index.md

title	active
slug	Web/CSS/:active
page-type	css-pseudo-class
browser-compat	css.selectors.active
sidebar	cssref

The :active CSS pseudo-class represents an element (such as a button) that is being activated by the user. When using a mouse, "activation" typically starts when the user presses down the primary mouse button.

{{InteractiveExample("CSS Demo: :active", "tabbed-shorter")}}

.joinBtn {
  width: 10em;
  height: 5ex;
  background-image: linear-gradient(135deg, #f34079 40%, #fc894d);
  border: none;
  border-radius: 5px;
  font-weight: bold;
  color: white;
  cursor: pointer;
}

.joinBtn:active {
  box-shadow: 2px 2px 5px #fc894d;
}

<p>Would you like to subscribe to our channel?</p>
<button class="joinBtn">Subscribe</button>

The :active pseudo-class is commonly used on {{HTMLElement("a")}} and {{HTMLElement("button")}} elements. Other common targets of this pseudo-class include elements that are contained in an activated element, and form elements that are being activated through their associated {{HTMLElement("label")}}.

Styles defined by the :active pseudo-class will be overridden by any subsequent link-related pseudo-class ({{cssxref(":link")}}, {{cssxref(":hover")}}, or {{cssxref(":visited")}}) that has at least equal specificity. To style links appropriately, put the :active rule after all other link-related rules, as defined by the LVHA-order: :link — :visited — :hover — :active.

Note

On systems with multi-button mice, CSS specifies that the :active pseudo-class must only apply to the primary button; on right-handed mice, this is typically the leftmost button.

Syntax

:active {
  /* ... */
}

Examples

Active links

HTML

<p>
  This paragraph contains a link:
  <a href="#">This link will turn red while you click on it.</a>
  The paragraph will get a gray background while you click on it or the link.
</p>

CSS

/* Unvisited links */
a:link {
  color: blue;
}
/* Visited links */
a:visited {
  color: purple;
}
/* Hovered links */
a:hover {
  background: yellow;
}
/* Active links */
a:active {
  color: red;
}

/* Active paragraphs */
p:active {
  background: #eeeeee;
}

Result

{{EmbedLiveSample('Active_links')}}

Active form elements

HTML

<form>
  <label for="my-button">My button: </label>
  <button id="my-button" type="button">Try Clicking Me or My Label!</button>
</form>

CSS

form :active {
  color: red;
}

form button {
  background: white;
}

Result

{{EmbedLiveSample('Active_form_elements')}}

Specifications

{{Specifications}}

Browser compatibility

{{Compat}}

See also

• Link-related pseudo-classes: {{cssxref(":link")}}, {{cssxref(":visited")}}, and {{cssxref(":hover")}}