background-image

The CSS background-image property sets one or several background images for an element. The images are drawn on stacking context layers on top of each other. The first layer specified is drawn as if it is closest to the user.

The borders of the element are then drawn on top of them, and the background-color is drawn beneath them. How the images are drawn relative to the box and its borders is defined by the background-clip and background-origin CSS properties.

If a specified image cannot be drawn (for example, when the file denoted by the specified URI cannot be loaded), browsers handle it as they would a none value.

Syntax

background-image: none;
background-image: url("http://www.example.com/bck.png");

background-image: inherit;

Values

none

Is a keyword denoting the absence of images.

<image>

Is an <image> denoting the image to display. There can be several of them, separated by commas, as multiple backgrounds are supported.

Formal syntax

<bg-image>#
where 
<bg-image> = none | <image>
where 
<image> = <url> | <image()> | <image-set()> | <element()> | <cross-fade()> | <gradient>
where 
<image()> = image( [ [ <image> | <string> ]? , <color>? ]! )
<image-set()> = image-set( <image-set-option># )
<element()> = element( <id-selector> )
<cross-fade()> = cross-fade( <cf-mixing-image> , <cf-final-image>? )
<gradient> = <linear-gradient()> | <repeating-linear-gradient()> | <radial-gradient()> | <repeating-radial-gradient()>
where 
<color> = <rgb()> | <rgba()> | <hsl()> | <hsla()> | <hex-color> | <named-color> | currentcolor | <deprecated-system-color>
<image-set-option> = [ <image> | <string> ] <resolution>
<cf-mixing-image> = <percentage>? && <image>
<cf-final-image> = <image> | <color>
<linear-gradient()> = linear-gradient( [ <angle> | to <side-or-corner> ]? , <color-stop-list> )
<repeating-linear-gradient()> = repeating-linear-gradient( [ <angle> | to <side-or-corner> ]? , <color-stop-list> )
<radial-gradient()> = radial-gradient( [ <ending-shape> || <size> ]? [ at <position> ]? , <color-stop-list> )
<repeating-radial-gradient()> = repeating-radial-gradient( [ <ending-shape> || <size> ]? [ at <position> ]? , <color-stop-list> )
where 
<rgb()> = rgb( <rgb-component>#{3} )
<rgba()> = rgba( <rgb-component>#{3} , <alpha-value> )
<hsl()> = hsl( <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage> )
<hsla()> = hsla( <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value> )
<named-color> = transparent | aliceblue | antiquewhite | aqua | aquamarine | azure | beige | bisque | black | blanchedalmond | blue | blueviolet | brown | burlywood | cadetblue | chartreuse | chocolate | coral | cornflowerblue | cornsilk | crimson | cyan | darkblue | darkcyan | darkgoldenrod | darkgray | darkgreen | darkgrey | darkkhaki | darkmagenta | darkolivegreen | darkorange | darkorchid | darkred | darksalmon | darkseagreen | darkslateblue | darkslategray | darkslategrey | darkturquoise | darkviolet | deeppink | deepskyblue | dimgray | dimgrey | dodgerblue | firebrick | floralwhite | forestgreen | fuchsia | gainsboro | ghostwhite | gold | goldenrod | gray | green | greenyellow | grey | honeydew | hotpink | indianred | indigo | ivory | khaki | lavender | lavenderblush | lawngreen | lemonchiffon | lightblue | lightcoral | lightcyan | lightgoldenrodyellow | lightgray | lightgreen | lightgrey | lightpink | lightsalmon | lightseagreen | lightskyblue | lightslategray | lightslategrey | lightsteelblue | lightyellow | lime | limegreen | linen | magenta | maroon | mediumaquamarine | mediumblue | mediumorchid | mediumpurple | mediumseagreen | mediumslateblue | mediumspringgreen | mediumturquoise | mediumvioletred | midnightblue | mintcream | mistyrose | moccasin | navajowhite | navy | oldlace | olive | olivedrab | orange | orangered | orchid | palegoldenrod | palegreen | paleturquoise | palevioletred | papayawhip | peachpuff | peru | pink | plum | powderblue | purple | rebeccapurple | red | rosybrown | royalblue | saddlebrown | salmon | sandybrown | seagreen | seashell | sienna | silver | skyblue | slateblue | slategray | slategrey | snow | springgreen | steelblue | tan | teal | thistle | tomato | turquoise | violet | wheat | white | whitesmoke | yellow | yellowgreen
<deprecated-system-color> = ActiveBorder | ActiveCaption | AppWorkspace | Background | ButtonFace | ButtonHighlight | ButtonShadow | ButtonText | CaptionText | GrayText | Highlight | HighlightText | InactiveBorder | InactiveCaption | InactiveCaptionText | InfoBackground | InfoText | Menu | MenuText | Scrollbar | ThreeDDarkShadow | ThreeDFace | ThreeDHighlight | ThreeDLightShadow | ThreeDShadow | Window | WindowFrame | WindowText
<side-or-corner> = [ left | right ] || [ top | bottom ]
<color-stop-list> = <color-stop>{2,}
<ending-shape> = circle | ellipse
<size> = closest-side | farthest-side | closest-corner | farthest-corner | <length> | <length-percentage>{2}
<position> = [[ left | center | right | top | bottom | <length-percentage> ] | [ left | center | right | <length-percentage> ] [ top | center | bottom | <length-percentage> ] | [ center | [ left | right ] <length-percentage>? ] && [ center | [ top | bottom ] <length-percentage>? ]]
where 
<rgb-component> = <integer> | <percentage>
<alpha-value> = <number>
<hue> = <number>
<color-stop> = <color> <length-percentage>?
<length-percentage> = <length> | <percentage>

