Familiarity with -webkit-tap-highlight-color in CSS

introduction to webkit tap highlight color css
10 November 2024

If you are using touch devices such as smartphones or tablets to browse the web, you may notice that whenever you touch an element, a colored highlight appears around it. This feature is intended to indicate that the element is being pressed, resulting in a visual highlight around it. This feature is primarily meant for user understanding, as it helps inform that the element has been clicked. However, if you as a web designer want to know how to control this feature, the answer is -webkit-tap-highlight-color.

This feature allows you to change the color of this highlight. Typically, this highlight color is blue, but by using -webkit-tap-highlight-color, you can easily change it to your desired color to ensure the overall design of the web pages and your brand image align well.

For example, you might want to ensure that when links are tapped on a site, to provide a more cohesive appearance, their color should match your palette. In such cases, you can utilize this feature.

Especially important for web applications where user interaction with the interface is significant your design can greatly enhance the user experience.

Let's take a look at how to use this feature in CSS with an example code.


    a {
      -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5);
    }
  

Code Line Explanation

a: This line denotes the selector for all <a> links in the HTML document.
-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5);: This line defines the color that will be applied to the highlight when links are tapped, changing the highlight color to red with medium transparency.

FAQ

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How can I change the highlight color when tapping?

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Can I also change the transparency of the highlight?

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Does this feature work in all browsers?