contrast()

Baseline Widely available

This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since September 2016.

The contrast() CSS function adjusts the contrast of the input image. Its result is a <filter-function>.

Try it

filter: contrast(1);

filter: contrast(1.75);

filter: contrast(50%);

filter: contrast(0);

<section id="default-example">
  <img
    class="transition-all"
    id="example-element"
    src="/shared-assets/images/examples/firefox-logo.svg"
    width="200" />
</section>

Syntax

contrast(amount)

Values

amount Optional: The contrast of the result, specified as a <number> or a <percentage>. A value under 100% decreases the contrast, while a value over 100% increases it. A value of 0 or 0% will create an image that is completely gray, while a value of 1 or 100% leaves the input unchanged. Negative values are not allowed. The initial value for interpolation is 1. The default value is 1.

The following are pairs of equivalent values:

contrast(0)    /* Completely gray */
contrast(0%)

contrast(0.65) /* 65% contrast */
contrast(65%)

contrast()     /* No effect */
contrast(1)
contrast(100%)

contrast(2)    /* Double contrast */
contrast(200%)

Formal syntax

<contrast()> = 
  contrast( [ <number> | <percentage> ]? )

Examples

With the backdrop-filter property

This example applies a contrast() filter via the backdrop-filter CSS property to the paragraph and monospaced text, color shifting to the area behind the <p> and <code>.

.container {
  background: url(unity_for_the_people.jpg) no-repeat center / contain #339;
}
p {
  backdrop-filter: contrast(0.5);
}
code {
  backdrop-filter: contrast(0.15);
}

With the filter property

This example applies a contrast() filter via the filter CSS property, changing contrast by shifting colors of the entire element, including content, border, background, and shadows.

p:first-of-type {
  filter: contrast(30%);
}
p:last-of-type {
  filter: contrast(300%);
}

With url() and the SVG contrast filter

The SVG <filter> element is used to define custom filter effects that can then be referenced by id. The <filter>'s <feComponentTransfer> primitive enables pixel-level color remapping. Given the following:

<svg
  xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"
  id="svg"
  viewBox="0 0 240 151"
  height="0"
  width="0"
  style="overflow: visible"
  color-interpolation-filters="sRGB">
  <filter id="contrast">
    <feComponentTransfer>
      <feFuncR type="linear" slope="2" intercept="-0.5" />
      <feFuncG type="linear" slope="2" intercept="-0.5" />
      <feFuncB type="linear" slope="2" intercept="-0.5" />
    </feComponentTransfer>
  </filter>
</svg>

These values produce the same results:

filter: contrast(200%);
filter: url(#contrast); /* with embedded SVG */
filter: url(folder/fileName.svg#contrast); /* external svg filter definition */

This example shows three images: the image with a contrast() filter function applied, the image with an equivalent url() filter applied, and the original images for comparison:

Specifications

Specification
Filter Effects Module Level 1 # funcdef-filter-contrast

Browser compatibility

	Desktop					Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Opera	Safari	Chrome Android	Firefox for Android	Opera Android	Safari on IOS	Samsung Internet	WebView Android
`contrast`	18	12	35	15	6	53	35	14	6	6.0	4.4