16 CSS Side Menu Designs 02 / 16

CSS Side Menu with Smooth Overlay

A sliding drawer that reveals a frosted-glass backdrop blur overlay over the main content area, using backdrop-filter and a second label element as the click-to-close target.

Pure CSS MIT licensed
Live Demo Open in tab
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The code

<div class="sm-02">
  <input type="checkbox" class="sm-02__toggle" id="sm-02-toggle">
  <label class="sm-02__burger" for="sm-02-toggle" aria-label="Toggle menu">
    <span></span><span></span><span></span>
  </label>
  <label class="sm-02__backdrop" for="sm-02-toggle"></label>
  <nav class="sm-02__nav">
    <div class="sm-02__section-label">Navigation</div>
    <div class="sm-02__links">
      <a class="sm-02__link sm-02__link--active" href="#">
        <span class="sm-02__link-dot"></span> Overview
      </a>
      <a class="sm-02__link" href="#">
        <span class="sm-02__link-dot"></span> Deployments
        <span class="sm-02__badge">12</span>
      </a>
      <a class="sm-02__link" href="#">
        <span class="sm-02__link-dot"></span> Integrations
      </a>
      <a class="sm-02__link" href="#">
        <span class="sm-02__link-dot"></span> Logs
        <span class="sm-02__badge">3</span>
      </a>
      <a class="sm-02__link" href="#">
        <span class="sm-02__link-dot"></span> Settings
      </a>
    </div>
    <div class="sm-02__footer">
      <div class="sm-02__avatar">AK</div>
      <div>
        <div class="sm-02__uname">Alex Kim</div>
        <div class="sm-02__urole">Admin</div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </nav>
  <div class="sm-02__content">
    <div class="sm-02__page-title">Overview</div>
    <div class="sm-02__body">
      <p>Open the drawer to see a frosted backdrop blur overlay appear behind the menu. Clicking the backdrop also closes it.</p>
      <div class="sm-02__grid">
        <div class="sm-02__tile"><div class="sm-02__tile-num">99.9%</div><div class="sm-02__tile-lbl">Uptime SLA</div></div>
        <div class="sm-02__tile"><div class="sm-02__tile-num">4.2ms</div><div class="sm-02__tile-lbl">Avg Latency</div></div>
        <div class="sm-02__tile"><div class="sm-02__tile-num">18k</div><div class="sm-02__tile-lbl">Requests / hr</div></div>
        <div class="sm-02__tile"><div class="sm-02__tile-num">0</div><div class="sm-02__tile-lbl">Open Incidents</div></div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
.sm-02, .sm-02 *, .sm-02 *::before, .sm-02 *::after {
  box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0; padding: 0;
}
.sm-02 ::selection { background: #0ea5e9; color: #000; }
.sm-02 {
  --bg: #030712;
  --surface: #111827;
  --drawer-bg: #060e1e;
  --accent: #0ea5e9;
  --accent2: #38bdf8;
  --text: #f1f5f9;
  --muted: #64748b;
  --border: rgba(14,165,233,0.15);
  --font: 'Syne', system-ui, sans-serif;
  --w: 300px;
  --ease: cubic-bezier(0.25, 0, 0.1, 1);
  --dur: 0.45s;
  font-family: var(--font);
  background: var(--bg);
  color: var(--text);
  min-height: 100vh;
  position: relative;
  overflow: hidden;
  border-radius: 12px;
}
.sm-02__toggle { position: absolute; opacity: 0; width: 0; height: 0; }
/* Overlay backdrop */
.sm-02__backdrop {
  position: absolute; inset: 0;
  background: rgba(0,0,0,0);
  backdrop-filter: blur(0px);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(0px);
  transition: background var(--dur) var(--ease), backdrop-filter var(--dur) var(--ease);
  z-index: 30;
  pointer-events: none;
}
.sm-02__toggle:checked ~ .sm-02__backdrop {
  background: rgba(0,0,0,0.6);
  backdrop-filter: blur(6px);
  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(6px);
  pointer-events: all;
}
/* Burger */
.sm-02__burger {
  position: absolute;
  top: 18px; left: 18px;
  z-index: 50;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  gap: 5px;
  width: 40px; height: 40px;
  justify-content: center;
  align-items: center;
  cursor: pointer;
  background: rgba(14,165,233,0.1);
  border: 1px solid var(--border);
  border-radius: 10px;
  transition: background 0.2s;
}
.sm-02__burger:hover { background: rgba(14,165,233,0.25); }
.sm-02__burger span {
  width: 18px; height: 2px;
  background: var(--accent2);
  border-radius: 2px;
  transition: transform var(--dur), opacity var(--dur);
  transform-origin: center;
}
.sm-02__toggle:checked ~ .sm-02__burger { z-index: 50; }
.sm-02__toggle:checked ~ .sm-02__burger span:nth-child(1) { transform: translateY(7px) rotate(45deg); }
.sm-02__toggle:checked ~ .sm-02__burger span:nth-child(2) { opacity: 0; }
.sm-02__toggle:checked ~ .sm-02__burger span:nth-child(3) { transform: translateY(-7px) rotate(-45deg); }
/* Drawer */
.sm-02__nav {
  position: absolute;
  top: 0; left: 0;
  width: var(--w);
  height: 100%;
  background: var(--drawer-bg);
  border-right: 1px solid var(--border);
  transform: translateX(-100%);
  transition: transform var(--dur) var(--ease), box-shadow var(--dur);
  z-index: 40;
  display: flex;
  flex-direction: column;
  padding: 72px 0 20px;
}
.sm-02__toggle:checked ~ .sm-02__nav {
  transform: translateX(0);
  box-shadow: 0 0 60px rgba(14,165,233,0.12), 8px 0 40px rgba(0,0,0,0.6);
}
/* Top glow strip */
.sm-02__nav::before {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  top: 0; left: 0; right: 0;
  height: 2px;
  background: linear-gradient(90deg, transparent, var(--accent), var(--accent2), transparent);
}
.sm-02__section-label {
  font-size: 10px;
  font-weight: 700;
  letter-spacing: 0.15em;
  text-transform: uppercase;
  color: var(--muted);
  padding: 0 20px 8px;
  margin-top: 4px;
}
.sm-02__links { padding: 0 12px; flex: 1; }
.sm-02__link {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 12px;
  padding: 11px 14px;
  border-radius: 9px;
  color: var(--muted);
  text-decoration: none;
  font-size: 14px;
  font-weight: 600;
  cursor: pointer;
  transition: all 0.2s;
  position: relative;
  margin-bottom: 2px;
}
.sm-02__link::before {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  left: 0; top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%);
  width: 3px; height: 0;
  background: var(--accent);
  border-radius: 3px;
  transition: height 0.2s;
}
.sm-02__link:hover, .sm-02__link--active {
  color: var(--text);
  background: rgba(14,165,233,0.1);
}
.sm-02__link--active::before, .sm-02__link:hover::before { height: 70%; }
.sm-02__link-dot {
  width: 8px; height: 8px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  background: var(--muted);
  transition: background 0.2s, box-shadow 0.2s;
  flex-shrink: 0;
}
.sm-02__link--active .sm-02__link-dot,
.sm-02__link:hover .sm-02__link-dot {
  background: var(--accent);
  box-shadow: 0 0 8px var(--accent);
}
.sm-02__badge {
  margin-left: auto;
  background: rgba(14,165,233,0.2);
  color: var(--accent2);
  font-size: 10px;
  font-weight: 700;
  padding: 2px 7px;
  border-radius: 99px;
}
/* User footer */
.sm-02__footer {
  padding: 16px 20px 0;
  border-top: 1px solid var(--border);
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 10px;
}
.sm-02__avatar {
  width: 34px; height: 34px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  background: linear-gradient(135deg, #0ea5e9, #6366f1);
  display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center;
  font-size: 12px; font-weight: 700;
  flex-shrink: 0;
}
.sm-02__uname { font-size: 13px; font-weight: 700; }
.sm-02__urole { font-size: 11px; color: var(--muted); }
/* Main content */
.sm-02__content {
  padding: 20px;
}
.sm-02__topbar {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  gap: 14px;
  margin-bottom: 28px;
  padding-top: 6px;
}
.sm-02__page-title { font-size: 20px; font-weight: 800; margin-left: 50px; }
.sm-02__body p { font-size: 13px; color: var(--muted); line-height: 1.7; margin-bottom: 20px; }
.sm-02__grid { display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 12px; }
.sm-02__tile {
  background: var(--surface);
  border: 1px solid var(--border);
  border-radius: 12px;
  padding: 18px;
}
.sm-02__tile-num { font-size: 26px; font-weight: 800; color: var(--accent2); }
.sm-02__tile-lbl { font-size: 12px; color: var(--muted); margin-top: 4px; }
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  .sm-02__nav, .sm-02__backdrop, .sm-02__burger span, .sm-02__link::before { transition: none; }
}

