`:indeterminate` CSS pseudo-class

The :indeterminate CSS pseudo-class represents any form element whose state is indeterminate, such as checkboxes that have been set to an indeterminate state with JavaScript, radio buttons which are members of a group in which all radio buttons are unchecked, and <progress> elements with no value attribute.

/* Selects any <input> whose state is indeterminate */
input:indeterminate {
  background: lime;
}

Elements targeted by this selector are:

• <input type="checkbox"> elements with the indeterminate property set to true.
• <input type="radio"> elements with the same name value and none of them checked.
• <progress> elements with no value, placing them in an indeterminate state.

Syntax

:indeterminate {
  /* ... */
}

Examples

Checkbox & radio button

This example applies special styles to the labels associated with indeterminate form fields.

HTML

<fieldset>
  <legend>Checkbox</legend>
  <div>
    <input type="checkbox" id="checkbox" />
    <label for="checkbox">This checkbox label starts out lime.</label>
  </div>
</fieldset>

<fieldset>
  <legend>Radio</legend>
  <div>
    <input type="radio" id="radio1" name="radioButton" value="val1" />
    <label for="radio1">First radio label starts out lime.</label>
  </div>
  <div>
    <input type="radio" id="radio2" name="radioButton" value="val2" />
    <label for="radio2">Second radio label also starts out lime.</label>
  </div>
</fieldset>

CSS

input:indeterminate + label {
  background: lime;
}

fieldset {
  padding: 1em 0.75em;
}

fieldset:first-of-type {
  margin-bottom: 1.5rem;
}

fieldset:not(:first-of-type) > div:not(:last-child) {
  margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
}

JavaScript

const inputs = document.getElementsByTagName("input");

for (const input of inputs) {
  input.indeterminate = true;
}

Result

Progress bar

HTML

<progress></progress>

CSS

progress {
  margin: 4px;
}

progress:indeterminate {
  width: 80vw;
  height: 20px;
}

Result

Specifications

Browser compatibility

See also

• Web forms — Working with user data
• Styling web forms
• The <input type="checkbox"> element’s indeterminate property
• <input> and the HTMLInputElement interface which implements it.
• The :checked CSS selector lets you style checkboxes based on whether they’re checked or not