::selection

The ::selection CSS pseudo-element applies styles to the portion of a document that has been highlighted by the user (such as with the mouse).

::selection {
  background: cyan;
}

Allowable properties

Only a small subset of CSS properties can be used in a rule with ::selection in its selector:

• color
• background-color
• cursor
• caret-color
• outline and its longhands
• text-decoration and its associated properties
• text-emphasis-color
• text-shadow

Syntax

/* Firefox syntax */
::-moz-selection

::selection

Example

HTML

<div>This text has special styles when you highlight it.</div>
<p>Also try selecting text in this paragraph.</p>

CSS

/* Make selected text gold on a red background */
::-moz-selection {
  color: gold;
  background: red;
}

::selection {
  color: gold;
  background: red;
} 

/* Make selected text in a paragraph white on a blue background */
p::-moz-selection {
  color: white;
  background: blue;
}

p::selection {
  color: white;
  background: blue;
}

Result

Specifications

Browser compatibility