How this works

A second <label for="..."> element covers the entire viewport as the backdrop. When the checkbox is checked this backdrop gains pointer-events: all, making it clickable so users can dismiss the menu by tapping outside. The blur transitions from blur(0px) to blur(6px) while the alpha changes from rgba(0,0,0,0) to rgba(0,0,0,0.6).

The backdrop-filter only blurs elements visually behind the panel in the stacking context — the menu itself needs a semi-transparent background so something is visible through it. Both backdrop-filter and -webkit-backdrop-filter are declared for cross-browser Safari support.

Customize

  • Increase blur intensity from blur(6px) to blur(20px) for a more opaque frosted-glass look.
  • Adjust overlay darkness by modifying the alpha in rgba(0,0,0,0.6) — values between 0.3 and 0.7 give different depth perceptions.
  • Add a colour tint using rgba(30, 0, 60, 0.5) instead of pure black for a cinematic purple-hued overlay.
  • Change the drawer easing with cubic-bezier(0.68, -0.55, 0.27, 1.55) for an overshoot spring effect on open.
  • Add saturate(150%) alongside blur in backdrop-filter to boost colour vibrancy behind the overlay.

Watch out for

  • backdrop-filter only blurs what is behind the element in the stacking context — the menu panel must not have a fully opaque background or there is nothing to see through.
  • iOS Safari below 15.4 requires the -webkit-backdrop-filter prefix; always include both declarations.
  • Transitioning backdrop-filter between two blur values was not supported in Firefox until version 103 — test carefully if Firefox is a priority.

Browser support

ChromeSafariFirefoxEdge
76+ 14+ 103+ 76+

backdrop-filter requires the -webkit- prefix on iOS/macOS Safari below 15.4.

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