First, hide the default checkboxes, use opacity: 0 and position: absolute to maintain their function but are not visible; 2. Create a custom style and design the appearance of checkboxes through pseudo-elements and .checkmark classes; 3. Use:checked .checkmark to achieve the background and border changes of the selected state; 4. Add:after pseudo-element to draw a checkmark and form the correct angle through transform: rotate(45deg); 5. Optionally add hover and focus states to improve interactivity and accessibility; 6. Finally, you can implement circular (iOS-style) checkboxes by adjusting properties such as border-radius. The entire process can be done with only HTML and CSS, ensuring accessibility and cross-browser consistency without JavaScript.
Creating a custom checkbox with CSS is a common way to improve the look and feel of your web forms. The default checkbox appears varies across browsers and operating systems, so styling it with CSS gives you full control over its design. Here's how to do it step by step.

1. Hide the Default Checkbox
The first step is to hide the browser's default checkbox while keeping it functionality for accessibility and form submission. You can do this using the appearance
property or by positioning it off-screen.
<label class="custom-checkbox"> <input type="checkbox" /> <span class="checkmark"></span> Click me </label>
.custom-checkbox { position: relative; cursor: pointer; user-select: none; display: flex; align-items: center; font-size: 16px; color: #333; } .custom-checkbox input { position: absolute; opacity: 0; cursor: pointer; height: 0; width: 0; }
This hides the actual <input>
but keeps it clickable through the label.

2. Create a Custom Checkmark Design
Now, create a custom visual checkbox using the .checkmark
span. You can style it as a square, rounded, or even animated.
.checkmark { height: 20px; width: 20px; border: 2px solid #999; border-radius: 4px; margin-right: 8px; display: inline-block; position: relative; transition: all 0.2s ease; }
3. Add the Checked State
Use the :checked
pseudo-class combined with the sibling selector (
or ~
) to style the checkmark when the input is checked.

.custom-checkbox input:checked .checkmark { background-color: #4CAF50; border-color: #4CAF50; } /* Create the checkmark (tick) */ .custom-checkbox input:checked .checkmark:after { content: ""; position: absolute; left: 6px; top: 2px; width: 6px; height: 10px; border: solid white; border-width: 0 2px 2px 0; transform: rotate(45deg); }
The :after
pseudo-element draws the checkmark using CSS borders to form a tick.
4. Add Hover and Focus States (Optional but Recommended)
Make the checkbox more interactive and accessible.
.custom-checkbox:hover input ~ .checkmark { border-color: #555; } .custom-checkbox input:focus ~ .checkmark { outline: 2px solid #0077ff; outline-offset: 2px; }
? Note: Using
~
(general sibling selector) instead ofallow you to style the
.checkmark
even if other elements are in between (though in this case,works fine).
Final Notes
- Accessibility : Keep the
<input>
visible to screen readers by not usingdisplay: none
orvisibility: hidden
. The method above (usingopacity: 0
) preserves accessibility. - Labels : Always wrap or associate the input with a
<label>
so clicking the text toggles the checkbox. - Customization : You can change colors, sizes, animations, or use SVG backgrounds for more complex designs.
Bonus: Rounded (iOS-style) Checkbox
Replace the .checkmark
styles with:
.checkmark { border-radius: 50%; } .custom-checkbox input:checked .checkmark:after { left: 7px; top: 3px; width: 4px; height: 8px; }
And adjust the checkmark position accordingly.
That's it. With just HTML and CSS, you've created a fully functional, accessible, and visually appealing custom checkbox. No JavaScript needed.
The above is the detailed content of How to create a custom checkbox with CSS?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

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