CSS Text Shadow Generator – Free Online Tool

Use the CSS Text Shadow Generator to create and copy text-shadow code in seconds — layer multiple shadows, add glow or 3D effects, and get -webkit-/-moz- prefixed output if you need it. No signup required.

How It Works

The text-shadow property in CSS takes four values: horizontal offset, vertical offset, blur radius, and color. A single shadow looks like this:

css

text-shadow: 2px 2px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.35);

• Horizontal offset (x) — moves the shadow left (negative) or right (positive)
• Vertical offset (y) — moves the shadow up (negative) or down (positive)
• Blur radius — softens the shadow edge; 0 gives a hard, crisp shadow
• Color — accepts hex, rgb, rgba, or named colors, with alpha for transparency

Because text-shadow accepts comma-separated values, you can stack multiple shadows on one element — that’s what makes glow, 3D, and outline effects possible without extra markup:

css

text-shadow:
  0 0 5px rgba(255, 197, 2, 0.9),
  0 0 15px rgba(255, 197, 2, 0.7),
  0 0 30px rgba(255, 110, 199, 0.6);

This tool builds that value visually — adjust the sliders and color pickers, and the generator writes the CSS for you.

When to Use This

• Hero headlines and banners — a soft shadow adds depth to large display text without needing an image
• Buttons and badges — subtle shadows help text stand out against busy or gradient backgrounds
• Brand and landing pages — neon or 3D text effects are a fast way to create attention-grabbing headlines for promos, without touching Photoshop

If you’re building or maintaining a WordPress site, most page builders and block editors (Gutenberg’s Custom HTML block included) accept raw CSS directly — paste the generated code into a Custom HTML block, a Block Editor’s “Additional CSS” panel, or your theme’s custom CSS field.

FAQ

Do you need -webkit- or -moz- prefixes for text-shadow?
No — text-shadow has been supported in all major browsers without vendor prefixes since Chrome 4, Firefox 3.5, and Safari 4. Unlike border-radius or box-shadow, it never required prefixing even in early CSS3 implementations. The prefixes still show up in old tutorials and copy-paste snippets, which is why this generator includes an optional toggle to add -webkit-text-shadow and -moz-text-shadow alongside the standard property — harmless to include, but not required for any current browser.

What is the syntax for CSS text-shadow?
The syntax is text-shadow: h-offset v-offset blur color; — for example, text-shadow: 2px 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.3);. The blur value is optional and defaults to 0 if omitted.

Can you add multiple shadows to one text element?
Yes — separate each shadow with a comma. Browsers render them in order, with the first shadow on top and later shadows layered behind it. This is how glow and 3D/emboss effects are built from a single CSS property.

What browsers support text-shadow?
All modern browsers support text-shadow natively, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. The only notable gap is Internet Explorer 9 and below, which is no longer in meaningful use.

How do you create a neon or glow text effect with CSS?
Stack two or three shadows with 0 offset and increasing blur radius, using a bright color like your accent color. The “Neon Glow” preset in this generator sets this up automatically — light text color, dark background, and layered glow shadows.

How do you create a 3D text effect with CSS text-shadow?
Stack several shadows with small, incrementing x/y offsets in the same direction and little to no blur, so each layer peeks out behind the last — creating a stepped, extruded look. The “3D / Emboss” preset demonstrates this pattern.