The :active
CSS pseudo-class represents an element (such as a button) that is being activated by the user. When using a mouse, "activation" typically starts when the user presses down the primary mouse button.
/* Selects any <a> that is being activated */ a:active { color: red; }
The :active
pseudo-class is commonly used on <a>
and <button>
elements. Other common targets of this pseudo-class include elements that contain an activated element, and form elements that are being activated through their associated <label>
.
Styles defined by the :active
pseudo-class will be overridden by any subsequent link-related pseudo-class (:link
, :hover
, or :visited
) that has at least equal specificity. To style links appropriately, put the :active
rule after all other link-related rules, as defined by the LVHA-order: :link
— :visited
— :hover
— :active
.
:active
pseudo-class must only apply to the primary button; on right-handed mice, this is typically the leftmost button.:active
<p>This paragraph contains a link: <a href="#">This link will turn red while you click on it.</a> The paragraph will get a gray background while you click on it or the link. </p>
a:link { color: blue; } /* Unvisited links */ a:visited { color: purple; } /* Visited links */ a:hover { background: yellow; } /* Hovered links */ a:active { color: red; } /* Active links */ p:active { background: #eee; } /* Active paragraphs */
<form> <label for="my-button">My button: </label> <button id="my-button" type="button">Try Clicking Me or My Label!</button> </form>
form :active { color: red; } form button { background: white; }
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
HTML Living Standard The definition of ':active' in that specification. | Living Standard | |
Selectors Level 4 The definition of ':active' in that specification. | Working Draft | No change. |
Selectors Level 3 The definition of ':active' in that specification. | Recommendation | No change. |
CSS Level 2 (Revision 1) The definition of ':active' in that specification. | Recommendation | No change. |
CSS Level 1 The definition of ':active' in that specification. | Recommendation | Initial definition. |
Desktop | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Internet Explorer | Opera | Safari | |
Basic support | 1 | Yes | 1 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
Non-a element support |
1 | Yes | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 |
Mobile | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Android webview | Chrome for Android | Edge Mobile | Firefox for Android | Opera for Android | iOS Safari | Samsung Internet | |
Basic support | 1 | ? | Yes | 4 | 6 | 1 | ? |
Non-a element support |
1 | ? | Yes | 4 | ? | Yes
|
? |
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Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/:active