Create customized text shadow effects with multi-layered shadow options. Add depth and dimension to your typography with real-time preview.
Text-shadow adds shadow effects to your text characters. Unlike box-shadow which hits the whole element box, text-shadow follows each letter's shape precisely. You'll see it on headings, logos, decorative text—anywhere you want depth or emphasis.
Syntax is simple: text-shadow: h-offset v-offset blur color. Try text-shadow: 2px 2px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5) for a subtle shadow 2px right and down with 4px blur. Works with every font.
Text-shadow only affects text characters—follows their exact shape, serifs and all. Box-shadow hits the entire element (padding, border, everything), giving you a rectangular shadow no matter what's inside.
Key differences:
Use text-shadow when you only want shadows on the letters—headings, logos, emphasized text. Use box-shadow for UI stuff—cards, buttons, containers.
Set offsets to zero and pick a color that matches or complements your text. Layer multiple shadows with increasing blur: text-shadow: 0 0 10px #fff, 0 0 20px #fff, 0 0 30px #fff. Instant glow.
Want neon? Use bright colors with heavy blur: text-shadow: 0 0 10px #00ffff, 0 0 20px #00ffff, 0 0 30px #00ffff, 0 0 40px #00ffff. Set your text color to white or the glow color. Works best on dark backgrounds.
Subtle glows use tight blur (1-5px). Dramatic ones go bigger (20-50px).
Mix colors for complexity: text-shadow: 0 0 10px #fff, 0 0 20px #ff00de, 0 0 30px #ff00de. Just don't overdo it on small text—kills readability.
Yep. Separate them with commas. Each renders on its own, earlier shadows on top. Opens up effects like outlines, 3D text, layered colors.
Text outline? text-shadow: -1px -1px 0 #000, 1px -1px 0 #000, -1px 1px 0 #000, 1px 1px 0 #000. Four shadows in cardinal directions wrapping your text in black. 3D uses progressive offsets: text-shadow: 1px 1px 0 #ccc, 2px 2px 0 #bbb, 3px 3px 0 #aaa.
Keep it to 4-6 shadows though—more slows rendering, especially on big text blocks or animations.
Go subtle for body text and headings—improve readability without overwhelming. Keep offsets small (1-3px), opacity low (0.1-0.3). Dark text needs light shadows, light text needs dark shadows for contrast.
Skip heavy shadows on small text (under 16px)—makes it hard to read. Save dramatic shadows for big headings, hero text, decorative stuff.
Test against different backgrounds—what works on white might fail on images.
For accessibility, make sure text stays readable without shadows (high contrast modes might not show them). Don't rely on shadows alone to convey info. Crisp shadows often beat heavy blur for professional looks.
Works perfectly with everything—Google Fonts, Adobe Fonts, custom files. The shadow follows each character's exact shape, including serifs, swashes, ligatures, all the details. Different weights affect shadow appearance. Bold text creates bigger, bolder shadows. Light weights look better with subtle shadows.
Watch for font rendering quirks. Anti-aliasing sometimes creates tiny gaps between text and shadow. Always test with your actual font—what looks good in Arial might need adjusting for other typefaces.