Pseudo-classes

A CSS pseudo-class is a keyword added to a selector that lets you style a specific state of the selected element(s). For example, the pseudo-class {{CSSxRef(":hover")}}  can be used to select a button when a user’s pointer hovers over the button and this selected button can then be styled.

/* Any button over which the user's pointer is hovering */
button:hover {
  color: blue;
}

A pseudo-class consists of a colon (:) followed by the pseudo-class name (e.g., :hover). A functional pseudo-class also contains a pair of parentheses to define the arguments (e.g., :dir()). The element that a pseudo-class is attached to is defined as an anchor element (e.g., button in case button:hover).

Pseudo-classes let you apply a style to an element not only in relation to the content of the document tree, but also in relation to external factors like the history of the navigator ({{CSSxRef(":visited")}} , for example), the status of its content (like {{CSSxRef(":checked")}}  on certain form elements), or the position of the mouse (like {{CSSxRef(":hover")}} , which lets you know if the mouse is over an element or not).

[!NOTE] In contrast to pseudo-classes, pseudo-elements can be used to style a specific part of an element.

Elemental pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes relate to the core identity of elements.

• {{CSSxRef(":defined")}} 
  • : Matches any element that is defined.
• {{CSSxRef(":heading")}} 
  • : Matches any heading element (<h1>-<h6>).

Element display state pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes enable the selection of elements based on their display states.

• {{CSSxRef(":open")}} 
  • : Matches an element that can either be open or closed that is currently open.
• {{CSSxRef(":popover-open")}} 
  • : Matches a popover element that is currently in the showing state.
• {{CSSxRef(":modal")}} 
  • : Matches an element that is in a state in which it excludes all interaction with elements outside it until the interaction has been dismissed.
• {{CSSxRef(":fullscreen")}} 
  • : Matches an element that is currently in fullscreen mode.
• {{CSSxRef(":picture-in-picture")}} 
  • : Matches an element that is currently in picture-in-picture mode.

Input pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes relate to form elements, and enable selecting elements based on HTML attributes and the state that the field is in before and after interaction.

• {{CSSxRef(":enabled")}} 
  • : Represents a user interface element that is in an enabled state.
• {{CSSxRef(":disabled")}} 
  • : Represents a user interface element that is in a disabled state.
• {{CSSxRef(":read-only")}} 
  • : Represents any element that cannot be changed by the user.
• {{CSSxRef(":read-write")}} 
  • : Represents any element that is user-editable.
• {{CSSxRef(":placeholder-shown")}} 
  • : Matches an input element that is displaying placeholder text. For example, it will match the placeholder attribute in the {{htmlelement("input")}}  and {{htmlelement("textarea")}}  elements.
• {{CSSxRef(":autofill")}} 
  • : Matches when an {{htmlelement("input")}}  has been autofilled by the browser.
• {{CSSxRef(":default")}} 
  • : Matches one or more UI elements that are the default among a set of elements.
• {{CSSxRef(":checked")}} 
  • : Matches when elements such as checkboxes and radio buttons are toggled on.
• {{CSSxRef(":indeterminate")}} 
  • : Matches UI elements when they are in an indeterminate state.
• {{CSSxRef(":blank")}} 
  • : Matches a user-input element which is empty, containing an empty string or other null input.
• {{CSSxRef(":valid")}} 
  • : Matches an element with valid contents. For example, an input element with the type ‘email’ that contains a validly formed email address or an empty value if the control is not required.
• {{CSSxRef(":invalid")}} 
  • : Matches an element with invalid contents. For example, an input element with type ‘email’ with a name entered.
• {{CSSxRef(":in-range")}} 
  • : Applies to elements with range limitations. For example, a slider control when the selected value is in the allowed range.
• {{CSSxRef(":out-of-range")}} 
  • : Applies to elements with range limitations. For example, a slider control when the selected value is outside the allowed range.
• {{CSSxRef(":required")}} 
  • : Matches when a form element is required.
• {{CSSxRef(":optional")}} 
  • : Matches when a form element is optional.
• {{CSSxRef(":user-valid")}} 
  • : Represents an element with correct input, but only when the user has interacted with it.
• {{CSSxRef(":user-invalid")}} 
  • : Represents an element with incorrect input, but only when the user has interacted with it.

Linguistic pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes reflect the document language and enable the selection of elements based on language or script direction.

• {{CSSxRef(":dir", ":dir()")}} 
  • : The directionality pseudo-class selects an element based on its directionality as determined by the document language.
• {{CSSxRef(":lang", ":lang()")}} 
  • : Select an element based on its content language.

Location pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes relate to links, and to targeted elements within the current document.

