Web/CSS/background-image

The background-image CSS property sets one or more background images on an element.

The background 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.

Note: Even if the images are opaque and the color won't be displayed in normal circumstances, web developers should always specify a background-color. If the images cannot be loaded—for instance, when the network is down—the background color will be used as a fallback.

Syntax

Each background image is specified either as the keyword none or as an <image> value.

To specify multiple background images, supply multiple values, separated by a comma:

background-image:
  linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(255,255,0,0.5), rgba(0,0,255,0.5)),
  url('https://mdn.mozillademos.org/files/7693/catfront.png');

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.

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.

Formal definition

Initial value	`none`
Applies to	all elements. It also applies to `::first-letter` and `::first-line`.
Inherited	no
Computed value	as specified, but with `<url>` values made absolute
Animation type	discrete

Formal syntax

<bg-image>#where <bg-image> = none | <image>where <image> = <url> | <image()> | <image-set()> | <element()> | <paint()> | <cross-fade()> | <gradient>where <image()> = image( <image-tags>? [ <image-src>? , <color>? ]! )<image-set()> = image-set( <image-set-option># )<element()> = element( <id-selector> )<paint()> = paint( <ident>, <declaration-value>? )<cross-fade()> = cross-fade( <cf-mixing-image> , <cf-final-image>? )<gradient> = <linear-gradient()> | <repeating-linear-gradient()> | <radial-gradient()> | <repeating-radial-gradient()> | <conic-gradient()>where <image-tags> = ltr | rtl<image-src> = <url> | <string><color> = <rgb()> | <rgba()> | <hsl()> | <hsla()> | <hex-color> | <named-color> | currentcolor | <deprecated-system-color><image-set-option> = [ <image> | <string> ] <resolution><id-selector> = <hash-token><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> )<conic-gradient()> = conic-gradient( [ from <angle> ]? [ at <position> ]?, <angular-color-stop-list> )where <rgb()> = rgb( <percentage>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgb( <number>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgb( <percentage>#{3} , <alpha-value>? ) | rgb( <number>#{3} , <alpha-value>? )<rgba()> = rgba( <percentage>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgba( <number>{3} [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | rgba( <percentage>#{3} , <alpha-value>? ) | rgba( <number>#{3} , <alpha-value>? )<hsl()> = hsl( <hue> <percentage> <percentage> [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | hsl( <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value>? )<hsla()> = hsla( <hue> <percentage> <percentage> [ / <alpha-value> ]? ) | hsla( <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value>? )<side-or-corner> = [ left | right ] || [ top | bottom ]<color-stop-list> = [ <linear-color-stop> [, <linear-color-hint>]? ]# , <linear-color-stop><ending-shape> = circle | ellipse<size> = closest-side | farthest-side | closest-corner | farthest-corner | <length> | <length-percentage>{2}<position> = [ [ left | center | right ] || [ top | center | bottom ] | [ left | center | right | <length-percentage> ] [ top | center | bottom | <length-percentage> ]? | [ [ left | right ] <length-percentage> ] && [ [ top | bottom ] <length-percentage> ] ]<angular-color-stop-list> = [ <angular-color-stop> [, <angular-color-hint>]? ]# , <angular-color-stop>where <alpha-value> = <number> | <percentage><hue> = <number> | <angle><linear-color-stop> = <color> <color-stop-length>?<linear-color-hint> = <length-percentage><length-percentage> = <length> | <percentage><angular-color-stop> = <color> && <color-stop-angle>?<angular-color-hint> = <angle-percentage>where <color-stop-length> = <length-percentage>{1,2}<color-stop-angle> = <angle-percentage>{1,2}<angle-percentage> = <angle> | <percentage>

Examples

Layering background images

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

p {
  font-size: 1.5em;
  color: #FE7F88;
  background-image: none;
  background-color: transparent;
}

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

.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

Specification	Status	Comment
CSS Backgrounds and Borders Module Level 3The definition of 'background-image' in that specification.	Candidate Recommendation	From CSS2 Revision 1, the property has been extended to support multiple backgrounds and any `<image>` CSS data type.
CSS Level 2 (Revision 1)The definition of 'background-image' in that specification.	Recommendation	From CSS1, the way images with and without intrinsic dimensions are handled is now described.
CSS Level 1The definition of 'background-image' in that specification.	Recommendation	Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet
`background-image`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1 Notes' Full support 1 Notes' Notes' If the `browser.display.use_document_colors` user preference in `about:config` is set to `false`, background images will not be displayed.	IE Full support 4	Opera Full support 3.5	Safari Full support 1	WebView Android Full support ≤37	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4 Notes' Full support 4 Notes' Notes' If the `browser.display.use_document_colors` user preference in `about:config` is set to `false`, background images will not be displayed.	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`element()`	Chrome No support No	Edge No support No	Firefox Full support 4 Prefixed' Full support 4 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-	IE No support No	Opera No support No	Safari No support No	WebView Android No support No	Chrome Android No support No	Firefox Android Full support 4 Prefixed' Full support 4 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-	Opera Android No support No	Safari iOS No support No	Samsung Internet Android No support No
Gradients	Chrome Full support 1 Notes' Full support 1 Notes' Notes' Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with `-webkit`.	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 3.6 Notes' Full support 3.6 Notes' Notes' Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with `-moz`.	IE Full support 10	Opera Full support 11 Notes' Full support 11 Notes' Notes' Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with `-o`.	Safari Full support 4 Notes' Full support 4 Notes' Notes' Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with `-webkit`.	WebView Android Full support ≤37 Notes' Full support ≤37 Notes' Notes' Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with `-webkit`.	Chrome Android Full support 18 Notes' Full support 18 Notes' Notes' Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with `-webkit`.	Firefox Android Full support 4 Notes' Full support 4 Notes' Notes' Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with `-moz`.	Opera Android Full support 14 Notes' Full support 14 Notes' Notes' Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with `-webkit`.	Safari iOS Full support 3.2 Notes' Full support 3.2 Notes' Notes' Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with `-webkit`.	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0 Notes' Full support 1.0 Notes' Notes' Some versions support only experimental gradients prefixed with `-webkit`.
`image-rect()`	Chrome No support No	Edge No support No	Firefox Full support 4 Prefixed' Full support 4 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-	IE No support No	Opera No support No	Safari No support No	WebView Android No support No	Chrome Android No support No	Firefox Android Full support 4 Prefixed' Full support 4 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz-	Opera Android No support No	Safari iOS No support No	Samsung 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 No	Opera 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-
Multiple backgrounds	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 3.6	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 10.5	Safari Full support 1.3	WebView Android Full support ≤37	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
SVG images	Chrome Full support 8	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9.5	Safari Full support 5 Notes' Full support 5 Notes' Notes' Support of SVG in CSS background is incomplete.	WebView Android Full support ≤37	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support 5 Notes' Full support 5 Notes' Notes' Support of SVG in CSS background is incomplete.	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0

Legend

Full support: Full support
Partial support: Partial support
No support: No support
See implementation notes.': See implementation notes.
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.': Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.