<image>

The <image> CSS data type represents a two-dimensional image.

Syntax

The <image> data type can be represented with any of the following:

  • An image denoted by the <url> data type
  • A <gradient> data type
  • A part of the webpage, defined by the element() function
  • An image, image fragment or solid patch of color, defined by the image() function
  • A blending of two or more images defined by the cross-fade() function.
  • A selection of images chosed based on resolution defined by the image-set() function.

Description

CSS can handle the following kinds of images:

  • Images with intrinsic dimensions (a natural size), like a JPEG, PNG, or other raster format.
  • Images with multiple intrinsic dimensions, existing in multiple versions inside a single file, like some .ico formats. (In this case, the intrinsic dimensions will be those of the image largest in area and the aspect ratio most similar to the containing box.)
  • Images with no intrinsic dimensions but with an intrinsic aspect ratio between its width and height, like an SVG or other vector format.
  • Images with neither intrinsic dimensions, nor an intrinsic aspect ratio, like a CSS gradient.

CSS determines an object's concrete size using (1) its intrinsic dimensions; (2) its specified size, defined by CSS properties like width, height, or background-size; and (3) its default size, determined by the kind of property the image is used with:

Kind of Object (CSS Property) Default object size
background-image The size of the element's background positioning area
list-style-image The size of a 1em character
border-image-source The size of the element's border image area
cursor The browser-defined size matching the usual cursor size on the client's system
mask-image ?
shape-outside ?
mask-border-source ?
symbols for @counter-style At risk feature. If supported, the browser-defined size matching the usual cursor size on the client's system
content for a pseudo-element (::after/::before) A 300px × 150px rectangle

The concrete object size is calculated using the following algorithm:

  • If the specified size defines both the width and the height, these values are used as the concrete object size.
  • If the specified size defines only the width or only the height, the missing value is determined using the intrinsic ratio, if there is any, the intrinsic dimensions if the specified value matches, or the default object size for that missing value.
  • If the specified size defines neither the width nor the height, the concrete object size is calculated so that it matches the intrinsic aspect ratio of the image but without exceeding the default object size in any dimension. If the image has no intrinsic aspect ratio, the intrinsic aspect ratio of the object it applies to is used; if this object has none, the missing width or height are taken from the default object size.
Note: Not all browsers support every type of image on every property. See the browser compatibility section for details.

Accessibility concerns

Browsers do not provide any special information on background images to assistive technology. This is important primarily for screen readers, as a screen reader will not announce its presence and therefore convey nothing to its users. If the image contains information critical to understanding the page's overall purpose, it is better to describe it semantically in the document.

Examples

Valid images

url(test.jpg)               /* A <url>, as long as test.jpg is an actual image */
linear-gradient(blue, red)  /* A <gradient> */
element(#realid)            /* A part of the webpage, referenced with the element() function,
                               if "realid" is an existing ID on the page */
image(ltr 'arrow.png#xywh=0,0,16,16', red)
                            /* A section 16x16 section of <url>, starting from the top, left of the original
                               image as long as arrow.png is a supported image, otherwise a solid
                               red swatch. If language is rtl, the image will be horizontally flipped. */
cross-fade(20% url(twenty.png), url(eighty.png))
                            /* cross faded images, with twenty being 20% opaque
                               and eighty being 80% opaque. */
image-set('test.jpg' 1x, 'test-2x.jpg' 2x)
                            /* a selection of images with varying resolutions */

Invalid images

nourl.jpg            /* An image file must be defined using the url() function. */
url(report.pdf)      /* A file pointed to by the url() function must be an image. */
element(#fakeid)     /* An element ID must be an existing ID on the page. */
image(z.jpg#xy=0,0)  /* The spatial fragment must be written in the format of xywh=#,#,#,# */
image-set('cat.jpg' 1x, 'dog.jpg' 1x) /* every image in an image set must have a different resolutions */

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Images Module Level 4
The definition of '<image>' in that specification.
Working Draft Adds element(), image(), image-set(), conic-gradient(), repeating-conic-gradient(), and image-resolution.
CSS Images Module Level 3
The definition of '<image>' in that specification.
Candidate Recommendation Initial definition. Before this, there was no explicitly defined <image> data type. Images could only be defined using the url() functional notation.

