Web/CSS/mask

The mask CSS shorthand property hides an element (partially or fully) by masking or clipping the image at specific points.

As well as the properties listed below, the mask shorthand also resets mask-border to its initial value. It is therefore recommended to use the mask shorthand rather than other shorthands or the individual properties to override any mask settings earlier in the cascade. This will ensure that mask-border has also been reset to allow the new styles to take effect.

Constituent properties

This property is a shorthand for the following CSS properties:

Syntax

/* Keyword values */
mask: none;

/* Image values */
mask: url(mask.png);                       /* Pixel image used as mask */
mask: url(masks.svg#star);                 /* Element within SVG graphic used as mask */

/* Combined values */
mask: url(masks.svg#star) luminance;       /* Element within SVG graphic used as luminance mask */
mask: url(masks.svg#star) 40px 20px;       /* Element within SVG graphic used as mask positioned 40px from the top and 20px from the left */
mask: url(masks.svg#star) 0 0/50px 50px;   /* Element within SVG graphic used as mask with a width and height of 50px */
mask: url(masks.svg#star) repeat-x;        /* Element within SVG graphic used as horizontally repeated mask */
mask: url(masks.svg#star) stroke-box;      /* Element within SVG graphic used as mask extending to the box enclosed by the stroke */
mask: url(masks.svg#star) exclude;         /* Element within SVG graphic used as mask and combined with background using non-overlapping parts */

/* Global values */
mask: inherit;
mask: initial;
mask: unset;

/* Multiple masks */
mask: url(masks.svg#star) left / 16px repeat-y,    /* Element within SVG graphic is used as a mask on the left-hand side with a width of 16px */
      url(masks.svg#circle) right / 16px repeat-y; /* Element within SVG graphic is used as a mask on the right-hand side with a width of 16px */

Values

<mask-reference>: Sets the mask image source. See mask-image.
<masking-mode>: Sets the masking mode of the mask image. See mask-mode.
<position>: Sets the position of the mask image. See mask-position.
<bg-size>: Sets the size of the mask image. See mask-size.
<repeat-style>: Sets the repetition of the mask image. See mask-repeat.
<geometry-box>: If only one <geometry-box> value is given, it sets both mask-origin and mask-clip. If two <geometry-box> values are present, then the first sets mask-origin and the second sets mask-clip.
<geometry-box> | no-clip: Sets the area that is affected by the mask image. See mask-clip.
<compositing-operator>: Sets the compositing operation used on the current mask layer. See mask-composite.

Formal definition

Initial value	as each of the properties of the shorthand: `mask-image`: `none` `mask-mode`: `match-source` `mask-repeat`: `no-repeat` `mask-position`: `center` `mask-clip`: `border-box` `mask-origin`: `border-box` `mask-size`: `auto` `mask-composite`: `add`
Applies to	all elements; In SVG, it applies to container elements excluding the `defs` element and all graphics elements
Inherited	no
Percentages	as each of the properties of the shorthand: `mask-position`: refer to size of mask painting area minus size of mask layer image (see the text for `background-position`)
Computed value	as each of the properties of the shorthand: `mask-image`: as specified, but with `<url>` values made absolute `mask-mode`: as specified `mask-repeat`: Consists of two keywords, one per dimension `mask-position`: Consists of two keywords representing the origin and two offsets from that origin, each given as an absolute length (if given a <length>), otherwise as a percentage. `mask-clip`: as specified `mask-origin`: as specified `mask-size`: as specified, but with relative lengths converted into absolute lengths `mask-composite`: as specified
Animation type	as each of the properties of the shorthand: `mask-image`: discrete `mask-mode`: discrete `mask-repeat`: discrete `mask-position`: repeatable list of simple list of length, percentage, or calc `mask-clip`: discrete `mask-origin`: discrete `mask-size`: repeatable list of simple list of length, percentage, or calc `mask-composite`: discrete
Creates stacking context	yes

