Styling radio buttons with CSS can be a game-changer for web forms. By using CSS, you can give your radio buttons a custom look that matches your website's design.
Radio buttons can be styled using the `input[type="radio"]` selector, which targets all radio buttons on a webpage. This allows you to apply styles to all radio buttons at once.
To create a custom radio button design, you can use the `:checked` pseudo-class to target the selected radio button. This can be used to add a different background color or icon to the selected radio button.
By using CSS to style your radio buttons, you can create a more visually appealing and user-friendly web form. This can help to improve the overall user experience and increase engagement on your website.
Styling Radio Buttons
You can style radio buttons with CSS to give them a custom look. This is especially useful when you want to match the design of your website.
With CSS styling, you can change the appearance of radio buttons from the default white circle with a black or blue dot to something more visually appealing. For example, you can use a simple design with a straightforward style, font, and background color, like the classic design by Tristan White.
Radio buttons can also be designed to be responsive and work well on any screen size, from desktops to mobile devices. This is especially important if you want your website to be accessible on different devices.
You can also create animated buttons, like the card table design used in one of the examples. This can help draw the viewer's attention to the buttons and make them more engaging.
Styles
Styling radio buttons can be a fun and creative process. You can use CSS to customize their appearance and make them stand out on your website.
Radio buttons can appear as a white circle with a black or blue dot when selected, depending on the browser. This is the default look of radio buttons without any CSS styling.
You can style the radio buttons however you like using CSS. For example, you can change the color of the inner dot when a radio button is checked.
Adding custom styles to radio buttons can also include changing the font styles for the container and adding a margin to the right of the label to help space out the radio buttons. This can be done using CSS.
There are many different styles you can use for radio buttons, from simple and classic designs to more complex and animated designs. For example, you can use a card table design as the background for your radio buttons.
Some radio button styles even include animation, such as bouncing up and down rhythmically when a button is selected. This can be a great way to grab the visitor's attention and make your website more engaging.
You can also use CSS to create different variations of radio buttons, such as buttons that are highlighted with a fill color when selected. This can be a great way to add some visual interest to your website.
Overall, styling radio buttons is a great way to customize the look and feel of your website and make it more engaging for your visitors.
Splosion
The Splosion radio button is a custom SCSS3 design that offers a unique user experience. It features a slider next to the list of options, allowing users to control the slider by hovering and clicking with the mouse.
This radio button variant is written in CSS3, making it a great option for developers who want to create a modern and interactive design. The Splosion radio button is part of the Radiosplosion design, which showcases a variety of creative and functional radio button styles.
By incorporating a slider into the design, the Splosion radio button provides a engaging way to interact with the user interface. This feature can be particularly useful for applications that require users to make selections or adjust settings.
Overall, the Splosion radio button is a great example of how CSS3 can be used to create visually appealing and interactive designs. Its unique features and modern styling make it a great option for developers who want to create a unique user experience.
Material
Material radio buttons can be truly impressive, like the design by CODEARMADA, which used both CSS and JS to achieve its sleek effects.
The liquid animation in this design is particularly noteworthy, showcasing a smooth selection process that doesn't obscure the visible icon.
This type of animation is indeed impressive, and it's clear that the designer put a lot of thought into creating a seamless user experience.
In this case, the sphere used to indicate selection is cleverly designed to avoid covering the icon, making the overall design feel more polished and refined.
The Native Issues
Radio buttons can look quite different across browsers, which is why developers often seek custom styling solutions. This inconsistency is especially noticeable on Mac versions of Firefox, Chrome, and Safari.
One of the main issues is that radio buttons scale with the font-size provided to the label, but this can lead to inconsistent designs. For example, on Mac versions of Firefox, Chrome, and Safari, radio buttons look quite different.
To achieve a consistent, cross-browser design style, including the :focus state, you'll need to use the appearance: none property. This will clear the default styling and allow you to start fresh.
To maintain keyboard and color contrast accessibility, make sure to check the contrast minimums for the label text when the control is disabled. This is especially important for the disabled state.
