Apple’s latest operating system introduced a mesmerizing visual element that has the design community buzzing: the liquid glass effect. This translucent, dynamic interface element creates depth and sophistication that feels both futuristic and organic. Today, I’ll show you how to recreate this stunning effect for your web projects using pure CSS and SVG filters.
Table of Contents
What is the Liquid Glass Effect?
The liquid glass effect combines several visual techniques:
- Backdrop blur for that frosted glass appearance
- Organic distortion that creates liquid-like warping
- Multiple light reflections for realistic glass shine
- Semi-transparent overlays for depth
The result is an interface element that appears to bend and warp the background content, creating a truly premium user experience.
Understanding the Structure
Before diving into the code, it’s crucial to understand the HTML structure we’ll be working with. The effect requires a specific container hierarchy:
Main Container (no class needed)
└── Secondary Container (class="liquid-glass-element")
└── Child Container (class="liquid-glass-child")
└── Your content (text, icons, etc.)
This three-layer structure is essential because:
- Main Container: Provides positioning context
- Secondary Container: Handles the glass effect layers
- Child Container: Contains your actual content and keeps it above the effect
The Four Layers of Liquid Glass
The magic happens through four carefully layered visual effects:
Layer 1: Base Distortion
This layer uses an SVG filter to create the organic, liquid-like warping effect. It also applies the initial backdrop blur that gives us the frosted glass base.
Layer 2: Transparent Overlay
A semi-transparent white overlay that enhances the glass appearance and provides the characteristic milky translucency.
Layer 3: Glass Reflections
Multiple inner shadows simulate light bouncing off glass surfaces, creating realistic highlights and depth.
Layer 4: Content Layer
Your actual content (text, icons, buttons) sits on top with proper z-index stacking to remain clearly visible.
Implementation Steps
Step 1: Add the SVG Filter
First, you’ll need to add the SVG filter to your HTML. This goes anywhere in your document, but I recommend placing it just before your closing </body> tag.
<!-- Add this SVG filter to your HTML widget - place it anywhere - or child container css box -->
<svg style="display: none">
<filter
id="glass-warp-filter"
x="0%"
y="0%"
width="100%"
height="100%"
filterUnits="objectBoundingBox"
>
<!-- Generate organic noise pattern -->
<feTurbulence
type="fractalNoise"
baseFrequency="0.01 0.01"
numOctaves="1"
seed="5"
result="turbulence"
/>
<!-- Convert noise to usable displacement map -->
<feComponentTransfer in="turbulence" result="mapped">
<feFuncR type="gamma" amplitude="1" exponent="10" offset="0.5" />
<feFuncG type="gamma" amplitude="0" exponent="1" offset="0" />
<feFuncB type="gamma" amplitude="0" exponent="1" offset="0.5" />
</feComponentTransfer>
<!-- Blur the displacement map for smoother effect -->
<feGaussianBlur in="turbulence" stdDeviation="3" result="softMap" />
<!-- Add specular lighting for glass-like reflection -->
<feSpecularLighting
in="softMap"
surfaceScale="5"
specularConstant="1"
specularExponent="100"
lighting-color="white"
result="spectacularLight"
>
<fePointLight x="-100" y="-100" z="200" />
</feSpecularLighting>
<!-- Combine lighting with displacement -->
<feComposite
in="specularLight"
operator="arithmetic"
k1="0"
k2="1"
k3="1"
k4="0"
result="litSurface"
/>
<!-- Apply the actual liquid distortion -->
<feDisplacementMap
in="SourceGraphic"
in2="smoothDisplacement"
scale="70"
xChannelSelector="R"
yChannelSelector="G"
result="liquidDistortion"
/>
</filter>
</svg>
The SVG filter uses several techniques:
feTurbulencegenerates organic noise patternsfeDisplacementMapcreates the actual pixel displacementfeSpecularLightingadds realistic light reflections
Step 2: Apply the CSS Styles
Next, add the complete CSS for the liquid glass effect. This includes both the effect styles and button-specific styling.