• {{CSSxRef(":any-link")}} 
  • : Matches an element if the element would match either {{CSSxRef(":link")}}  or {{CSSxRef(":visited")}} .
• {{CSSxRef(":link")}} 
  • : Matches links that have not yet been visited.
• {{CSSxRef(":visited")}} 
  • : Matches links that have been visited.
• {{CSSxRef(":local-link")}} 
  • : Matches links whose absolute URL is the same as the target URL. For example, anchor links to the same page.
• {{CSSxRef(":target")}} 
  • : Matches the element which is the target of the document URL.
• {{CSSxRef(":scope")}} 
  • : Represents elements that are a reference point for selectors to match against.

[!NOTE] A :target-within pseudo-class, to match elements that are or have a descendant which is the target of the document URL, was defined but removed from the specification. Use :has(:target) for this purpose.

Resource state pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes apply to media that is capable of being in a state where it would be described as playing, such as a video.

• {{CSSxRef(":playing")}} 
  • : Represents a playable element that is playing.
• {{CSSxRef(":paused")}} 
  • : Represents a playable element that is paused.
• {{CSSxRef(":seeking")}} 
  • : Represents a playable element that is currently seeking a playback position in the media resource.
• {{CSSxRef(":buffering")}} 
  • : Represents a playable element that is playing but is temporarily stalled because it is downloading the media resource.
• {{CSSxRef(":stalled")}} 
  • : Represents a playable element that is playing but is stalled because it cannot download the media resource.
• {{CSSxRef(":muted")}} 
  • : Represents a sound-producing element that is muted.
• {{CSSxRef(":volume-locked")}} 
  • : Represents a sound-producing element that has its volume level locked by the browser.

Time-dimensional pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes apply when viewing something which has timing, such as a WebVTT caption track.

• {{CSSxRef(":current")}} 
  • : Represents the element or ancestor of the element that is being displayed.
• {{CSSxRef(":past")}} 
  • : Represents an element that occurs entirely before the {{CSSxRef(":current")}}  element.
• {{CSSxRef(":future")}} 
  • : Represents an element that occurs entirely after the {{CSSxRef(":current")}}  element.

Tree-structural pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes relate to the location of an element within the document tree.

• {{CSSxRef(":root")}} 
  • : Represents an element that is the root of the document. In HTML this is usually the <html> element.
• {{CSSxRef(":empty")}} 
  • : Represents an element with no children other than white-space characters.
• {{CSSxRef(":nth-child", ":nth-child()")}} 
  • : Uses An+B notation to select elements from a list of sibling elements.
• {{CSSxRef(":nth-last-child", ":nth-last-child()")}} 
  • : Uses An+B notation to select elements from a list of sibling elements, counting backwards from the end of the list.
• {{CSSxRef(":first-child")}} 
  • : Matches an element that is the first of its siblings.
• {{CSSxRef(":last-child")}} 
  • : Matches an element that is the last of its siblings.
• {{CSSxRef(":only-child")}} 
  • : Matches an element that has no siblings. For example, a list item with no other list items in that list.
• {{CSSXRef(":heading_function", ":heading()")}} 
  • : Uses An+B notation to select heading elements (<h1>-<h6>).
• {{CSSxRef(":nth-of-type", ":nth-of-type()")}} 
  • : Uses An+B notation to select elements from a list of sibling elements that match a certain type from a list of sibling elements.
• {{CSSxRef(":nth-last-of-type", ":nth-last-of-type()")}} 
  • : Uses An+B notation to select elements from a list of sibling elements that match a certain type from a list of sibling elements counting backwards from the end of the list.
• {{CSSxRef(":first-of-type")}} 
  • : Matches an element that is the first of its siblings, and also matches a certain type selector.
• {{CSSxRef(":last-of-type")}} 
  • : Matches an element that is the last of its siblings, and also matches a certain type selector.
• {{CSSxRef(":only-of-type")}} 
  • : Matches an element that has no siblings of the chosen type selector.

Shadow-structural pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes relate to the shadow DOM.

• {{CSSxRef(":host")}} 
  • : Matches the shadow tree’s shadow host.
• {{CSSxRef(":host_function", ":host()")}} 
  • : Matches an element that matches {{CSSxRef(":host")}}  and matches any of the selectors in the list provided.
• {{CSSxRef(":host-context", ":host-context()")}} 
  • : Selects elements outside of the shadow tree in the context of the shadow host.
• {{CSSxRef(":has-slotted")}} 
  • : Matches slot elements that have been assigned content.

User action pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes require some interaction by the user in order for them to apply, such as holding a mouse pointer over an element.

• {{CSSxRef(":hover")}} 
  • : Matches when a user designates an item with a pointing device, such as holding the mouse pointer over the item.
• {{CSSxRef(":active")}} 
  • : Matches when an item is being activated by the user. For example, when the item is clicked on.
• {{CSSxRef(":focus")}} 
  • : Matches when an element has focus.
• {{CSSxRef(":focus-visible")}} 
  • : Matches when an element has focus and the user agent identifies that the element should be visibly focused.
• {{CSSxRef(":focus-within")}} 
  • : Matches an element to which {{CSSxRef(":focus")}}  applies, plus any element that has a descendant to which {{CSSxRef(":focus")}}  applies.
• {{CSSxRef(":target-current")}} 
  • : Matches the {{cssxref("::scroll-marker")}}  pseudo-element of a {{cssxref("scroll-marker-group")}}  that is currently scrolled to, in other words, the active scroll marker.

