CSS Background Opacity

March 13, 2021 by Code Error

I am using something similar to the following code:

<div style="opacity:0.4; background-image:url(...);">
    <div style="opacity:1.0;">
        Text
    </div>
</div>

I expected this to make the background have an opacity of 0.4 and the text to have 100% opacity. Instead they both have an opacity of 0.4.

Solution

Children inherit opacity. It’d be weird and inconvenient if they didn’t.

You can use a translucent PNG file for your background image, or use an RGBa (a for alpha) color for your background color.

Example, 50% faded black background:

<div style="background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5);">
   <div>
      Text added.
   </div>
</div>

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