<style>
/* SVG Filter for liquid distortion effect */
.liquid-glass-svg-filter {
position: absolute;
width: 0;
height: 0;
opacity: 0;
}
/* Main container for liquid glass effect */
.liquid-glass-element {
overflow: hidden;
cursor: pointer;
/* Outer shadow for depth */
box-shadow: 0 6px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2), 0 0 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
transition: all 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.175, 0.885, 0.32, 2.2);
height: 500px; /* replace with your child container height */
}
/* Layer 1: Distortion and blur base */
.liquid-glass-element::before {
content: '';
position: absolute;
inset: 0;
z-index: 1;
-webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(1px);
backdrop-filter: blur(1px);
-webkit-filter: url(#glass-warp-filter);
-moz-filter: url(#glass-warp-filter);
filter: url(#glass-warp-filter);
overflow: hidden;
}
/* Layer 2: Semi-transparent overlay */
.liquid-glass-element::after {
content: '';
position: absolute;
inset: 0;
z-index: 2;
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1);
pointer-events: none;
}
/* Layer 3: Inner shadows for shine effect */
.liquid-glass-child {
box-shadow:
/* Outer shadows */
0 6px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2),
0 0 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1),
/* Inner shadows for glass shine */
inset 2px 2px 1px 0 rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5),
inset -1px -1px 1px 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5);
overflow: hidden;
}
/* Layer 4: Content (text, icons, etc.) */
.liquid-glass-element > * {
position: relative;
z-index: 3;
}
/* Hover effects */
.liquid-glass-element:hover {
-webkit-transform: scale(1.05);
-moz-transform: scale(1.05);
-ms-transform: scale(1.05);
transform: scale(1.05);
}
/* Variations for different element types */
/* Liquid Glass Button */
.liquid-glass-btn {
/* More transparent for button */
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08);
-webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(1px) saturate(1.2);
backdrop-filter: blur(1px) saturate(1.2);
border: 0.5px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5);
-webkit-border-radius: 16px;
-moz-border-radius: 16px;
border-radius: 16px;
padding: 6px 14px;
color: white;
font-weight: 600;
cursor: pointer;
position: relative;
overflow: hidden;
width: fit-content;
width: -webkit-fit-content;
width: -moz-fit-content;
/* Button droplet shadow */
box-shadow:
0 4px 12px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.04),
0 2px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.02),
inset 0 0.5px 0 rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5),
inset 0 -0.5px 0 rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2);
-webkit-transition: all 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.23, 1, 0.32, 1);
-moz-transition: all 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.23, 1, 0.32, 1);
-ms-transition: all 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.23, 1, 0.32, 1);
transition: all 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.23, 1, 0.32, 1);
}
.liquid-glass-btn:hover {
-webkit-transform: translateY(-1px) scale(1.02);
-moz-transform: translateY(-1px) scale(1.02);
-ms-transform: translateY(-1px) scale(1.02);
transform: translateY(-1px) scale(1.02);
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.12);
-webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(12px) saturate(1.3);
backdrop-filter: blur(12px) saturate(1.3);
box-shadow:
0 6px 18px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06),
0 3px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.03),
inset 0 1px 0 rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.6),
inset 0 -1px 0 rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3);
}
/* Button surface highlight */
.liquid-glass-btn::before {
content: '';
position: absolute;
top: 0;
left: 0;
right: 0;
height: 40%;
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2) 0%, transparent 100%);
background: -moz-linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2) 0%, transparent 100%);
background: -ms-linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2) 0%, transparent 100%);
background: linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2) 0%, transparent 100%);
-webkit-border-radius: 16px 16px 0 0;
-moz-border-radius: 16px 16px 0 0;
border-radius: 16px 16px 0 0;
pointer-events: none;
}
</style>
The CSS includes:
- Base liquid glass effect (
.liquid-glass-element) - Button-specific styles (
