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The CSS Backface-Visibility Property

Reading time 1 min
Published Aug 8, 2017
Updated Oct 1, 2019

What does backface visibility mean?

The CSS backface-visibility property is used to define if the backface of the element should be visible to the user when it's not facing the screen:

Example
.nobackface {
    -webkit-backface-visibility: hidden; /* Opera, Chrome, Safari */
    backface-visibility: hidden;
}

You should use this property when you need to be able to rotate an element, but you want its back to stay invisible. As 2D elements have no perspective and thus cannot be rotated, CSS backface-visibility only works on 3D elements.

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Syntax for backface-visibility

The syntax for the CSS backface-visibility property is simple:

backface-visibility: value;

There are two options you can use with this property:

  • visible will provide the element in CSS backface visibility, i.e. the back will be visible
  • hidden will not provide the element in CSS backface visibility, i.e. the back will be hidden

Browser support

Browser image
Chrome
36+
Browser image
Edge
12+
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Firefox
16+
Browser image
IE
10+
Browser image
Opera
23+
Browser image
Safari
5.1+

Mobile browser support

Browser image
Chrome
36+
Browser image
Firefox
16+
Browser image
Opera
24+
Browser image
Safari
5+