Button elements are not only good for user navigation but also a very important design element for any web page.

Learn how to style buttons with CSS.
Basic button styling:
On the left side the default button, on the right styled with CSS:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.button {
background-color: #2a9d8f;
border: none;
color: black;
padding: 20px 30px;
text-align: center;
text-decoration: none;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 15px;
cursor: pointer;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<button>DEFAULT BUTTON</button>
<button class="button">STYLED BUTTON</button>
</body>
</html>
Use the background-color property to change a colour:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.button {
background-color: #2a9d8f;
border: none;
color: white;
padding: 15px 32px;
text-align: center;
text-decoration: none;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 16px;
margin: 4px 2px;
cursor: pointer;
}
.button2 {background-color: #e9c46a;}
.button3 {background-color: #e76f51;}
.button4 {background-color: #f4a261;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<button class="button">Green</button>
<button class="button button2">Yellow</button>
<button class="button button3">Red</button>
<button class="button button4">Orange</button>
</body>
</html>
Output:
You can change the size of a button too:
- Use the font-size property to change the font size of a button:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.button {
background-color: #2a9d8f;
border: none;
color: white;
padding: 15px 32px;
text-align: center;
text-decoration: none;
display: inline-block;
margin: 4px 2px;
cursor: pointer;
}
.button1 {font-size: 12px;}
.button2 {font-size: 14px;}
.button3 {font-size: 16px;}
.button4 {font-size: 22px;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<button class="button button1">12px</button>
<button class="button button2">14px</button>
<button class="button button3">16px</button>
<button class="button button4">22px</button>
</body>
</html>
Output:
2. Use the padding property to change the padding of the button:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.button {
background-color: #2a9d8f;
border: none;
color: white;
text-align: center;
text-decoration: none;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 16px;
margin: 4px 2px;
cursor: pointer;
}
.button1 {padding: 10px;}
.button2 {padding: 12px 28px;}
.button3 {padding: 14px 40px;}
.button4 {padding: 32px;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<button class="button button1">10px</button>
<button class="button button2">12px 28px</button>
<button class="button button3">14px 40px</button>
<button class="button button4">32px</button>
</body>
</html>
Output:
You can change the shape of the button by using the border-radius property:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.button {
background-color: #2a9d8f;
border: none;
color: white;
padding: 20px;
text-align: center;
text-decoration: none;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 16px;
margin: 4px 2px;
cursor: pointer;
}
.button1 {border-radius: 2px;}
.button3 {border-radius: 8px;}
.button4 {border-radius: 12px;}
.button5 {border-radius: 50%;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<button class="button button1">2px</button>
<button class="button button3">8px</button>
<button class="button button4">12px</button>
<button class="button button5">50%</button>
</body>
</html>
Output:
Coloured button borders. Use the border property to add a coloured border to a button:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.button {
background-color: white;
border: none;
color: white;
padding: 15px 32px;
text-align: center;
text-decoration: none;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 16px;
margin: 4px 2px;
cursor: pointer;
}
.button1 {
background-color: white;
color: black;
border: 2px solid #2a9d8f;
}
.button2 {
background-color: white;
color: black;
border: 2px solid #e9c46a;
}
.button3 {
background-color: white;
color: black;
border: 2px solid #e76f51;
}
.button4 {
background-color: white;
color: black;
border: 2px solid #f4a261;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<button class="button button1">Green</button>
<button class="button button2">Yellow</button>
<button class="button button3">Red</button>
<button class="button button4">Orange</button>
</body>
</html>
Output:
Hoverable buttons. Use the :hover selector to change the style of a button when you move the mouse over it.
Tip: Use the transition-duration property to determine the speed of the “hover” effect:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.button {
background-color: white;
border: none;
padding: 16px 32px;
text-align: center;
text-decoration: none;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 16px;
margin: 4px 2px;
transition-duration: 0.4s;
cursor: pointer;
}
.button1 {
background-color: white;
color: black;
border: 2px solid #2a9d8f;
}
.button1:hover {
background-color: #2a9d8f;
color: white;
}
.button2 {
background-color: white;
color: black;
border: 2px solid #e9c46a;
}
.button2:hover {
background-color: #e9c46a;
color: white;
}
.button3 {
background-color: white;
color: black;
border: 2px solid #e76f51;
}
.button3:hover {
background-color: #e76f51;
color: white;
}
.button4 {
background-color: white;
color: black;
border: 2px solid #f4a261;
}
.button4:hover {background-color: #f4a261;
color: white;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<button class="button button1">Green</button>
<button class="button button2">Blue</button>
<button class="button button3">Red</button>
<button class="button button4">Gray</button>
</body>
</html>
Output:
Shadow Buttons. Use the box-shadow property to add shadows to the button:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.button {
background-color: #2a9d8f;
border: none;
color: white;
padding: 15px 32px;
text-align: center;
text-decoration: none;
display: inline-block;
font-size: 16px;
margin: 4px 2px;
cursor: pointer;
transition-duration: 0.4s;
}
.button1 {
box-shadow: 0 8px 15px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.2), 0 6px 20px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.19);
}
.button2:hover {
box-shadow: 5px 12px 15px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.24),0 17px 50px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.19);
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<button class="button button1">Shadow Button</button>
<button class="button button2">Shadow on Hover</button>
</body>
</html>
Output:
Animated Buttons:
Add an arrow on hover:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.button {
display: inline-block;
border-radius: 4px;
background-color: #2a9d8f;
border: none;
color: #FFFFFF;
text-align: center;
font-size: 28px;
padding: 20px;
width: 200px;
transition: all 0.5s;
cursor: pointer;
margin: 5px;
}
.button span {
cursor: pointer;
display: inline-block;
position: relative;
transition: 0.5s;
}
.button span:after {
content: '\00bb';
position: absolute;
opacity: 0;
top: 0;
right: -20px;
transition: 0.5s;
}
.button:hover span {
padding-right: 25px;
}
.button:hover span:after {
opacity: 1;
right: 0;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<button class="button" style="vertical-align:middle"><span>Hover </span></button>
</body>
</html>
Output:
Add a “pressed” effect on click:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.button {
display: inline-block;
padding: 15px 25px;
font-size: 24px;
cursor: pointer;
text-align: center;
text-decoration: none;
outline: none;
color: #fff;
background-color: #2a9d8f;
border: none;
border-radius: 15px;
box-shadow: 0 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.2);
}
.button:hover {background-color: #264653;}
.button:active {
background-color: blue;
box-shadow: 0 5px #666;
transform: translateY(5px);
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<button class="button">Click Me</button>
</body>
</html>
Output:
To see how to add to your buttons the shine effect click here.
Enjoy coding!
Read also:
Scroll To Top Button (smooth scroll effect)