CSS outline Property

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Description

The outline CSS property is used to style the outline that appears around an element when it is focused or active, typically due to user interaction, such as clicking with a mouse or tabbing through form fields. It allows web developers to customize the appearance of this outline, including its color, style, and width. The outline property is often used in conjunction with the :focus pseudo-class to enhance accessibility and usability by making interactive elements more visually distinct when they receive keyboard or mouse focus, ensuring a better user experience for those with disabilities or using assistive technologies. Individual properties are: outline-style, outline-width and outline-color.

Initial value: Based on individual properties
Applies to: All elements
Inherited: No
Computed value: See individual properties
Animatable: No
JavaScript syntax: object.style.outline

Interactive Demo

outline: solid;

outline: dashed green;

outline: 1rem double;

outline: thick double #32a1ce;

outline: 8px ridge rgba(170, 50, 220, .6);
border-radius: 2rem;

The rusty swing set creaked a lonely lullaby in the twilight, shadows lengthening like grasping fingers across the dew-kissed grass. A lone dandelion seed, adrift on the breeze, whispered secrets of faraway fields, of dandelion suns and galaxies spun from fluff.

Syntax

outline: [ <outline-color> || <outline-style> || <outline-width> ] | inherit

Values

<outline-color>See the outline-color CSS property for values.
<outline-style>See the outline-style CSS property for values.
<outline-width>See the outline-width CSS property for values.
inherit

Example

HTML

<div class="block">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.</div>

CSS

.block { 
   outline: 3px dotted blue; 
   padding: 10px; 
}

Result

Editor

Browser Support

The following table will show you the current browser support for the CSS outline property.

Desktop

94	94	88	80	16.4

Tablets / Mobile

94	88	10.4	16.4	1	94

Last updated by CSSPortal on: 2nd January 2024

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