CSS Button Generator by WPDean

Summarize this article with:

Designing modern, attractive buttons for your website has never been easier with our CSS Button Generator. This user-friendly tool allows you to create customized buttons with stylish CSS3 properties, including gradient backgrounds, rounded corners, and interactive hover effects.

Whether you’re a web developer, designer, or a novice looking to enhance your site’s user interface, our generator provides endless possibilities to match your brand’s aesthetic.

Simply adjust the settings, preview your designs in real-time, and generate the CSS code instantly to implement directly into your HTML.

Implementing Your CSS Button

Once you’ve generated the CSS for your button using our CSS Button Generator, follow these simple steps to add it to your website:

Copy the CSS Code: Access the generated CSS code and copy it to your clipboard.
Add the CSS to Your Stylesheet:
- Open your website’s CSS file, often named style.css.
- Paste the copied CSS code into the appropriate section of your stylesheet. You may wish to place it at the bottom or in a section reserved for button styles for easy future reference.
Implement the Button in HTML:
- Navigate to the HTML file where you want your button to appear.
- Insert an HTML button tag and ensure it includes the appropriate class attribute. For example:
```
<button class="your-button-class">Click Me</button>
```
- Replace "your-button-class" with the class name provided in the generated CSS.
Preview and Adjust:
- Save your changes and open your webpage in a browser to see your new button in action.
- Adjust the CSS as needed in your stylesheet to refine the button’s appearance or behavior.

By following these steps, you’ll be able to seamlessly integrate custom-styled buttons into your web pages, enhancing both aesthetics and user experience.

Examples of Modern Buttons You Can Use

If you don’t want to create a button with our custom CSS button generator, you can just use one of these buttons that I created for various clients as a web designer in the past years.

See the Pen
Modern Button Collection With Interactive CSS Effects by Bogdan Sandu (@bogdansandu)
on CodePen.

What is a CSS Button Generator?

A CSS Button Generator creates custom button styles through visual controls. No manual coding required.

You adjust background color, border radius, padding, hover effects. The tool spits out ready-to-use CSS code.

Saves hours compared to writing styles from scratch.

Perfect for designers who need quick prototypes or developers building consistent user interface components.

Button Properties

Visual Attributes

Background color sets the button’s fill. Use hex codes (#3498db), RGB values (rgb(52, 152, 219)), or gradient backgrounds for depth.

Solid colors work best for primary actions. Gradients add polish but can look dated if overdone.

Border properties define the outline. Control style (solid, dashed, dotted), width (1px to 5px typical), color, and radius for rounded corners.

Border radius at 4px gives subtle rounding. 50% creates pill-shaped buttons.

Box shadow adds dimension. Standard format: box-shadow: 2px 2px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.15).

Multiple shadows stack for complex effects. Keep it subtle or buttons look like they’re floating off the page.

Dimensional Attributes

Width and height determine button size.

Fixed values (width: 200px) work for consistent layouts. Percentage values (width: 100%) adapt to containers.

Auto width based on text content plus padding often looks most natural.

Padding creates internal spacing. Vertical padding (top/bottom) typically ranges 12-16px. Horizontal padding (left/right) goes 24-32px.

More padding = bigger click target = better usability.

Margin controls external spacing between buttons and other elements.

Interactive Attributes

Hover states provide visual feedback when users point at buttons.

Common changes: darker background, border color shift, slight scale increase.

Transitions smooth the change. transition: all 0.3s ease handles most cases.

Active states show the button being pressed. Darker shade, inset shadow, or slight position shift downward.

Focus states help keyboard navigation. Visible outline required for web accessibility.

Default browser outlines work but custom focus rings look better.

CSS: button:focus { outline: 2px solid #0066cc; outline-offset: 2px; }

Typographic Attributes

Font family affects readability and style.

System fonts (-apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont) load instantly. Web fonts add personality but need proper loading.

Font size typically ranges 14-18px for buttons. Larger for primary actions, smaller for secondary.

