backface-visibility

The backface-visibility CSS property sets whether the back face of an element is visible when turned towards the user.

An element's back face is a mirror image of its front face. Though invisible in 2D, the back face can become visible when a transformation causes the element to be rotated in 3D space. (This property has no effect on 2D transforms, which have no perspective.)

css

backface-visibility: visible;

css

backface-visibility: hidden;

html

<section class="default-example" id="default-example">
  <div id="example-element">
    <div class="face front">1</div>
    <div class="face back">2</div>
    <div class="face right">3</div>
    <div class="face bottom">6</div>
  </div>
</section>

css

#default-example {
  background: linear-gradient(skyblue, khaki);
}

#example-element {
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
  perspective: 550px;
  perspective-origin: 220% 220%;
  transform-style: preserve-3d;
}

.face {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  position: absolute;
  backface-visibility: inherit;
  background: rgb(0 0 0 / 0.4);
  font-size: 60px;
  color: white;
}

.front {
  transform: translateZ(50px);
}

.back {
  background: rgb(230 0 0);
  color: white;
  transform: rotateY(180deg) translateZ(50px);
}

.right {
  background: rgb(0 0 0 / 0.6);
  transform: rotateY(90deg) translateZ(50px);
}

.bottom {
  background: rgb(0 0 0 / 0.6);
  transform: rotateX(-90deg) translateZ(50px);
}

Syntax

css

/* Keyword values */
backface-visibility: visible;
backface-visibility: hidden;

/* Global values */
backface-visibility: inherit;
backface-visibility: initial;
backface-visibility: revert;
backface-visibility: revert-layer;
backface-visibility: unset;

The backface-visibility property is specified as one of the keywords listed below.

Values

visible
- : The back face is visible when turned towards the user.
hidden
- : The back face is hidden, effectively making the element invisible when turned away from the user.

Formal definition

Formal syntax

Examples

Cube with transparent and opaque faces

This example shows a cube with transparent faces, and one with opaque faces.

HTML

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th><code>backface-visibility: visible;</code></th>
      <th><code>backface-visibility: hidden;</code></th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>
        <div class="container">
          <div class="cube show-bf">
            <div class="face front">1</div>
            <div class="face back">2</div>
            <div class="face right">3</div>
            <div class="face left">4</div>
            <div class="face top">5</div>
            <div class="face bottom">6</div>
          </div>
        </div>
        <p>
          Since all faces are partially transparent, the back faces (2, 4, 5)
          are visible through the front faces (1, 3, 6).
        </p>
      </td>
      <td>
        <div class="container">
          <div class="cube hide-bf">
            <div class="face front">1</div>
            <div class="face back">2</div>
            <div class="face right">3</div>
            <div class="face left">4</div>
            <div class="face top">5</div>
            <div class="face bottom">6</div>
          </div>
        </div>
        <p>The three back faces (2, 4, 5) are hidden.</p>
      </td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

CSS

css

/* Classes that will show or hide the
   three back faces of the "cube" */
.show-bf div {
  backface-visibility: visible;
}

.hide-bf div {
  backface-visibility: hidden;
}

/* Define the container div, the cube div, and a generic face */
.container {
  width: 150px;
  height: 150px;
  margin: 75px 0 0 75px;
  border: none;
}

.cube {
  width: 100%;
  height: 100%;
  perspective: 550px;
  perspective-origin: 150% 150%;
  transform-style: preserve-3d;
}

.face {
  display: block;
  position: absolute;
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
  border: none;
  line-height: 100px;
  font-family: sans-serif;
  font-size: 60px;
  color: white;
  text-align: center;
}

/* Define each face based on direction */
.front {
  background: rgb(0 0 0 / 30%);
  transform: translateZ(50px);
}

.back {
  background: lime;
  color: black;
  transform: rotateY(180deg) translateZ(50px);
}

.right {
  background: rgb(196 0 0 / 70%);
  transform: rotateY(90deg) translateZ(50px);
}

.left {
  background: rgb(0 0 196 / 70%);
  transform: rotateY(-90deg) translateZ(50px);
}

.top {
  background: rgb(196 196 0 / 70%);
  transform: rotateX(90deg) translateZ(50px);
}

.bottom {
  background: rgb(196 0 196 / 70%);
  transform: rotateX(-90deg) translateZ(50px);
}

/* Make the table a little nicer */
th,
p,
td {
  background-color: #eeeeee;
  margin: 0px;
  padding: 6px;
  font-family: sans-serif;
  text-align: left;
}

Result

{{EmbedLiveSample('Cube_with_transparent_and_opaque_faces', '100%', 360)}}