`:checked` CSS pseudo-class

The :checked CSS pseudo-class selector represents any radio (<input type="radio">), checkbox (<input type="checkbox">), or option (<option> in a <select> element) that is checked or toggled to an on state.

label,
input[type="submit"] {
  display: block;
  margin-top: 1em;
}

input:checked {
  border: none;
  outline: 2px solid deeppink;
}

<form>
  <p>How did you find out about us?</p>
  <label
    ><input name="origin" type="radio" value="google" checked /> Google</label
  >
  <label><input name="origin" type="radio" value="facebook" /> Facebook</label>
  <p>Please agree to our terms:</p>

  <label
    ><input name="newsletter" type="checkbox" checked /> I want to subscribe to
    a personalized newsletter.</label
  >

  <label
    ><input name="privacy" type="checkbox" /> I have read and I agree to the
    Privacy Policy.</label
  >

  <input type="submit" value="Submit form" />
</form>

The user can engage this state by checking/selecting an element, or disengage it by unchecking/deselecting the element.

[!NOTE] Because browsers often treat <option>s as replaced elements, the extent to which they can be styled with the :checked pseudo-class varies from browser to browser. Customizable select element functionality can be used to enable full customization of <option> elements just like any regular DOM element, in supporting browsers.

Syntax

:checked {
  /* ... */
}

Examples

Basic example

HTML

<div>
  <input type="radio" name="my-input" id="yes" value="yes" />
  <label for="yes">Yes</label>

  <input type="radio" name="my-input" id="no" value="no" />
  <label for="no">No</label>
</div>

<div>
  <input type="checkbox" name="my-checkbox" id="opt-in" />
  <label for="opt-in">Check me!</label>
</div>

<select name="my-select" id="fruit">
  <option value="opt1">Apples</option>
  <option value="opt2">Grapes</option>
  <option value="opt3">Pears</option>
</select>

CSS

div,
select {
  margin: 8px;
}

/* Labels for checked inputs */
input:checked + label {
  color: red;
}

/* Radio element, when checked */
input[type="radio"]:checked {
  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px orange;
}

/* Checkbox element, when checked */
input[type="checkbox"]:checked {
  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px hotpink;
}

/* Option elements, when selected */
option:checked {
  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px lime;
  color: red;
}

Result

Toggling elements with a hidden checkbox

This example utilizes the :checked pseudo-class to let the user toggle content based on the state of a checkbox, all without using JavaScript.

HTML

<input type="checkbox" id="expand-toggle" />

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Column #1</th>
      <th>Column #2</th>
      <th>Column #3</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr class="expandable">
      <td>[more text]</td>
      <td>[more text]</td>
      <td>[more text]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>[cell text]</td>
      <td>[cell text]</td>
      <td>[cell text]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>[cell text]</td>
      <td>[cell text]</td>
      <td>[cell text]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr class="expandable">
      <td>[more text]</td>
      <td>[more text]</td>
      <td>[more text]</td>
    </tr>
    <tr class="expandable">
      <td>[more text]</td>
      <td>[more text]</td>
      <td>[more text]</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

<label for="expand-toggle" id="expand-btn">Toggle hidden rows</label>

CSS

/* Hide the toggle checkbox */
#expand-toggle {
  display: none;
}

/* Hide expandable content by default */
.expandable {
  visibility: collapse;
  background: #dddddd;
}

/* Style the button */
#expand-btn {
  display: inline-block;
  margin-top: 12px;
  padding: 5px 11px;
  background-color: #ffff77;
  border: 1px solid;
  border-radius: 3px;
}

/* Show hidden content when the checkbox is checked */
#expand-toggle:checked ~ * .expandable {
  visibility: visible;
}

/* Style the button when the checkbox is checked */
#expand-toggle:checked ~ #expand-btn {
  background-color: #cccccc;
}

Result

Specifications

Browser compatibility

See also

• Web forms — working with user data
• Styling web forms
• Related HTML elements: <input type="checkbox">, <input type="radio">, <select>, and <option>
• Replaced elements