Star Rating Hover Effect: CSS Hover Effect

Star Rating Hover Effect

Hovering a star lights it and every star before it, previews a word for that score and pops the star with a spring. The trick is one :has() rule to light all stars, then ~ to unlight the rest.

Also known as: css star rating hover, rating stars on hover, 5 star rating css.

Color Base size 16px Dark background Hold hover state

HTML

<div class="hfx-star-rating" role="group" aria-label="Rate this recipe">
  <button aria-label="1 star"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><path fill="currentColor" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linejoin="round" d="M12 3.2l2.7 5.6 6.1.8-4.5 4.2 1.1 6.1L12 17l-5.4 2.9 1.1-6.1-4.5-4.2 6.1-.8z"/></svg></button>
  <button aria-label="2 stars"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><path fill="currentColor" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linejoin="round" d="M12 3.2l2.7 5.6 6.1.8-4.5 4.2 1.1 6.1L12 17l-5.4 2.9 1.1-6.1-4.5-4.2 6.1-.8z"/></svg></button>
  <button aria-label="3 stars"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><path fill="currentColor" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linejoin="round" d="M12 3.2l2.7 5.6 6.1.8-4.5 4.2 1.1 6.1L12 17l-5.4 2.9 1.1-6.1-4.5-4.2 6.1-.8z"/></svg></button>
  <button aria-label="4 stars"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><path fill="currentColor" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linejoin="round" d="M12 3.2l2.7 5.6 6.1.8-4.5 4.2 1.1 6.1L12 17l-5.4 2.9 1.1-6.1-4.5-4.2 6.1-.8z"/></svg></button>
  <button aria-label="5 stars"><svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" aria-hidden="true"><path fill="currentColor" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.5" stroke-linejoin="round" d="M12 3.2l2.7 5.6 6.1.8-4.5 4.2 1.1 6.1L12 17l-5.4 2.9 1.1-6.1-4.5-4.2 6.1-.8z"/></svg></button>
  <span class="hfx-star-rating-label" aria-hidden="true"></span>
</div>

CSS

.hfx-star-rating {
  --c: var(--hfx-color, #3b82f6);
  font-size: var(--hfx-size, 16px);
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  font-family: system-ui, sans-serif;
}
.hfx-star-rating button {
  padding: 0.15em;
  border: 0;
  background: none;
  color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 22%, transparent);
  cursor: pointer;
  transition: color 0.15s ease, transform 0.3s cubic-bezier(0.34, 1.56, 0.64, 1);
}
.hfx-star-rating svg {
  display: block;
  width: 1.9em;
  height: 1.9em;
}
/* the saved rating: three stars */
.hfx-star-rating button:nth-child(-n + 3) { color: var(--c); }
/* hovering: light every star, then unlight the ones after the hovered star */
.hfx-star-rating:has(button:is(:hover, :focus-visible)) button { color: var(--c); }
.hfx-star-rating button:is(:hover, :focus-visible) ~ button { color: color-mix(in srgb, var(--c) 22%, transparent); }
.hfx-star-rating button:is(:hover, :focus-visible) { transform: scale(1.25) rotate(-10deg); }
.hfx-star-rating-label {
  width: 5em;
  margin-left: 0.6em;
  font-weight: 600;
  color: var(--c);
}
.hfx-star-rating-label::after { content: "3.0"; }
.hfx-star-rating:has(button:nth-child(1):is(:hover, :focus-visible)) .hfx-star-rating-label::after { content: "Awful"; }
.hfx-star-rating:has(button:nth-child(2):is(:hover, :focus-visible)) .hfx-star-rating-label::after { content: "Meh"; }
.hfx-star-rating:has(button:nth-child(3):is(:hover, :focus-visible)) .hfx-star-rating-label::after { content: "Good"; }
.hfx-star-rating:has(button:nth-child(4):is(:hover, :focus-visible)) .hfx-star-rating-label::after { content: "Great"; }
.hfx-star-rating:has(button:nth-child(5):is(:hover, :focus-visible)) .hfx-star-rating-label::after { content: "Loved it!"; }

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .hfx-star-rating, .hfx-star-rating *, .hfx-star-rating::before, .hfx-star-rating::after, .hfx-star-rating *::before, .hfx-star-rating *::after {
    animation-duration: 0.01ms !important;
    animation-iteration-count: 1 !important;
    transition-duration: 0.01ms !important;
  }
}

Customizing this snippet

Color: set --hfx-color on the element or a parent. Currently previewing #3b82f6.
Base size: set --hfx-size. Every other dimension is in em, so the whole thing scales together. Currently previewing 16px.
Speed: change the duration on the transition or animation shorthand. Staggered delays are relative, so they keep their rhythm.
Reduced motion: the rule at the end of the CSS turns the motion off for people who asked their OS for less of it. Keep it.

Star Rating Hover Effect

HTML

CSS

Customizing this snippet

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