Font weight between 400-600 works for most buttons. Bold (700+) can look aggressive.

Text alignment centers by default. Letter spacing at 0.5px improves readability for all-caps labels.

Tips

Visual Appearance

Background properties drive first impressions.

Solid colors communicate clearly. background-color: #2ecc71 for success actions, #e74c3c for destructive actions.

Gradient backgrounds add depth: background: linear-gradient(135deg, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%).

Two-color gradients work best. Three+ colors rarely improve the design.

Border properties frame the button. Remove borders entirely for ghost buttons or keep 1-2px solid borders for definition.

Rounded corners via border-radius soften the look.

4px = subtle, 8px = moderate, 20px+ = pronounced.

Shadow effects create elevation. Light shadows (0 2px 4px) for subtle depth, heavy shadows (0 8px 16px) for floating effects.

Stack multiple shadows: box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0,0,0,0.1), 0 4px 8px rgba(0,0,0,0.05).

Text styling inside buttons needs sufficient color contrast (4.5:1 ratio minimum). White text on dark backgrounds or dark text on light backgrounds.

Interactive Behavior

Hover state customization signals clickability.

Background darkens 10-15% on hover. Transform property adds subtle lift: transform: translateY(-2px).

Active states confirm the click happened. Pressed appearance via transform: translateY(1px) and darker shade.

Transitions between states need 200-300ms duration. Faster feels jumpy, slower feels laggy.

Focus indicators help keyboard users. Custom focus rings beat browser defaults: outline: 3px solid rgba(0, 123, 255, 0.5).

Structural Properties

Display and positioning control button behavior in layouts.

display: inline-block keeps buttons inline but respects padding. display: block makes full-width buttons.

Sizing via width/height or padding. Fixed sizes for icon buttons (40x40px), flexible sizes for text buttons.

Flexbox alignment centers content inside buttons automatically. display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; handles both text and icons.

Button Types

Primary Buttons

Primary buttons drive main actions. Solid background, high contrast, prominent placement above the fold.

Often uses brand colors. Stands out from everything else on the page.

Secondary Buttons

Secondary buttons offer alternative actions. Outlined style or muted colors. Less visual weight than primary.

Think “Cancel” next to “Submit” or “Learn More” next to “Buy Now”.

Ghost Buttons

Ghost buttons show minimal emphasis. Transparent background with border and text only.

Work well on hero images or colored backgrounds where solid buttons would clash.

Icon Buttons

Icon buttons combine visual symbols with function. Square or circular shape, fixed dimensions (32x32px, 44x44px for touch targets).

Navigation controls, social sharing, close dialogs.

Button Groups

Button groups connect related actions. Segmented controls where only one option activates, or toolbars with multiple independent buttons.

Shared borders between adjacent buttons reduce visual clutter.

Use Cases

Form Submission

Form buttons trigger data processing.

Submit buttons need clear labels (“Create Account” beats “Submit”). Different style from reset or cancel buttons.

Validation states matter. Disabled state while form is incomplete, loading state during submission.

Navigation buttons move users between pages or sections.

Previous/Next buttons in multi-step processes. Back to top buttons for long pages.

Style should feel less prominent than action buttons. Users focus on content, not navigation controls.

Actions

Download buttons, share buttons, add-to-cart buttons trigger immediate functions.

Action-specific colors help. Download = blue/green, delete = red, add = green/blue.

Icon + text combinations reduce ambiguity. Download icon with “Download PDF” label.

Toggle States

Toggle buttons switch between states (on/off, active/inactive).

Visual feedback shows current state. Active state uses filled background, inactive uses outline only.

Common in filters, view switchers, settings panels.

Social platform buttons match brand guidelines.

Facebook blue (#1877f2), Twitter blue (#1da1f2), LinkedIn blue (#0a66c2). Users recognize platforms instantly.

Consistent sizing across all social buttons. Usually smaller than primary action buttons.

Code Implementation

HTML Structure

Semantic HTML button element beats divs styled as buttons.