Here are some common issues to consider when dealing with native radio buttons:
- Scale with the font-size provided to the label
- Gain the same color as provided to the label for ease of theme-ability
- Achieve a consistent, cross-browser design style, including :focus state
- Maintain keyboard and color contrast accessibility
Checkbox and Toggle Styles
You can also use CSS to style checkboxes and toggles similarly to radio buttons. For example, you can use the ::before pseudo-element to create a custom checkbox icon.
Checkbox styles can be customized using CSS to create a variety of different looks.
Toggles can also be styled using CSS to create a custom switch.
Fancy Checkbox
Raúl Barrera created these buttons. They are fancy and flexible radio buttons and checkboxes.
The HTML and CSS codes for these buttons are simple and short, making them a great option for web developers.
These buttons offer a stylish alternative to standard checkboxes and radio buttons, adding a touch of elegance to any form or interface.
Raúl Barrera's design is a great example of how a little creativity can go a long way in enhancing user experience.
2020 Toggles
In 2020, Aaron Iker offered a set of radio buttons that also included switches and a CSS checkbox set. These options are great for designers looking to mix things up.
The set also includes deactivated versions, shaded in grey, which can be useful for providing a clear visual distinction between active and inactive elements.
Slap Toggle
The Slap Toggle is a creative alternative to the standard radio button. It was created by Yariv Fruend.
This CSS radio button variation changes color immediately upon clicking an option, providing a visual indication of selection change. The animation is a fun "slap-and-jump" effect that adds an entertaining touch to your site.
The Slap Toggle is a more complex design compared to other simple toggling options.
Checkboxes and Select Boxes
Checkboxes and Select Boxes are two of the most common form elements used in web design.
A checkbox is a form element that allows users to select one or more options from a list. In our example, we saw how to style a checkbox using the `:checked` pseudo-class to change the background color of the checkbox when it's selected.
Select boxes, on the other hand, are used to provide users with a dropdown list of options to choose from. We learned how to style a select box by adding a custom background image to the select element and changing the color of the arrow when the select box is open.
In terms of accessibility, it's essential to provide a clear label for each checkbox and select box to help users with disabilities navigate the form.
Applying Default Styles to Checkboxes
Applying default styles to checkboxes can be as simple as using the CSS appearance property to remove native styling.
The appearance property is a powerful tool that can completely strip away the browser's default styles, giving you a clean slate to work with.
To remove all native styling, you can use the appearance property alone, and then apply your own styles from there.
This approach is especially useful when you want to create a consistent look and feel across different browsers and devices.
By using the appearance property, you can ensure that your custom styles are applied consistently, even if the browser's default styles are different.
The transition property can also be used to animate the changes between different states, such as the checked state.
Step 2: Unchecked
To style unchecked radio buttons, we update box styles on the base input element. This includes inheriting font styles to ensure the use of em produces the desired sizing outcome.
We can also use currentColor to inherit any updates on the label's color. This helps maintain a consistent look throughout our design.
For some extra spacing, we apply margin-top using the adjacent sibling combinator. This keeps our radios nicely aligned.
To center the :before element, we use a transition and transform to hide it with scale(0).
Frequently Asked Questions
How to style an active radio button?
To style an active radio button, add a blue background color when it's checked. This can be achieved by using CSS to target the checked state of the radio button.
Sources
- Styling Radio Buttons and Checkboxes in HTML Forms (htmlgoodies.com)
- restyled radio buttons (scottaohara.github.io)
- appearance: none (mozilla.org)
- caniuse.com (caniuse.com)
- radio button and checkbox CodePen (codepen.io)
- a11y Styled Form Controls: Star Rating Radio Buttons (2018) (scottaohara.github.io)
- a11y Styled Form Controls: Radio Buttons (2018) (scottaohara.github.io)
- Inclusively Hiding & Styling Checkboxes and Radio Buttons - Sara Soueidan (2020) (sarasoueidan.com)
- Under-Engineered Custom Radio Buttons and Checkboxen - Adrian Roselli (2017) (adrianroselli.com)
- the upcoming accent-color property (smashingmagazine.com)
- Styling Radio Buttons with CSS (59 Custom Examples) (sliderrevolution.com)
- Styling checkboxes and radio buttons with CSS (iamkate.com)
Featured Images: pexels.com