- content
- Try it
- Syntax
- Values
- Accessibility concerns
- Formal definition
- Formal syntax
- Examples
- Headings and quotes
- HTML
- CSS
- Result
- Image combined with alternative text
- HTML
- CSS
- Result
- Targeting classes
- HTML
- CSS
- Result
- Images and element attributes
- HTML
- CSS
- Result
- Element replacement with url()
- HTML
- CSS
- Result
- Element replacement with
- HTML
- CSS
- Result
- Element replacement with image-set()
- HTML
- CSS
- Result
- Specifications
- Browser compatibility
- See also
- Found a content problem with this page?
- MDN
- Support
- Our communities
- Developers
- Change Content in CSS
- Use the :after Pseudo-Element and the display Property to Replace Text in CSS
content
The content CSS property replaces an element with a generated value. Objects inserted using the content property are anonymous replaced elements.
Try it
Syntax
/* Keywords that cannot be combined with other values */ content: normal; content: none; /* values */ content: url("http://www.example.com/test.png"); content: linear-gradient(#e66465, #9198e5); content: image-set("image1x.png" 1x, "image2x.png" 2x); /* alt text for generated content, added in the Level 3 specification */ content: url("http://www.example.com/test.png") / "This is the alt text"; /* value */ content: "prefix"; /* list of content values */ content: "prefix" url("http://www.example.com/test.png"); content: "prefix" url("http://www.example.com/test.png") "suffix" / "This is some alt text"; /* values, optionally with */ content: counter(chapter_counter); content: counter(chapter_counter, upper-roman); content: counters(section_counter, "."); content: counters(section_counter, ".", decimal-leading-zero); /* attr() value linked to the HTML attribute value */ content: attr(value string); /* Language- and position-dependent keywords */ content: open-quote; content: close-quote; content: no-open-quote; content: no-close-quote; /* Except for normal and none, several values can be used simultaneously */ content: open-quote counter(chapter_counter); /* Global values */ content: inherit; content: initial; content: revert; content: revert-layer; content: unset;
Values
When applied to a pseudo-element, the pseudo-element is not generated. If applied to an element, the value has no effect.
Computes to none for the ::before and ::after pseudo-elements.
Specifies the «alt text» for the element. This value can be any number of text characters. Non-Latin characters must be encoded using their Unicode escape sequences: for example, \000A9 represents the copyright symbol.
A list of anonymous inline boxes that will replace the content of the selected element (in the specified order). This list can include strings, images, counters, and so on.
The value of a CSS counter, generally a number produced by computations defined by and properties. It can be displayed using either the counter() or counters() function.
The counter() function has two forms: ‘counter(name)’ or ‘counter(name, style)’. The generated text is the value of the innermost counter of the given name in scope at the given pseudo-element. It is formatted in the specified ( decimal by default).
The counters() function also has two forms: ‘counters(name, string)’ or ‘counters(name, string, style)’. The generated text is the value of all counters with the given name in scope at the given pseudo-element, from outermost to innermost, separated by the specified string. The counters are rendered in the indicated ( decimal by default).
The value of the element’s attribute x as a string. If there is no attribute x , an empty string is returned. The case-sensitivity of attribute names depends on the document language.
These values are replaced by the appropriate string from the quotes property.
Introduces no content, but increments (decrements) the level of nesting for quotes.
Alternative text may be specified for an image (or list of content items) by appending a forward slash and then the text. The alternative text is intended for speech output by screen-readers, but may also be displayed in some browsers. Note that if the browser does not support alternative text, neither the content or alternative text will be used.
Accessibility concerns
CSS-generated content is not included in the DOM. Because of this, it will not be represented in the accessibility tree and certain assistive technology/browser combinations will not announce it. If the content conveys information that is critical to understanding the page’s purpose, it is better to include it in the main document.
Formal definition
Initial value | normal |
---|---|
Applies to | All elements, tree-abiding pseudo-elements, and page margin boxes |
Inherited | no |
Computed value | On elements, always computes to normal . On ::before and ::after , if normal is specified, computes to none . Otherwise, for URI values, the absolute URI; for attr() values, the resulting string; for other keywords, as specified. |
Animation type | discrete |
Formal syntax
content =
normal |
none |
[ | ] [ / [ | ]+ ]? |
element( )
=
=
[ | contents | | | | | ]+
=
|
=
|
=
open-quote |
close-quote |
no-open-quote |
no-close-quote
=
|
|
=
leader( )
=
counter( , ? )
=
counters( , , ? )
=
url( * ) |
src( * )
=
target-counter( [ | ] , , ? )
=
target-counters( [ | ] , , , ? )
=
target-text( [ | ] , [ content | before | after | first-letter ]? )
=
dotted |
solid |
space |
=
|
=
symbols( ? [ | ]+ )
=
cyclic |
numeric |
alphabetic |
symbolic |
fixed
Examples
Headings and quotes
This example inserts quotation marks around quotes, and adds the word «Chapter» before headings.
