color-mix()

Baseline 2023

Newly available

Since May 2023, this feature works across the latest devices and browser versions. This feature might not work in older devices or browsers.

The color-mix() functional notation takes two <color> values and returns the result of mixing them in a given colorspace by a given amount.

Syntax

css
color-mix(in lch, plum, pink);
color-mix(in lch, plum 40%, pink);
color-mix(in srgb, #34c9eb 20%, white);
color-mix(in hsl longer hue, hsl(120 100% 50%) 20%, white);

Values

Functional notation: color-mix(method, color1[ p1], color2[ p2])

method

The method is the <color-interpolation-method>, including the color space preceded by in, optionally followed by a <hue-interpolation-method>.

Note: When browsers support @color-profile, custom color spaces may be supported. Currently, the color space must be one of the available color spaces listed in the formal_syntax.

color1, color2

<color> values to mix.

p1, p2 Optional

<percentage> values between 0% and 100%, specifying the amount of each color to mix. They are normalized as follows:

  • If both p1 and p2 are omitted, then p1 = p2 = 50%.
  • If p1 is omitted, then p1 = 100% - p2.
  • If p2 is omitted, then p2 = 100% - p1.
  • If p1 = p2 = 0%, the function is invalid.
  • If p1 + p2 ≠ 100%, then p1' = p1 / (p1 + p2) and p2' = p2 / (p1 + p2), where p1' and p2' are the normalization results.

Formal syntax

<color-mix()> = 
  color-mix( <color-interpolation-method> , [ <color> && <percentage [0,100]>? ]#{2} )  

<color-interpolation-method> = 
  in [ <rectangular-color-space> | <polar-color-space> <hue-interpolation-method>? ]  

<rectangular-color-space> = 
  srgb          |
  srgb-linear   |
  display-p3    |
  a98-rgb       |
  prophoto-rgb  |
  rec2020       |
  lab           |
  oklab         |
  xyz           |
  xyz-d50       |
  xyz-d65       

<polar-color-space> = 
  hsl    |
  hwb    |
  lch    |
  oklch  

<hue-interpolation-method> = 
  [ shorter | longer | increasing | decreasing ] hue

Examples

Mixing two colors

This example demonstrates mixing two colors, blue #34c9eb at different percentages and white with no percentage given. The higher the percentage of #34c9eb is mixed, the more blue and less white the output color is.

HTML

html
<ul>
  <li>0%</li>
  <li>25%</li>
  <li>50%</li>
  <li>75%</li>
  <li>100%</li>
  <li></li>
</ul>

CSS

The color-mix() function is used to add increasing percentages of blue, up to 100%. The 6th <li> doesn't include a percentage for either color.

css
li:nth-child(1) {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, #34c9eb 0%, white);
}

li:nth-child(2) {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, #34c9eb 25%, white);
}

li:nth-child(3) {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, #34c9eb 50%, white);
}

li:nth-child(4) {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, #34c9eb 75%, white);
}

li:nth-child(5) {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, #34c9eb 100%, white);
}

li:nth-child(6) {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, #34c9eb, white);
}

Result

The total value of both colors in a color-mix() function is 100%, even if the values set by the developer don't total 100%. In this example, as only one color has a percentage assigned, the other color is implicitly given a percentage value so that the combined total equals 100%. In the last <li>, where neither color is assigned a percentage, both default to 50%.

Adding transparency

This example demonstrates using the color-mix() function to add transparency to a color by mixing any color with transparent.

HTML

html
<ul>
  <li>0%</li>
  <li>25%</li>
  <li>50%</li>
  <li>75%</li>
  <li>100%</li>
  <li></li>
</ul>

CSS

The color-mix() function is used to add increasing percentages of red, which is declared using a CSS custom property named --base, defined on the :root. The 6th <li> doesn't include a percentage, creating an output color that is half as opaque as the --base color. We include a striped background on the <ul> to make the transparency visible.

css
:root {
  --base: red;
}

ul {
  background: repeating-linear-gradient(
    45deg,
    palegoldenrod 0px 2px,
    white 2px 4px
  );
}

li:nth-child(1) {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--base) 0%, transparent);
}

li:nth-child(2) {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--base) 25%, transparent);
}

li:nth-child(3) {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--base) 50%, transparent);
}

li:nth-child(4) {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--base) 75%, transparent);
}

li:nth-child(5) {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--base) 100%, transparent);
}

li:nth-child(6) {
  background-color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--base), transparent);
}

Result

In this way, the color-mix() function can be used to add transparency to any color, even if the color is already non-opaque (with an alpha channel value < 1). However, color-mix() can't be used to make a semi-transparent color fully opaque. For this, use a relative color with a CSS color function. Relative colors can alter the value of any color channel, including increasing a color's alpha channel to render the color fully opaque.

Using hue interpolation in color-mix()

This example demonstrates the hue interpolation methods available to the color-mix() function. When using hue interpolation, the resulting hue is between the hue values of the two colors being mixed. The value will be different based on which route is taken around the color wheel.

For more information, see <hue-interpolation-method>.

CSS

The shorter hue interpolation method takes the shorter route around the color wheel, whereas the longer hue interpolation method takes the longer route. With increasing hue, the route starts with increasing values. With decreasing hue the value decreases. We mix two <named-color> values to create a series of lch() intermediary colors that differ based on which route is taken around the color wheel. The mixed colors include red, blue, and yellow with LCH hue values of approximately 41deg, 301deg, and 100deg, respectively.

To reduce code redundancy, we used CSS custom properties for both colors and for the interpolation method, setting different values on each <ul>.

css
ul:nth-of-type(1) {
  --distance: longer; /* 52 degree hue increments */
  --base: red;
  --mixin: blue;
}
ul:nth-of-type(2) {
  /* 20 degree hue decrements */
  --distance: shorter;
  --base: red;
  --mixin: blue;
}
ul:nth-of-type(3) {
  /* 40 degree hue increments */
  --distance: increasing;
  --base: yellow;
  --mixin: blue;
}
ul:nth-of-type(4) {
  /* 32 degree hue decrements */
  --distance: decreasing;
  --base: yellow;
  --mixin: blue;
}

li:nth-child(1) {
  background-color: color-mix(
    in lch var(--distance) hue,
    var(--base) 100%,
    var(--mixin)
  );
}

li:nth-child(2) {
  background-color: color-mix(
    in lch var(--distance) hue,
    var(--base) 80%,
    var(--mixin)
  );
}

li:nth-child(3) {
  background-color: color-mix(
    in lch var(--distance) hue,
    var(--base) 60%,
    var(--mixin)
  );
}

li:nth-child(4) {
  background-color: color-mix(
    in lch var(--distance) hue,
    var(--base) 40%,
    var(--mixin)
  );
}

li:nth-child(5) {
  background-color: color-mix(
    in lch var(--distance) hue,
    var(--base) 20%,
    var(--mixin)
  );
}

li:nth-child(6) {
  background-color: color-mix(
    in lch var(--distance) hue,
    var(--base) 0%,
    var(--mixin)
  );
}

Result

With longer hue the increments or decrements between colors will always be the same or larger than when using shorter hue. Use increasing hue or descreasing hue when the direction of the hue value change is more important than the length between values.

Specifications

Specification
CSS Color Module Level 5
# color-mix

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also