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backface-visibility

This is an experimental technology
Check the Browser compatibility table carefully before using this in production.

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.)

Syntax

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

/* Global values */
backface-visibility: inherit;
backface-visibility: initial;
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 syntax

visible | hidden

Example

This example shows a cube with transparent faces.

HTML

<table>
  <tr>
    <th><code>backface-visibility: visible;</code></th>
    <th><code>backface-visibility: hidden;</code></th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <td>
      <div class="container">
        <div class="cube showbf">
          <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 hidebf">
          <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>
</table>

CSS

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

.hidebf 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: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
  transform: translateZ(50px);
}

.back {
  background: rgba(0, 255, 0, 1);
  color: black;
  transform: rotateY(180deg) translateZ(50px);
}

.right {
  background: rgba(196, 0, 0, 0.7);
  transform: rotateY(90deg) translateZ(50px);
}

.left {
  background: rgba(0, 0, 196, 0.7);
  transform: rotateY(-90deg) translateZ(50px);
}

.top {
  background: rgba(196, 196, 0, 0.7);
  transform: rotateX(90deg) translateZ(50px);
}

.bottom {
  background: rgba(196, 0, 196, 0.7);
  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

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
CSS Transforms Level 2 The definition of 'backface-visibility' in that specification.	Editor's Draft	Initial definition.

Initial value	`visible`
Applies to	transformable elements
Inherited	no
Media	visual
Computed value	as specified
Animation type	discrete
Canonical order	the unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar

Browser compatibilityUpdate compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari
Basic support	12 Prefixed 12 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-	12 12 12 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-	16 16 10 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -moz- 49 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit- 45 Prefixed Disabled Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit- Disabled From version 45: this feature is behind the `layout.css.prefixes.webkit` preference (needs to be set to `true`). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.	10	15 Prefixed 15 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Yes Prefixed Yes Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-

	Mobile
	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Edge Mobile	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	iOS Safari	Samsung Internet
Basic support	3 Prefixed 3 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Yes Prefixed Yes Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Yes Yes Yes Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-	16 16 10 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -moz- 49 Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit- 44 Prefixed Disabled Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit- Disabled From version 44: this feature is behind the `layout.css.prefixes.webkit` preference (needs to be set to `true`). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.	Yes Prefixed Yes Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Yes Prefixed Yes Prefixed Prefixed Requires the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Yes