.liquid-glass-btn) - Hover animations and transitions
- Responsive behavior
Customization Options/Code Explanation
Here are the key customizable parts of your liquid glass effect:
- Visual Customization
Glass Transparency & Color
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08); /* Change opacity (0.08) for transparency */
background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.25); /* White overlay - change RGB values for tint */
Blur Intensity
backdrop-filter: blur(3px); /* Increase/decrease px value for blur strength */
-webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(1px) saturate(1.2); /* Button blur + color saturation */
Border & Glow
border: 0.5px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5); /* Border thickness and opacity */
box-shadow: 0 6px 6px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2), 0 0 20px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1); /* Shadow spread and opacity */
- Animation Customization
Hover Scale Effect
transform: scale(1.05); /* Change 1.05 to make hover effect bigger/smaller */
transform: translateY(-1px) scale(1.02); /* Button lift amount and scale */
Transition Speed
transition: all 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.175, 0.885, 0.32, 2.2); /* Change 0.4s for speed */
transition: all 0.4s cubic-bezier(0.23, 1, 0.32, 1); /* Different easing curves */
- Size & Shape
Border Radius
border-radius: 16px; /* Change for more/less rounded corners */
Button Padding
padding: 6px 14px; /* Vertical and horizontal button padding */
Container Height
height: 500px; /* Overall container height */
Liquid Distortion (SVG Filter)
Distortion Strength
scale="140" /* Higher = more distortion, lower = subtle effect */
Noise Pattern
baseFrequency="0.01 0.01" /* Higher = finer noise pattern */
stdDeviation="3" /* Blur amount for smoother distortion */
Lighting Effect
surfaceScale="5" /* Surface height for lighting */
specularExponent="100" /* Shininess intensity */
The main customizable aspects are transparency levels, blur intensity, colors (change RGB values), animation speeds, distortion strength, and sizing. You can mix and match these values to create different glass effects from subtle to dramatic.
Performance Considerations
While visually stunning, the liquid glass effect does require some performance awareness:
Browser Support
- Modern browsers: Full support with hardware acceleration
- Safari: Excellent performance (Apple’s own effect!)
- Chrome: Good performance on desktop, test on mobile
- Firefox: Works but without the distortion
- Older browsers: Graceful degradation without the distortion
Optimization Tips
- Limit usage: Don’t apply to every element on the page
- Use
will-change: Addwill-change: transformfor smoother animations - Test on mobile: SVG filters can be performance-intensive on mobile devices
- Provide fallbacks: Consider a simple blur effect for unsupported browsers
Real-World Applications
This effect works exceptionally well for:
- Navigation Elements
Create floating navigation menus that feel like they’re made of glass, allowing users to see content beneath while maintaining clear hierarchy.
- Call-to-Action Buttons
Premium buttons that stand out without being aggressive, perfect for high-end brands and luxury products.
- Modal Overlays
Replace traditional modal backgrounds with liquid glass panels that provide focus while maintaining visual connection to the underlying content.
- Card Interfaces
Product cards, testimonials, or feature highlights that feel modern and interactive.
Conclusion
Apple’s liquid glass effect represents the cutting edge of web interface design, combining technical sophistication with intuitive beauty. By understanding the underlying principles—layered visual effects, organic distortion, and careful attention to lighting—you can create interfaces that feel both futuristic and natural.
The key to success with this effect is restraint. Use it strategically on key elements where you want to create focus and premium feel, rather than applying it everywhere. When implemented thoughtfully, the liquid glass effect can transform your web design from ordinary to extraordinary.
Remember to always test across different devices and browsers, and consider providing fallback experiences for users on older systems. The goal is to enhance the user experience, not hinder it.
Ready to give your web designs that premium Apple feel? Start experimenting with the liquid glass effect and watch your interfaces come alive with depth and sophistication.