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
<image>Chrome Full support 1Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 1IE Full support 10Opera Full support 2Safari Full support 1WebView Android Full support 1Chrome Android Full support 18Firefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support 11Safari iOS Full support 1Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
cross-fade()Chrome Full support 17
Prefixed Notes
Full support 17
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Notes Supports the original dual-image with percentage implementation only.
Edge Full support 79
Prefixed Notes
Full support 79
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Notes Supports the original dual-image with percentage implementation only.
Firefox No support NoIE No support NoOpera Full support 15
Prefixed Notes
Full support 15
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Notes Supports the original dual-image with percentage implementation only.
Safari Full support 10
Notes
Full support 10
Notes
Notes Supports the original dual-image with percentage implementation only.
Full support 5.1
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Notes Supports the original dual-image with percentage implementation only.
WebView Android Full support ≤37
Prefixed Notes
Full support ≤37
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Notes Supports the original dual-image with percentage implementation only.
Chrome Android Full support 18
Prefixed Notes
Full support 18
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Notes Supports the original dual-image with percentage implementation only.
Firefox Android No support NoOpera Android Full support 14
Prefixed Notes
Full support 14
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Notes Supports the original dual-image with percentage implementation only.
Safari iOS Full support 9.3
Notes
Full support 9.3
Notes
Notes Support for the original dual-image with percentage implementation only.
Full support 5
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Notes Supports the original dual-image with percentage implementation only.
Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
Prefixed Notes
Full support 1.0
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Notes Support for the original dual-image with percentage implementation only.
element()
Experimental
Chrome No support NoEdge No support NoFirefox Full support 57
Prefixed
Full support 57
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-
No support 29 — 57
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-
Notes -moz-element() is limited to background-image, background, border-image and border-image-source.
No support 4 — 29
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-
Notes -moz-element() is limited to background-image and background.
IE No support NoOpera No support NoSafari No support NoWebView Android No support NoChrome Android No support NoFirefox Android Full support 60
Prefixed
Full support 60
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-
No support 29 — 60
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-
Notes -moz-element() is limited to background-image, background, border-image and border-image-source.
No support 4 — 29
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-
Notes -moz-element() is limited to background-image and background.
Opera Android No support NoSafari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android No support No
<gradient>Chrome Full support 26
Full support 26
Full support 10
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Edge Full support 12
Prefixed
Full support 12
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -ms-
Firefox Full support 3.6
Notes
Full support 3.6
Notes
Notes Gradients are limited to background-image, border-image, and mask-image.
IE Full support 10
Prefixed
Full support 10
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -ms-
Opera Full support 12.1
Full support 12.1
No support 11 — 15
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -o-
Full support 15
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Safari Full support 6.1
Full support 6.1
Full support 5.1
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
WebView Android Full support ≤37
Full support ≤37
Full support ≤37
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Chrome Android Full support 26
Full support 26
Full support 18
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Firefox Android Full support 4
Notes
Full support 4
Notes
Notes Gradients are limited to background-image, border-image, and mask-image.
Opera Android Full support 12.1
Full support 12.1
No support 11 — 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -o-
Full support 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Safari iOS Full support 7
Full support 7
Full support 6
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.5
Full support 1.5
Full support 1.0
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
image()Chrome No support NoEdge No support NoFirefox No support No
Notes
No support No
Notes
Notes The -moz-image-rect() function supports fragments as of Firefox 4.
IE No support NoOpera No support NoSafari No support NoWebView Android No support NoChrome Android No support NoFirefox Android No support No
Notes
No support No
Notes
Notes The -moz-image-rect() function supports fragments as of Firefox 4.
Opera Android No support NoSafari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android No support No
image-set()Chrome Full support 21
Prefixed
Full support 21
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Edge Full support 79
Prefixed
Full support 79
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Firefox No support No
Notes
No support No
Notes
Notes See bug 1107646.
IE No support NoOpera Full support 15
Prefixed
Full support 15
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Safari Partial support 6
Prefixed Notes
Partial support 6
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Notes Support for url images only and x is the only supported resolution unit. See bug 160934.
WebView Android Full support 4.4
Prefixed
Full support 4.4
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Chrome Android Full support 25
Prefixed
Full support 25
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Firefox Android No support No
Notes
No support No
Notes
Notes See bug 1107646.
Opera Android Full support 14
Prefixed
Full support 14
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Safari iOS Partial support 6
Prefixed Notes
Partial support 6
Prefixed Notes
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Notes Support for url images only and x is the only supported resolution unit. See bug 160934.
Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.5
Prefixed
Full support 1.5
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
paint()Chrome Full support 65Edge Full support 79Firefox No support NoIE No support NoOpera Full support 52Safari No support NoWebView Android Full support 65Chrome Android Full support 65Firefox Android No support NoOpera Android Full support 47Safari iOS No support NoSamsung Internet Android Full support 9.2

Legend

Full support
Full support
Partial support
Partial support
No support
No support
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
See implementation notes.
See implementation notes.
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.

See also