:focus

The :focus CSS pseudo-class represents an element (such as a form input) that has received focus. It is generally triggered when the user clicks or taps on an element or selects it with the keyboard's Tab key.

/* Selects any <input> when focused */
input:focus {
  color: red;
}

Note: This pseudo-class applies only to the focused element itself. Use :focus-within if you want to select an element that contains a focused element.

Syntax

:focus

Examples

HTML

<div><input class="red-input" value="I'll be red when focused."></div>
<div><input class="blue-input" value="I'll be blue when focused."></div>

CSS

.red-input:focus {
  background: yellow;
  color: red;
}

.blue-input:focus {
  background: yellow;
  color: blue;
}

Result

Accessibility concerns

Make sure the visual focus indicator can be seen by people with low vision. This will also benefit anyone use a screen in a brightly lit space (like outside in the sun). WCAG 2.1 SC 1.4.11 Non-Text Contrast requires that the visual focus indicator be at least 3 to 1.

:focus { outline: none; }

Never just remove the focus outline (visible focus indicator) without replacing it with a focus outline that will pass WCAG 2.1 SC 1.4.11 Non-Text Contrast.

Specifications

Browser compatibility

Desktop Mobile
Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari WebView Android Chrome Android Firefox for Android Opera Android Safari on IOS Samsung Internet
:focus
1
12
1
8
7
1
1
18
4
10.1
1
1.0

See also

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Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/:focus