Functional pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes accept a selector list or forgiving selector list as a parameter.

• {{CSSxRef(":is", ":is()")}} 
  • : The matches-any pseudo-class matches any element that matches any of the selectors in the list provided. The list is forgiving.
• {{CSSxRef(":not", ":not()")}} 
  • : The negation, or matches-none, pseudo-class represents any element that is not represented by its argument.
• {{CSSxRef(":where", ":where()")}} 
  • : The specificity-adjustment pseudo-class matches any element that matches any of the selectors in the list provided without adding any specificity weight. The list is forgiving.
• {{CSSxRef(":has", ":has()")}} 
  • : The relational pseudo-class represents an element if any of the relative selectors match when anchored against the attached element.

Custom state pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes apply to custom elements.

• {{CSSxRef(":state", ":state()")}} 
  • : Matches custom elements that have the specified custom state.

Page pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes relate to pages in a printed document and are used with the {{CSSxRef("@page")}}  at-rule.

• {{CSSxRef(":left")}} 
  • : Represents all left-hand pages of a printed document.
• {{CSSxRef(":right")}} 
  • : Represents all right-hand pages of a printed document.
• {{CSSxRef(":first")}} 
  • : Represents the first page of a printed document.
• :blank
  • : Represents a blank page in a printed document.

View transition pseudo-classes

These pseudo-classes relate to elements involved in a view transition.

• {{cssxref(":active-view-transition")}} 
  • : Matches the root element of a document when a view transition is in progress (active) and stops matching once the transition has completed.
• {{cssxref(":active-view-transition-type", ":active-view-transition-type()")}} 
  • : Matches the root element of a document when a specified view transition is in progress (active) and stops matching once the transition has completed.

Syntax

selector:pseudo-class {
  property: value;
}

Like regular classes, you can chain together as many pseudo-classes as you want in a selector.

Alphabetical index

Pseudo-classes defined by a set of CSS specifications include the following:

A

• {{CSSxRef(":active")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":active-view-transition")}} 
• {{cssxref(":active-view-transition-type", ":active-view-transition-type()")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":any-link")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":autofill")}} 

B

• {{CSSxRef(":blank")}}  (input) {{Experimental_Inline}} 
• :blank (page)
• {{CSSxRef(":buffering")}} 

C

• {{CSSxRef(":checked")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":current")}}  {{Experimental_Inline}} 

D

• {{CSSxRef(":default")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":defined")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":dir", ":dir()")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":disabled")}} 

E

• {{CSSxRef(":empty")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":enabled")}} 

F

• {{CSSxRef(":first")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":first-child")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":first-of-type")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":focus")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":focus-visible")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":focus-within")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":fullscreen")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":future")}} 

H

• {{CSSxRef(":has-slotted")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":has", ":has()")}} 
• {{CSSXRef(":heading")}} 
• {{CSSXRef(":heading_function", ":heading()")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":host")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":host_function", ":host()")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":host-context", ":host-context()")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":hover")}} 

I

• {{CSSxRef(":in-range")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":indeterminate")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":invalid")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":is", ":is()")}} 

L

• {{CSSxRef(":lang", ":lang()")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":last-child")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":last-of-type")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":left")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":link")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":local-link")}}  {{Experimental_Inline}} 

M

• {{CSSxRef(":modal")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":muted")}} 

N

• {{CSSxRef(":not", ":not()")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":nth-child", ":nth-child()")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":nth-last-child", ":nth-last-child()")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":nth-last-of-type", ":nth-last-of-type()")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":nth-of-type", ":nth-of-type()")}} 

O

• {{CSSxRef(":only-child")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":only-of-type")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":open")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":optional")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":out-of-range")}} 

P

• {{CSSxRef(":past")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":paused")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":picture-in-picture")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":placeholder-shown")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":playing")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":popover-open")}} 

R

• {{CSSxRef(":read-only")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":read-write")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":required")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":right")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":root")}} 

S

• {{CSSxRef(":scope")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":seeking")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":stalled")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":state", ":state()")}} 

T

• {{CSSxRef(":target")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":target-current")}} 

U

• {{CSSxRef(":user-invalid")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":user-valid")}} 

V

• {{CSSxRef(":valid")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":visited")}} 
• {{CSSxRef(":volume-locked")}} 

W

• {{CSSxRef(":where", ":where()")}} 

Specifications

{{Specifications}} 

See also

• Pseudo-elements
• CSS selectors module