CSS Dropdown Menu Generator
Generate a pure-CSS hover dropdown menu with custom colours and radius for navigation. No JavaScript required.
Last reviewed by the Radiatus Cloud team
Generate a pure-CSS hover dropdown menu for navigation.
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Build a dropdown menu with CSS
Dropdown menus reveal a list of options when a user hovers over a trigger, a staple of website navigation. This generator produces a pure-CSS hover dropdown from your chosen menu background, hover colour and corner radius, with a smooth fade-and-slide reveal. The tool outputs the CSS and the small HTML structure, so you can drop a working dropdown straight into your navigation.
The menu is hidden until the parent is hovered, then animated into view, all without JavaScript.
Simple navigation, no scripts
A CSS-only dropdown is lightweight and reliable for straightforward menus. It uses the hover state on the parent to reveal the submenu, with a subtle transition for polish. This suits desktop navigation menus and simple option lists where hover is the expected interaction.
For touch devices and full keyboard accessibility, hover-only menus have limitations, so complex navigation may still benefit from a little JavaScript. For many sites the pure-CSS version is enough. All generation happens locally in your browser.
Notes on the generated code
Because the css dropdown menu generator runs entirely in your browser, you can experiment with every option and watch the generated code update instantly, with nothing uploaded and no account required. The output is clean, standards-based CSS that works in any project without external libraries or a build step, so you can paste it straight into your stylesheet and refine it further by hand whenever you need to.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does the dropdown need JavaScript?
No. It reveals the menu using the CSS hover state on the parent element, with a transition for a smooth appearance.
Does it work on touch devices?
Hover-only dropdowns have limitations on touch, where there is no hover. For robust mobile menus, a little JavaScript or a click toggle helps.
How do I make it keyboard accessible?
Add focus-within styling so the menu opens on keyboard focus too, improving accessibility beyond hover alone.
Can I nest submenus?
Yes, by repeating the structure, though deeply nested hover menus become hard to use, so keep nesting shallow.
Privacy & Security
Everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
How to Use
Choose the colours and radius, then copy the HTML and CSS.
Disclaimer: This tool is provided "as is" without warranty of any kind. Results are for educational and utility purposes.
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