Formal syntax

<mask-layer>#where <mask-layer> = <mask-reference> || <position> [ / <bg-size> ]? || <repeat-style> || <geometry-box> || [ <geometry-box> | no-clip ] || <compositing-operator> || <masking-mode>where <mask-reference> = none | <image> | <mask-source><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> ] ]<bg-size> = [ <length-percentage> | auto ]{1,2} | cover | contain<repeat-style> = repeat-x | repeat-y | [ repeat | space | round | no-repeat ]{1,2}<geometry-box> = <shape-box> | fill-box | stroke-box | view-box<compositing-operator> = add | subtract | intersect | exclude<masking-mode> = alpha | luminance | match-sourcewhere <image> = <url> | <image()> | <image-set()> | <element()> | <paint()> | <cross-fade()> | <gradient><mask-source> = <url><length-percentage> = <length> | <percentage><shape-box> = <box> | margin-boxwhere <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()><box> = border-box | padding-box | content-boxwhere <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}<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><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

Masking an image

.target {
  mask: url(#c1) luminance;
}

.anothertarget {
  mask: url(resources.svg#c1) 50px 30px/10px 10px repeat-x exclude;
}

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
CSS Masking Module Level 1The definition of 'mask' in that specification.	Candidate Recommendation	Extends its usage to HTML elements. Extends its syntax by making it a shorthand for the new `mask-*` properties defined in that specification.
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) 1.1 (Second Edition)The definition of 'mask' in that specification.	Recommendation	Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

The compatibility table on this page is generated from structured data. If you'd like to contribute to the data, please check out https://github.com/mdn/browser-compat-data and send us a pull request.

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
`mask`	Chrome Partial support 1 Notes' Partial support 1 Notes' Notes' While the property is recognized, values applied to it don't have any effect. Full support 1 Prefixed' Notes' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- Notes' The prefixed property can be used with SVG and HTML with a slightly different syntax, which allows setting the non-standard `-webkit-mask-attachment` property.	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 2 Notes' Full support 2 Notes' Notes' From Firefox 10, the default color space when handling masks is sRGB. Previously, the default and only supported color space was linear RGB. This changes the appearance of mask effects, but brings Firefox into compliance with the second edition of the SVG 1.1 specification.	IE No support No	Opera Partial support 15 Notes' Partial support 15 Notes' Notes' While the property is recognized, values applied to it don't have any effect. Full support 15 Prefixed' Notes' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- Notes' The prefixed property can be used with SVG and HTML with a slightly different syntax, which allows setting the non-standard `-webkit-mask-attachment` property.	Safari Partial support 3.2 Notes' Partial support 3.2 Notes' Notes' While the property is recognized, values applied to it don't have any effect. Full support 3.2 Prefixed' Notes' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- Notes' The prefixed property can be used with SVG and HTML with a slightly different syntax, which allows setting the non-standard `-webkit-mask-attachment` property.	WebView Android Partial support 2 Notes' Partial support 2 Notes' Notes' While the property is recognized, values applied to it don't have any effect. Full support 2 Prefixed' Notes' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- Notes' The prefixed property can be used with SVG and HTML with a slightly different syntax, which allows setting the non-standard `-webkit-mask-attachment` property.	Chrome Android Partial support 18 Notes' Partial support 18 Notes' Notes' While the property is recognized, values applied to it don't have any effect. Full support 18 Prefixed' Notes' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- Notes' The prefixed property can be used with SVG and HTML with a slightly different syntax, which allows setting the non-standard `-webkit-mask-attachment` property.	Firefox Android Full support 4 Notes' Full support 4 Notes' Notes' From Firefox 10, the default color space when handling masks is sRGB. Previously, the default and only supported color space was linear RGB. This changes the appearance of mask effects, but brings Firefox into compliance with the second edition of the SVG 1.1 specification.	Opera Android Partial support 14 Notes' Partial support 14 Notes' Notes' While the property is recognized, values applied to it don't have any effect. Full support 14 Prefixed' Notes' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- Notes' The prefixed property can be used with SVG and HTML with a slightly different syntax, which allows setting the non-standard `-webkit-mask-attachment` property.	Safari iOS Partial support 3.2 Notes' Partial support 3.2 Notes' Notes' While the property is recognized, values applied to it don't have any effect. Full support 3.2 Prefixed' Notes' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- Notes' The prefixed property can be used with SVG and HTML with a slightly different syntax, which allows setting the non-standard `-webkit-mask-attachment` property.	Samsung Internet Android Partial support 1.0 Notes' Partial support 1.0 Notes' Notes' While the property is recognized, values applied to it don't have any effect. Full support 1.0 Prefixed' Notes' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit- Notes' The prefixed property can be used with SVG and HTML with a slightly different syntax, which allows setting the non-standard `-webkit-mask-attachment` property.

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.