clip-path

The clip-path CSS property creates a clipping region that sets what part of an element should be shown. Parts that are inside the region are shown, while those outside are hidden.

Syntax

/* Keyword values */
clip-path: none;

/* <clip-source> values */
clip-path: url(resources.svg#c1);

/* <geometry-box> values */
clip-path: margin-box;
clip-path: border-box;
clip-path: padding-box;
clip-path: content-box;
clip-path: fill-box;
clip-path: stroke-box;
clip-path: view-box;

/* <basic-shape> values */
clip-path: inset(100px 50px);
clip-path: circle(50px at 0 100px);
clip-path: ellipse(50px 60px at 0 10% 20%);
clip-path: polygon(50% 0%, 100% 50%, 50% 100%, 0% 50%);
clip-path: path('M0.5,1 C0.5,1,0,0.7,0,0.3 A0.25,0.25,1,1,1,0.5,0.3 A0.25,0.25,1,1,1,1,0.3 C1,0.7,0.5,1,0.5,1 Z');

/* Box and shape values combined */
clip-path: padding-box circle(50px at 0 100px);

/* Global values */
clip-path: inherit;
clip-path: initial;
clip-path: unset;

The clip-path property is specified as one or a combination of the values listed below.

Values

<clip-source>
A <url>() referencing an SVG <clipPath> element.
<basic-shape>
A shape whose size and position is defined by the <geometry-box> value. If no geometry box is specified, the border-box will be used as the reference box.
<geometry-box>
If specified in combination with a <basic-shape>, this value defines the reference box for the basic shape. If specified by itself, it causes the edges of the specified box, including any corner shaping (such as a border-radius), to be the clipping path. The geometry box can be one of the following values:
margin-box
Uses the margin box as the reference box.
border-box
Uses the border box as the reference box.
padding-box
Uses the padding box as the reference box.
content-box
Uses the content box as the reference box.
fill-box
Uses the object bounding box as the reference box.
stroke-box
Uses the stroke bounding box as the reference box.
view-box
Uses the nearest SVG viewport as the reference box. If a viewBox attribute is specified for the element creating the SVG viewport, the reference box is positioned at the origin of the coordinate system established by the viewBox attribute and the dimension of the size of the reference box is set to the width and height values of the viewBox attribute.
none
No clipping path is created.

Note: A computed value other than none results in the creation of a new stacking context the same way that CSS opacity does for values other than 1.

Formal definition

Initial valuenone
Applies toall elements; In SVG, it applies to container elements excluding the defs element and all graphics elements
Inheritedno
Percentagesrefer to reference box when specified, otherwise border-box
Computed valueas specified, but with url() values made absolute
Animation typeyes, as specified for <basic-shape>, otherwise no

Formal syntax

<clip-source> | [ <basic-shape> || <geometry-box> ] | nonewhere <clip-source> = <url><basic-shape> = <inset()> | <circle()> | <ellipse()> | <polygon()> | <path()><geometry-box> = <shape-box> | fill-box | stroke-box | view-boxwhere <inset()> = inset( <length-percentage>{1,4} [ round <'border-radius'> ]? )<circle()> = circle( [ <shape-radius> ]? [ at <position> ]? )<ellipse()> = ellipse( [ <shape-radius>{2} ]? [ at <position> ]? )<polygon()> = polygon( <fill-rule>? , [ <length-percentage> <length-percentage> ]# )<path()> = path( [ <fill-rule>, ]? <string> )<shape-box> = <box> | margin-boxwhere <length-percentage> = <length> | <percentage><shape-radius> = <length-percentage> | closest-side | farthest-side<position> = [ [ left | center | right ] || [ top | center | bottom ] | [ left | center | right | <length-percentage> ] [ top | center | bottom | <length-percentage> ]? | [ [ left | right ] <length-percentage> ] && [ [ top | bottom ] <length-percentage> ] ]<fill-rule> = nonzero | evenodd<box> = border-box | padding-box | content-box

Examples

Comparison of HTML and SVG

Complete example

HTML

<img id="clipped" src="https://mdn.mozillademos.org/files/12668/MDN.svg"
    alt="MDN logo">
<svg height="0" width="0">
  <defs>
    <clipPath id="cross">
      <rect y="110" x="137" width="90" height="90"/>
      <rect x="0" y="110" width="90" height="90"/>
      <rect x="137" y="0" width="90" height="90"/>
      <rect x="0" y="0" width="90" height="90"/>
    </clipPath>
  </defs>
</svg>

<select id="clipPath">
  <option value="none">none</option>
  <option value="circle(100px at 110px 100px)">circle</option>
  <option value="url(#cross)" selected>cross</option>
  <option value="inset(20px round 20px)">inset</option>
  <option value="path('M 0 200 L 0,110 A 110,90 0,0,1 240,100 L 200 340 z')">path</option>
</select>

CSS

#clipped {
  margin-bottom: 20px;
  clip-path: url(#cross);
}

Result

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Masking Module Level 1
The definition of 'clip-path' in that specification.		 Candidate Recommendation Extends its application to HTML elements. The clip-path property replaces the deprecated clip property.
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) 1.1 (Second Edition)
The definition of 'clip-path' in that specification.		 Recommendation Initial definition (applies to SVG elements only).
CSS Shapes Module Level 2
The definition of 'path' in that specification.		 Editor's Draft Defines path().

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also