Examples

Note that the star image is partially transparent and is layered over the cat image.

HTML

<div>
    <p class="catsandstars">
        This paragraph is full of cats<br />and stars.
    </p>
    <p>This paragraph is not.</p>
    <p class="catsandstars">
        Here are more cats for you.<br />Look at them!
    </p>
    <p>And no more.</p>
</div>

CSS

pre, p {
    font-size: 1.5em;
    color: #FE7F88;
    background-color: transparent;
}

div {
  background-image: url("https://mdn.mozillademos.org/files/6457/mdn_logo_only_color.png");
}

p {
  background-image: none;
}

.catsandstars {
  background-image:  url("https://mdn.mozillademos.org/files/11991/startransparent.gif"), 
                     url("https://mdn.mozillademos.org/files/7693/catfront.png");
  background-color: transparent;
}

Result

Specifications

Browser compatibility

Feature	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Servo
Basic Support	1	12	1.01	4	3.5	1.0	?
Multiple backgrounds	1.0	12	3.6	9.0	(Yes)	1.3	?
Gradients	1.02	12	3.63	10	114	4.02	?
SVG images	8.0	12	4.0	9.0	9.5	5.05	?
element	No support	No support	(Yes)6	No support	No support	No support	?
image-rect	No support	No support	(Yes)7	No support	No support	No support	?
Any value	(Yes)	?	No support	?	?	?	No support

Feature	Android	Chrome for Android	Edge Mobile	Firefox for Android	IE Mobile	Opera Mobile	Safari Mobile
Basic Support	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)
Multiple backgrounds	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)
Gradients	(Yes)	(Yes)2	(Yes)	(Yes)3	(Yes)	(Yes)4	(Yes)2
SVG images	No support	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)	(Yes)	5.05
element	No support	No support	No support	(Yes)6	No support	No support	No support
image-rect	No support	No support	No support	(Yes)7	No support	No support	No support
Any value	(Yes)	(Yes)	?	No support	?	?	?

1. If the browser.display.use_document_colors user preference in about:config is set to false, background images will not be displayed.

2. Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with -webkit

3. Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with -moz

4. Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with -o

5. Support of SVG in CSS background is incomplete in the current version of iOS Safari (5.0).

6. element() is supported only in its -moz-element() prefixed version

7. image-rect() is supported only in its -moz-image-rect() prefixed version

See also

• CSS Image Sprites
• <img>
• Image-related articles: <image>, linear-gradient(), radial-gradient(), repeating-linear-gradient(), repeating-radial-gradient(), element().