<button type="button">Click Me</button> provides keyboard support and screen reader compatibility automatically.

Type attribute matters: type="submit" for forms, type="button" for JavaScript actions, type="reset" for form clearing.

ARIA labels clarify purpose when visual text isn’t enough: aria-label="Close dialog" for icon-only buttons.

Data attributes store information for JavaScript: data-action="delete" or data-product-id="12345".

CSS Properties

Base button styles reset browser defaults.

button {
  border: none;
  background: none;
  padding: 0;
  font: inherit;
  cursor: pointer;
}

Modifier classes handle variations without repeating code.

.btn-primary for main actions, .btn-secondary for alternatives, .btn-danger for destructive actions.

Responsive design considerations adjust button size across devices.

Media queries increase padding on mobile for larger touch targets: @media (max-width: 768px) { button { padding: 16px 32px; } }.

Print styles hide interactive elements: @media print { button { display: none; } }.

Advanced Techniques

Pseudo-elements create visual effects without extra markup.

::before and ::after add decorative shapes, loading spinners, or icon backgrounds.

CSS variables work well for theming across button sets: --btn-color: #3498db; --btn-hover: #2980b9;.

Change one variable, update all buttons. Perfect for dark mode switching.

Custom properties maintain consistency: --btn-padding: 12px 24px; --btn-radius: 6px;.

CSS-only animations work without JavaScript dependencies.

CSS keyframes handle hover effects, loading states, success confirmations.

@keyframes pulse {
  0%, 100% { transform: scale(1); }
  50% { transform: scale(1.05); }
}

Browser and Framework Compatibility

Cross-Browser Support

Vendor prefixes needed for older browsers.

-webkit-appearance: none; removes default button styling in Safari. -moz-appearance: none; handles Firefox.

Flexbox support is universal now but fallbacks don’t hurt: display: inline-block; before display: flex;.

Progressive approach starts with working HTML buttons, adds CSS styling, finishes with JavaScript interactions.

Framework Integration

Bootstrap button classes provide ready-made styles.

.btn .btn-primary applies brand colors and standard sizing. Customize via Sass variables before compilation.

Tailwind utility classes build buttons from scratch: bg-blue-500 hover:bg-blue-600 px-6 py-3 rounded.

Verbose but flexible. No fighting framework defaults.

Material Design principles influence button styling across frameworks.

Elevation changes on interaction, ripple effects on click, specific spacing ratios (8px grid system).

Custom design system integration requires documented button API: available sizes (sm, md, lg), color variants (primary, secondary, danger), states (default, hover, active, disabled).

Accessibility Requirements

Contrast Ratios

WCAG 2.1 requires 4.5:1 ratio for normal text, 3:1 for large text (18px+ or 14px+ bold).

Button text must meet these thresholds against button background. Online contrast checkers verify compliance instantly.

Dark text on light buttons or light text on dark buttons. Middle values fail both approaches.

Focus Visibility

Keyboard users need visible focus indicators.

Browser default outlines work but custom styles improve aesthetics: outline: 2px solid currentColor; outline-offset: 2px;.

Never remove focus styles without replacement. outline: none; without alternative blocks accessibility.

Focus-visible pseudo-class shows focus only for keyboard, hides for mouse: :focus-visible { outline: 2px solid blue; }.

Touch Target Sizing

Mobile interfaces require 44x44px minimum touch targets (Apple HIG), 48x48dp (Material Design).

Padding expands clickable area beyond visible button: padding: 12px; on 20px icon creates 44px target.

Spacing between adjacent buttons prevents accidental taps. 8px minimum gap.

Button labels need descriptive text.

“Submit” works in forms where context is clear. “Submit your application” removes ambiguity.

Icon buttons require aria-label or visually hidden text: <button aria-label="Delete item">icon</button>.

Loading states communicate via aria-live="polite" regions or aria-busy="true" on button itself.

Enter and Space keys trigger button clicks automatically on standard button elements.

Tab order follows DOM order. Logical flow matches visual layout.

