perspective()

Baseline 2022

Newly available

Since March 2022, this feature works across the latest devices and browser versions. This feature might not work in older devices or browsers.

The perspective() CSS function defines a transformation that sets the distance between the user and the z=0 plane, the perspective from which the viewer would be if the 2-dimensional interface were 3-dimensional. Its result is a <transform-function> data type.

Try it

The perspective() transform function is part of the transform value applied on the element being transformed. This differs from the perspective and perspective-origin properties which are attached to the parent of a child transformed in 3-dimensional space.

Syntax

The perspective distance used by perspective() is specified by a <length> value, which represents the distance between the user and the z=0 plane, or by none. The z=0 plane is the plane where everything appears in a 2-dimensional view, or the screen. Negative values are syntax errors. Values smaller than 1px (including zero) are clamped to 1px. Values other than none cause elements with positive z positions to appear larger, and elements with negative z positions to appear smaller. Elements with z positions equal to or larger than the perspective value disappear as though they are behind the user. Large values of perspective represent a small transformation; small values of perspective() represent a large transformation; perspective(none) represents perspective from infinite distance and no transformation.

css

perspective(d)

Values

d: Is a <length> representing the distance from the user to the z=0 plane. If it is 0 or a negative value, no perspective transform is applied.

Cartesian coordinates on ℝ^2	Homogeneous coordinates on ℝℙ^2	Cartesian coordinates on ℝ^3	Homogeneous coordinates on ℝℙ^3
This transformation applies to the 3D space and can't be represented on the plane.		This transformation is not a linear transformation in ℝ^3, and can't be represented using a Cartesian-coordinate matrix.	$\left( \begin{array}{cccc} 1 & 0 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 1 & 0 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & 1 & 0 \\ 0 & 0 & -\frac{1}{d} & 1 \\ \end{array} \right)$

Examples

HTML

html

<p>Without perspective:</p>
<div class="no-perspective-box">
  <div class="face front">A</div>
  <div class="face top">B</div>
  <div class="face left">C</div>
</div>

<p>With perspective (9cm):</p>
<div class="perspective-box-far">
  <div class="face front">A</div>
  <div class="face top">B</div>
  <div class="face left">C</div>
</div>

<p>With perspective (4cm):</p>
<div class="perspective-box-closer">
  <div class="face front">A</div>
  <div class="face top">B</div>
  <div class="face left">C</div>
</div>

CSS

css

.face {
  position: absolute;
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
  line-height: 100px;
  font-size: 100px;
  text-align: center;
}

p + div {
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
  transform-style: preserve-3d;
  margin-left: 100px;
}
.no-perspective-box {
  transform: rotateX(-15deg) rotateY(30deg);
}

.perspective-box-far {
  transform: perspective(9cm) rotateX(-15deg) rotateY(30deg);
}

.perspective-box-closer {
  transform: perspective(4cm) rotateX(-15deg) rotateY(30deg);
}

.top {
  background-color: skyblue;
  transform: rotateX(90deg) translate3d(0, 0, 50px);
}

.left {
  background-color: pink;
  transform: rotateY(-90deg) translate3d(0, 0, 50px);
}

.front {
  background-color: limegreen;
  transform: translate3d(0, 0, 50px);
}

Result

Specifications

Specification
CSS Transforms Module Level 2 # funcdef-perspective

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser