Vintage, Vivid, Invert, Frosted, Hue Shift) to jump to a pre-tuned combination of filters as a starting point.
- 3 Fine-tune with number inputs — type an exact value in the number box next to each slider for precise control beyond what a drag allows.
- 4 Copy the CSS — the Generated CSS panel shows the
filter:declaration with only the non-default values. Toggle Show all to include every filter function in the output string. - 5 Paste into your CSS — apply the copied rule to any selector (e.g.
img { filter: blur(2px) brightness(110%); }) and you are done.
Common Use Cases for CSS Filters
Hero Image Overlays
Add brightness(60%) contrast(110%) to a background image to make white text pop without an extra overlay element.
Hover Effects
Combine CSS transitions with filters to create smooth hover effects — e.g. desaturate thumbnails on load and restore colour on hover with saturate(0) → saturate(1).
Dark Mode Icons
Use invert(1) to flip black SVG icons to white in dark themes without maintaining separate assets.
Frosted Glass Backgrounds
Apply blur() via backdrop-filter to create frosted glass card effects. Use this generator to tune the blur value visually.
Vintage & Cinematic Effects
Stack sepia, contrast, and brightness adjustments to replicate film looks — the Vintage preset is a quick starting point you can further customise.
Disabled / Loading States
Apply grayscale(1) opacity(0.6) to UI elements to visually indicate a disabled or loading state without changing their HTML structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the CSS filter property?
The CSS filter property applies visual effects to an element and its children — including blur, colour shifts, brightness, and more. It is hardware-accelerated in modern browsers and works on images, divs, text, and any other HTML element.
What is the difference between filter and backdrop-filter?
filter applies effects to the element itself and everything inside it. backdrop-filter applies effects to whatever is rendered behind the element — enabling frosted glass effects. This generator produces filter values, but you can paste the same value into backdrop-filter.
Can I combine multiple filters?
Yes — and this tool does exactly that. You can set multiple sliders at once and the generator outputs all active functions in a single filter: declaration (e.g. filter: blur(2px) brightness(110%) contrast(120%);). Filters are applied in the order they appear in the value string.
Does the CSS filter property affect performance?
CSS filters are GPU-accelerated and generally very fast. However, blur() with large values can be expensive on mobile devices. For animated filters (e.g. on hover), prefer will-change: filter to hint the browser to promote the element to its own compositing layer.
What does "Show all" do in the CSS output?
By default the generator only includes filter functions whose values differ from the browser default (e.g. it skips brightness(100%) since that is the baseline). Toggling Show all outputs every filter function explicitly, which is useful when you want a fully self-documenting CSS rule.
Is CSS filter supported in all browsers?
Yes — filter has been supported by all major browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) for many years. You do not need vendor prefixes for the standard filter functions. Only very old Internet Explorer versions lack support.
Can I use CSS filters on text?
Yes. filter works on any element including paragraphs and headings. For example, filter: drop-shadow(2px 4px 6px black) on a heading creates a text shadow that respects transparent areas, unlike text-shadow. Note that drop-shadow() is not covered by this generator's sliders but can be added manually to the copied CSS.