Disabled buttons skip tab focus: disabled attribute or aria-disabled="true" plus tabindex="-1".

Performance Considerations

CSS Specificity Management

Low specificity selectors prevent override conflicts.

Single class (.btn) beats element selectors (button.primary) for maintainability.

Avoid ID selectors (#submit-btn) or !important declarations unless absolutely necessary.

BEM methodology keeps specificity flat: .btn, .btn--primary, .btn--large.

Rendering Performance

CSS animations perform better with transform and opacity than width/height/color changes.

Transform uses GPU acceleration: transform: translateY(-2px) outperforms margin-top: -2px.

Opacity changes bypass layout calculations. Color transitions force repaint on every frame.

will-change: transform; hints browser to optimize but use sparingly. Overuse wastes memory.

Animation Performance

Animate transform and opacity only for 60fps performance.

Box-shadow changes lag on lower-end devices. Use pseudo-element shadows instead: animate opacity on ::after element with shadow.

Reduce motion for users who request it: @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) { * { animation: none !important; transition: none !important; } }.

File Size Optimization

Combine similar button styles into single classes with modifiers.

Repeated declarations bloat CSS. Variables and utility classes reduce filesize.

Minification removes whitespace and comments: CSS minifier tools shrink production files 30-40%.

Critical CSS inlines button styles in <head> for above the fold content. Defer non-critical styles.

Practical Examples

Primary Action Button

Standard call-to-action button with solid background and hover effect.

.btn-primary {
  background: #3498db;
  color: white;
  padding: 12px 24px;
  border-radius: 6px;
  border: none;
  cursor: pointer;
  font-size: 16px;
  font-weight: 500;
  transition: background 0.3s ease;
}

.btn-primary:hover {
  background: #2980b9;
}

Clean, professional, works everywhere. High contrast for readability.

Ghost Button with Border

Transparent button for overlaying images or colored backgrounds.

.btn-ghost {
  background: transparent;
  color: #2c3e50;
  padding: 10px 20px;
  border: 2px solid currentColor;
  border-radius: 4px;
  cursor: pointer;
  transition: all 0.3s ease;
}

.btn-ghost:hover {
  background: #2c3e50;
  color: white;
}

Inverts colors on hover. Adapts to any background when color is set via parent element.

Gradient Button with Shadow

Modern button with depth and visual interest.

.btn-gradient {
  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #667eea 0%, #764ba2 100%);
  color: white;
  padding: 14px 28px;
  border: none;
  border-radius: 8px;
  box-shadow: 0 4px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
  cursor: pointer;
  transition: all 0.3s ease;
}

.btn-gradient:hover {
  transform: translateY(-2px);
  box-shadow: 0 6px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.15);
}

Lifts on hover. Shadow grows to reinforce elevation change.

Icon Button

Square button for single icon without text label.

.btn-icon {
  width: 40px;
  height: 40px;
  padding: 0;
  border: none;
  border-radius: 50%;
  background: #ecf0f1;
  cursor: pointer;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  transition: background 0.2s ease;
}

.btn-icon:hover {
  background: #bdc3c7;
}

Circular shape. Centers icon via flexbox. 40px meets minimum touch target size.

Disabled Button State

Visual feedback for non-interactive buttons.

.btn-primary:disabled {
  background: #95a5a6;
  color: #ecf0f1;
  cursor: not-allowed;
  opacity: 0.6;
}

Reduced opacity and muted colors signal unavailable state. Cursor change prevents confusion.

Loading Button State

Animated button during async operations.

.btn-loading {
  position: relative;
  color: transparent;
  pointer-events: none;
}

.btn-loading::after {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  width: 16px;
  height: 16px;
  top: 50%;
  left: 50%;
  margin: -8px 0 0 -8px;
  border: 2px solid white;
  border-radius: 50%;
  border-top-color: transparent;
  animation: spin 0.6s linear infinite;
}

@keyframes spin {
  to { transform: rotate(360deg); }
}

Hides button text, shows spinner. Prevents multiple clicks via pointer-events: none.

