backface-visibility CSS property
Baseline
Widely available
This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since March 2022.
The backface-visibility CSS property sets whether the back face of an element is visible when turned towards the user.
An element's back face is a mirror image of its front face. Though invisible in 2D, the back face can become visible when a transformation causes the element to be rotated in 3D space. (This property has no effect on 2D transforms, which have no perspective.)
Try it
backface-visibility: visible;
backface-visibility: hidden;
<section class="default-example" id="default-example">
<div id="example-element">
<div class="face front">1</div>
<div class="face back">2</div>
<div class="face right">3</div>
<div class="face bottom">6</div>
</div>
</section>
#default-example {
background: linear-gradient(skyblue, khaki);
}
#example-element {
width: 100px;
height: 100px;
perspective: 550px;
perspective-origin: 220% 220%;
transform-style: preserve-3d;
}
.face {
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
position: absolute;
backface-visibility: inherit;
background: rgb(0 0 0 / 0.4);
font-size: 60px;
color: white;
}
.front {
transform: translateZ(50px);
}
.back {
background: rgb(230 0 0);
color: white;
transform: rotateY(180deg) translateZ(50px);
}
.right {
background: rgb(0 0 0 / 0.6);
transform: rotateY(90deg) translateZ(50px);
}
.bottom {
background: rgb(0 0 0 / 0.6);
transform: rotateX(-90deg) translateZ(50px);
}
Syntax
css
/* Keyword values */
backface-visibility: visible;
backface-visibility: hidden;
/* Global values */
backface-visibility: inherit;
backface-visibility: initial;
backface-visibility: revert;
backface-visibility: revert-layer;
backface-visibility: unset;
The backface-visibility property is specified as one of the keywords listed below.
Values
visible-
The back face is visible when turned towards the user.
-
The back face is hidden, effectively making the element invisible when turned away from the user.
Formal definition
| Initial value | visible |
|---|---|
| Applies to | transformable elements |
| Inherited | no |
| Computed value | as specified |
| Animation type | discrete |
Formal syntax
backface-visibility =
visible |
hidden
Examples
Cube with transparent and opaque faces
This example shows a cube with transparent faces, and one with opaque faces.
HTML
html
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th><code>backface-visibility: visible;</code></th>
<th><code>backface-visibility: hidden;</code></th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
<div class="container">
<div class="cube show-bf">
<div class="face front">1</div>
<div class="face back">2</div>
<div class="face right">3</div>
<div class="face left">4</div>
<div class="face top">5</div>
<div class="face bottom">6</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>
Since all faces are partially transparent, the back faces (2, 4, 5)
are visible through the front faces (1, 3, 6).
</p>
</td>
<td>
<div class="container">
<div class="cube hide-bf">
<div class="face front">1</div>
<div class="face back">2</div>
<div class="face right">3</div>
<div class="face left">4</div>
<div class="face top">5</div>
<div class="face bottom">6</div>
</div>
</div>
<p>The three back faces (2, 4, 5) are hidden.</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
CSS
css
/* Classes that will show or hide the
three back faces of the "cube" */
.show-bf div {
backface-visibility: visible;
}
.hide-bf div {
backface-visibility: hidden;
}
/* Define the container div, the cube div, and a generic face */
.container {
width: 150px;
height: 150px;
margin: 75px 0 0 75px;
border: none;
}
.cube {
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
perspective: 550px;
perspective-origin: 150% 150%;
transform-style: preserve-3d;
}
.face {
display: block;
position: absolute;
width: 100px;
height: 100px;
border: none;
line-height: 100px;
font-family: sans-serif;
font-size: 60px;
color: white;
text-align: center;
}
/* Define each face based on direction */
.front {
background: rgb(0 0 0 / 30%);
transform: translateZ(50px);
}
.back {
background: lime;
color: black;
transform: rotateY(180deg) translateZ(50px);
}
.right {
background: rgb(196 0 0 / 70%);
transform: rotateY(90deg) translateZ(50px);
}
.left {
background: rgb(0 0 196 / 70%);
transform: rotateY(-90deg) translateZ(50px);
}
.top {
background: rgb(196 196 0 / 70%);
transform: rotateX(90deg) translateZ(50px);
}
.bottom {
background: rgb(196 0 196 / 70%);
transform: rotateX(-90deg) translateZ(50px);
}
/* Make the table a little nicer */
th,
p,
td {
background-color: #eeeeee;
margin: 0px;
padding: 6px;
font-family: sans-serif;
text-align: left;
}
Result
Specifications
| Specification |
|---|
| CSS Transforms Module Level 2 # backface-visibility-property |
Browser compatibility
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backface-visibility
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hidden
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visible
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Legend
Tip: you can click/tap on a cell for more information.
- Full support
- Full support
- Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.
- Has more compatibility info.