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Cover image for Backdrop Filter effect with CSS
Uriel Bitton
Uriel Bitton

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Backdrop Filter effect with CSS

Yesterday i came upon a really cool looking effect on a website and tried to reproduce the effect for a new web app i was developing. It had a transparent container create a filter backdrop on the background image behind it and it was really neat.

Here's the effect:
Alt Text

I tried the usual css property filter: blur(10px) but that only blurred the container itself and not the background behind the element. After some research i found a super simple one line css property to do just that. Since then i've been using it in every app or design i created (where appropriate).

here it is:

.container {
    backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
}
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I had no idea that CSS property existed!

Now add a background image behind your container and watch the magic. Pretty cool right?

Note: Some browsers may not support the property. But the major ones like chrome, firefox and edge do.

Try it out and let me know what you think. Till next time!

Top comments (30)

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erik06 profile image
Erik

For Safari:

.container {
    backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
    -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
}
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thorstenhirsch profile image
Thorsten Hirsch

Hmm... so you're using saturate(180%) in the backdrop-filter to cancel out the background color with opacity of your fallback...? There's a cleaner solution. You can check if the browser supports backdrop-filter and provide different css code, like with media queries:

@supports (-webkit-backdrop-filter: none) or (backdrop-filter: none) {
  .blurred-container {
    -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
    backdrop-filter: blur(10px);
  }
}

/* slightly transparent fallback for Firefox (not supporting backdrop-filter) */
@supports not ((-webkit-backdrop-filter: none) or (backdrop-filter: none)) {
  .blurred-container {
    background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, .8);
  }
}
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jasonli9933 profile image
JasonLi-9933

Thanks for the sharing! The feature can be enabled in Firefox by setting the layout.css.backdrop-filter.enabled to true in about:config. For more info check out the caniuse.com/#search=backdrop-filter

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urielbitton profile image
Uriel Bitton

Nice thanks for that!

 
simevidas profile image
Šime Vidas

FWIW, it works in Firefox Nightly after enabling that flag.

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urielbitton profile image
Uriel Bitton

Nice!

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scheinercc profile image
Al
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alexanderjanke profile image
Alex Janke

Here's an overview of the browser support for backdrop-filter. Always check this when using more "special" css props :)
caniuse.com/#search=backdrop-filter

Definitely use the fallback option described by Rohit when using backdrop-filter

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link2twenty profile image
Andrew Bone

Still pretty good coverage though, around 75%

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alexanderjanke profile image
Alex Janke

True, but in general (not just css) there are some funky edge-cases in browsers out there so checking the availability never hurts. For example Safari doesn't support .ogg files - so if you have any audio on your page you'd better use mp3. Oof.

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georgehossa profile image
Jorge Ossa

Hey nice tip!
I share my testing:
codepen.io/jorgehossa/pen/ExPdqeX

Thanks!

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urielbitton profile image
Uriel Bitton

awesome man!

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zimmer profile image
zimmer

Wow, that's awesome. I had no idea till now that this kind of trick exist. Thx for sharing

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urielbitton profile image
Uriel Bitton

You're most welcome!

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urielbitton profile image
Uriel Bitton

thanks for sharing man! Chrome works perfectly fine indeed, and i beleive all chromium based browsers too.

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aftabksyed profile image
Aftab Syed

Interesting.... Will try this blur option!

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urielbitton profile image
Uriel Bitton

enjoy!

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urielbitton profile image
Uriel Bitton

Awesome man ill add it in thanks a lot!

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thecoppinger profile image
Charlie Coppinger

Thanks for sharing Uriel and Rohit

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urielbitton profile image
Uriel Bitton

youre most welcome Charlie!

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latz profile image
Latz

Really nice effect. Definitely gonna use this one in a project.

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urielbitton profile image
Uriel Bitton

Enjoy man!

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motz795 profile image
MOATAZ795

thank-you-from-my-heart-my-Brother

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urielbitton profile image
Uriel Bitton

you're welcome man

 
urielbitton profile image
Uriel Bitton

I think after some research that firefox doesn't have compatility unfortunately.