Tool Features

Live Preview

Real-time visual feedback as you adjust controls.

Changes apply instantly without refresh. See exactly how button looks before copying code.

Multiple viewport sizes preview responsive behavior: mobile (375px), tablet (768px), desktop (1440px).

Code Export Formats

Generated code exports in multiple formats.

Plain CSS for manual integration. Inline styles for email templates or quick tests.

Sass/SCSS with variables for theme systems. CSS-in-JS format for React components.

Copy button places code on clipboard instantly. Download button saves as .css file.

Customization Options

Color controls accept hex, RGB, HSL input formats.

Sliders adjust numerical values (padding, border width, shadow blur) with live preview.

Preset buttons load common button styles: Material Design, iOS, Bootstrap, Flat, Minimalist design.

Typography controls link to system fonts and Google Fonts. Font weight and size adjust independently.

State tabs switch between default, hover, active, focus, disabled views. Configure each state separately.

Reset and Preset Capabilities

Reset button clears all customizations back to default state.

Preset library offers 20+ pre-designed button styles across categories: professional, creative, minimal, bold.

Save custom presets to browser localStorage for reuse across sessions.

Import/export preset collections via JSON files. Share button configurations with team members.

FAQ on CSS Button Generators

Do CSS button generators work with all frameworks?

Most generators output standard CSS that works with any framework. You can integrate generated code into Bootstrap, Tailwind, or vanilla projects without conflicts.

Some generators offer framework-specific exports like Bootstrap button classes or Tailwind utility combinations for easier integration.

Can I use generated buttons for commercial projects?

Generated CSS code is yours to use freely in commercial projects. No licensing restrictions apply to the output.

The tool itself may have usage terms, but the CSS properties and style declarations you create belong to you.

How do I make buttons accessible with generators?

Generators handle visual styling only. You must add proper HTML markup with semantic button elements, ARIA labels for icon buttons, and sufficient color contrast.

Test keyboard navigation and screen reader compatibility after implementing generated styles.

What’s the best button size for mobile devices?

Minimum 44×44 pixels for touch targets per accessibility guidelines. Most generators include mobile presets that meet this requirement.

Add extra padding on smaller viewports using media queries to keep tapping comfortable.

Can I animate buttons created with generators?

Yes. Generated code typically includes basic hover transitions. You can add custom CSS keyframes for loading spinners, pulse effects, or entrance animations.

Keep animations subtle and respect prefers-reduced-motion settings for accessibility.

Do CSS buttons work in email templates?

Partially. Email clients have limited CSS support. Use inline styles with basic properties (background-color, padding, border-radius) and avoid pseudo-classes like :hover.

Test across major email clients before sending campaigns.

How do I create gradient buttons with generators?

Most tools include gradient controls where you set start and end colors plus direction. The generator outputs linear-gradient or radial-gradient CSS.

Combine gradients with box shadow for depth and hover effects for interactivity.

Can I export button styles as Sass variables?

Advanced generators offer Sass/SCSS export with variables for colors, spacing, and border values. This supports design system consistency.

Import generated Sass partials into your main stylesheet for centralized theme management.

What’s the difference between border-radius values?

4px creates subtle rounding. 8px gives moderate curves. 20px+ produces pill-shaped buttons.

50% border-radius makes perfectly circular buttons when width equals height. Experiment based on your design language.

How do I handle disabled button states?

Apply reduced opacity (0.5-0.6), muted colors, and cursor: not-allowed. Most generators include disabled state presets.

Add the disabled attribute in HTML to prevent clicks: <button disabled>Submit</button>.

If you liked this CSS Button Generator, you should check out this CSS Gradient Generator.

There are also similar ones you can check: CSS Minifier, HTML Minifier, HTML Beautifier, and CSS Beautifier.

And let’s not forget about these: CSS Box Shadow Generator, CSS text-shadow generator, CSS Border Radius Generator, and CSS Triangle Generator.

CSS Button Generator