HTML
h1>5h1> p> According to Sir Tim Berners-Lee, q cite="http://www.w3.org/People/Berners-Lee/FAQ.html#Internet"> I was lucky enough to invent the Web at the time when the Internet already existed - and had for a decade and a half. q> We must understand that there is nothing fundamentally wrong with building on the contributions of others. p> h1>6h1> p> According to the Mozilla Manifesto, q cite="http://www.mozilla.org/en-US/about/manifesto/"> Individuals must have the ability to shape the Internet and their own experiences on the Internet. q> Therefore, we can infer that contributing to the open web can protect our own individual experiences on it. p>
CSS
q color: blue; > q::before content: open-quote; > q::after content: close-quote; > h1::before content: "Chapter "; /* The trailing space creates separation between the added content and the rest of the content */ >
Result
Image combined with alternative text
This example inserts an image before the link and provides alternative text that a screen reader can output as speech. Some browsers may also display the alternative text.
HTML
a href="https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/">Mozilla Home Pagea>
CSS
The CSS to show the image and set the alternative text is shown below. This also sets the font and color for the content. This will only be used on browsers that display the alternative text.
a::before content: url("https://mozorg.cdn.mozilla.net/media/img/favicon.ico") / " MOZILLA: "; font: x-small Arial, sans-serif; color: gray; >
Result
The browser should display the icon before the link below. If using a screen reader, it should speak the word «MOZILLA» when it reaches the image.
Note that on a browser that does not support the alternative text syntax, the whole line is invalid. In this case neither the image or alternative text will be used! You could partially address this issue by including CSS that adds the image before the line with them both.
Targeting classes
This example inserts additional text after special items in a list.
HTML
h2>Paperback Best Sellersh2> ol> li>Political Thrillerli> li class="new-entry">Halloween Storiesli> li>My Biographyli> li class="new-entry">Vampire Romanceli> ol>
CSS
.new-entry::after content: " New!"; /* The leading space creates separation between the added content and the rest of the content */ color: red; >
Result
Images and element attributes
This example inserts an image before each link, and adds its id attribute after.
HTML
ul> li>a id="moz" href="https://www.mozilla.org/"> Mozilla Home Pagea>li> li> a id="mdn" href="https://developer.mozilla.org/"> Mozilla Developer Networka > li> ul>
CSS
a text-decoration: none; border-bottom: 3px dotted navy; > a::after content: " (" attr(id) ")"; > #moz::before content: url("https://mozorg.cdn.mozilla.net/media/img/favicon.ico"); > #mdn::before content: url("mdn-favicon16.png"); > li margin: 1em; >
Result
Element replacement with url()
This example replaces an element’s content with an image url() . Content added with ::before or ::after will not be generated as the contents of the element have been replaced.
HTML
CSS
#replaced content: url("mdn.svg"); > /* will not show if element replacement is supported */ #replaced::after content: " (" attr(id) ")"; >
Result
Element replacement with
This example replaces an element’s content with a linear-gradient() .
HTML
CSS
div width: 100px; height: 100px; border: 1px solid lightgrey; >
#replaced content: linear-gradient(purple, yellow); >
Result
Element replacement with image-set()
This example replaces an element’s content with a image-set() . If the users display has normal resolution the 1x.png will be displayed screens with a higher resolution will display the 2x.png image.
HTML
CSS
div width: 100px; border: 1px solid lightgrey; >
#replaced content: image-set( "1x.png" 1x, "2x.png" 2x ); >
Result
Specifications
Browser compatibility
BCD tables only load in the browser
See also
Found a content problem with this page?
This page was last modified on Jul 17, 2023 by MDN contributors.
Your blueprint for a better internet.
MDN
Support
Our communities
Developers
Visit Mozilla Corporation’s not-for-profit parent, the Mozilla Foundation.
Portions of this content are ©1998– 2023 by individual mozilla.org contributors. Content available under a Creative Commons license.
Change Content in CSS
- Use the :after Pseudo-Element and the display Property to Replace Text in CSS
- Use the :before Pseudo-Element and the visibility Property to Replace Text in CSS
The tutorial will introduce a few ways to change or replace the content in CSS.
Use the :after Pseudo-Element and the display Property to Replace Text in CSS
We can use the pseudo-elements in CSS to change or replace the contents written in HTML. Then use the :after pseudo-element and the content property to achieve our goal.
Use the :after selector to append some content after the selected content. To add the content, we use the content property.
We can write the desired content as the value of the content property. To replace or change the content, we can hide the previously written content and use the content property, selecting the element with the :after selector.
This method sets the display property to none to hide the previous text.
For example, create a div with the class text . Inside the div , write a span tag and the original text inside the span .
In CSS, select the span and set its display property to none . Next, use the :after selector to select the text class.
Finally, write the content property and set its value to the changed text in the body.
When the code snippet in the example below is run, the changed text is shown. Here, the text the original text is removed from the document, and it acts like the element does not exist.
This is because the value of the content property will take its space. As a result, the new content will be shown.
div class="text"> span>the original textspan> div>
.text span display: none; > .text:after content: 'the changed text'; >