Create CSS Filter Effects with Live Preview Apply CSS filter effects like blur, brightness, contrast, and more with visual controls.

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CSS Filter Generator

Apply CSS filter effects like blur, brightness, contrast, and more with visual controls.

Adjust filter values

Use sliders to control blur, brightness, contrast, and other filter effects.

Preview the result

See the combined filter effects applied to a preview element in real-time.

Copy the CSS

Copy the generated filter property with all active filter functions.

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What Is CSS Filter Generator?

The CSS Filter Generator provides visual controls for all CSS filter functions: blur, brightness, contrast, grayscale, hue-rotate, invert, opacity, saturate, and sepia. These filters apply graphical effects to elements, similar to image editing software. This tool lets you combine multiple filter functions and see their combined effect in real-time on a preview element. Only active filters (those changed from their default values) are included in the generated CSS, keeping the code clean. The filter property is widely used for image effects, hover state enhancements, background treatments, and disabled/loading state styling. A reset button restores all values to their defaults for easy experimentation.

Why Use CSS Filter Generator?

All nine CSS filter functions available with visual sliders
Only active filters included in the generated CSS for clean code
Real-time preview shows combined effect of all active filters
One-click reset returns all values to defaults for easy experimentation

Common Use Cases

Image Effects

Apply Instagram-like filters to images with CSS only.

Hover Enhancements

Create interactive hover effects with brightness and contrast changes.

Disabled States

Use grayscale and opacity to indicate disabled or inactive elements.

Background Treatments

Blur and brighten background images to improve text overlay readability.

Technical Guide

The CSS filter property accepts one or more filter functions separated by spaces. Each function takes a specific value: blur() accepts pixels, brightness() and contrast() accept percentages (100% is normal), grayscale() converts to gray (0-100%), hue-rotate() shifts the color spectrum (0-360deg), invert() inverts colors (0-100%), opacity() controls transparency (0-100%), saturate() adjusts color intensity (100% is normal), and sepia() applies a warm tone (0-100%). Multiple filters are applied in order—the sequence can affect the final result. For performance, filter triggers a new stacking context and can cause repainting. Use will-change: filter when animating. The drop-shadow() filter function is an alternative to box-shadow that follows the element's alpha channel, working well with transparent PNGs and SVGs.

Tips & Best Practices

1
Keep brightness and contrast close to 100% for subtle, natural effects
2
Combine grayscale with hover to create a color-reveal interaction
3
Use hue-rotate for quick color scheme variations
4
Apply blur to background images behind text for improved readability

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Frequently Asked Questions

Q Does the order of filters matter?

Yes, filters are applied in sequence. For example, applying grayscale before sepia gives a different result than the reverse.

Q Can I animate CSS filters?

Yes, CSS filters support transitions and animations. However, complex filter animations can be performance-intensive.

Q Do filters affect child elements?

Yes, CSS filters apply to the entire element and all its descendants. Use backdrop-filter to only affect the area behind an element.

Q What is the performance impact of CSS filters?

Filters trigger GPU compositing and can cause repainting. Use sparingly on large elements and during animations.

Q Can I use filters on text?

Yes, the filter property applies to any element including text. However, blur on text makes it unreadable—use it for decorative purposes only.

About This Tool

CSS Filter Generator is a free online tool by FreeToolkit.ai. All processing happens directly in your browser — your data never leaves your device. No registration or installation required.