Tired of cluttered web pages? CSS accordion examples offer an elegant solution for organizing content while maximizing limited screen space.
These collapsible content panels have become essential UI components in modern web design, letting users control what information they see and when they see it.
Whether you’re building responsive accordion designs for mobile-friendly interfaces or creating pure CSS accordion techniques without JavaScript, the right implementation can dramatically improve your site’s user experience.
In this guide, you’ll discover:
- Lightweight accordion solutions that work across browsers
- Accessible accordion patterns that follow W3C standards
- Animated accordion elements using CSS transitions
- Toggle panels with proper HTML5 structure
We’ve collected the most effective accordion content organization methods—from simple implementations to advanced multi-level accordion menus—to help you build interactive UI elements that enhance your frontend development projects.
CSS accordions
Pure CSS Multi-Menu Accordion
See the Pen
Pure CSS Accordion by Álvaro (@alvarotrigo)
on CodePen.
No JavaScript needed, fam! This gem pulls off a slick move with HTML checkboxes, and even rocks a “close all” button. Advanced but smooth, like a cocktail you can’t put down.
Foundation Test
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Foundation test by Svend Richter (@Seven-D)
on CodePen.
Sleek as your fave influencer’s IG page, man. Made with HTML, SCSS, and JavaScript. Your profile pic and username are the stars here. It even spotlights which menu item you’re vibing with.
Accordion Menu + Tooltip
See the Pen
Accordion Menu + Tooltip by mori (@morimiko)
on CodePen.
Mori nails it by setting the accordion menu on a blank canvas of a white background. Light and fresh, kinda like biting into a crisp apple. A top-notch design option to refresh your site.
CSS Responsive Animated Accordion
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CSS Responsive animated Accordion by Chris Wright (@chriswrightdesign)
on CodePen.
Want those snazzy animations and transitions? You got it. Using material colors, this snippet makes sure you know which accordion you’re peeking into.
Three Dimensions Accordion Example
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Awesome accordion menu using only HTML & CSS by Álvaro (@alvarotrigo)
on CodePen.
This ain’t just a flat landscape; it’s 3D, baby! Ahmad Emran takes it to another level, making sure every little detail makes the accordion menu pop.
Accordion Menu
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Accordion Menu by Benjamin (@maggiben)
on CodePen.
No fuss, just a neat accordion setup with HTML and JavaScript. But hold up, the over-effects on the menu items give it that little spice.
Amazing Accordion Menu Using Only HTML & CSS
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Amazing accordion menu using only HTML & CSS by Rs Sabbir Ahmed (@rssabbir)
on CodePen.
The bold, purple menu doesn’t just sit there; it stands out. Shapes and colors all vibe together in a way that’ll make visitors do a double take.
Accordion Menu With A Header
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CSS Accordion by Álvaro (@alvarotrigo)
on CodePen.
Sometimes you need titles, man, and this accordion menu’s got ’em. Pop open a section and boom—a header tells you what’s what.
CSS Only Vertical Accordion Menu
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CSS Only Vertical Accordion Menu by Eriksen (@eriksenlezama)
on CodePen.
Why stick to boring horizontal when you can go vertical? Logos for flair and a gradient that can’t be ignored.
Accordion Menu with Image Effects
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Accordion menu with images effects by sayato (@sayato)
on CodePen.
If you want your visitors to stay, this one’s a catch. Sayato brings you an accordion in a dark blue backdrop that makes the menu on the left pop.
Pure CSS Horizontal Accordion
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Pure CSS Horizontal Accordion by Aysha Anggraini (@rrenula)
on CodePen.
Kudos to Aysha Anggraini for this. Laying it out side-by-side, man, like a landscape on your screen.
Simple Flat Theme Accordion Menu
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Simple Flat UI CSS Accordion by Álvaro (@alvarotrigo)
on CodePen.
This beauty here? Smooth animations and clean UI. Perfect for the minimalists out there.
Accordion Menu Html CSS Only
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Accordion menu HTML CSS Only by Vynter (@vynter)
on CodePen.
Big shoutout to Vynter for keeping it real and simple.
Collapsing Accordion Pure CSS
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Collapsing Accordion Pure CSS by Kniw Studio (@JeremyWink)
on CodePen.
Got no time for complicated stuff? All you need is this pure CSS and HTML gold. No Javascript shenanigans here.
Multi-Open Accordion
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CSS3 Multi Open “Accordion” by Frank Ali (@frankieali4)
on CodePen.
Big up to Frank Ali. It’s not your usual “one-at-a-time” gig. Checkboxes, not radios, give it that twist.
Sliding CSS Accordion Menu
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CSS Accordion by Álvaro (@alvarotrigo)
on CodePen.
Slide into those submenus with lightning-fast transitions. Pure CSS magic right here.
Awesome Accordion Menu
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Awesome accordion menu using only HTML & CSS by Ahmad Emran (@ahmadbassamemran)
on CodePen.
Who said you need more than HTML & CSS? They lied.
Swanky Little Accordion List
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Swanky little accordian list by Jamie Coulter (@jcoulterdesign)
on CodePen.
This gem? It’s more than an accordion. Click, and watch it gracefully toggle, like a dance of content on your screen.
Activated Accordion
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Hover activated accordian with default state by Cory (@uniqname)
on CodePen.
No rush here. Take your time, hover around, and enjoy that sweet content reveal.
Sliding Accordion Menu
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Pure Css Accordion Menu by Álvaro (@alvarotrigo)
on CodePen.
Slide between items with this nifty design. Just remember, only one superstar at a time.
Accordion Menu In Pure CSS3
Create? More like art. This accordion menu is pure CSS3 elegance.
Funky Pure CSS Accordion
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Funky Pure CSS Accordion by Jamie Coulter (@jcoulterdesign)
on CodePen.
Jamie Coulter sprinkles a bit of funk in this accordion. Groovy, right?
FAQ Based Accordion Menu
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Pure CSS Accordion by Álvaro (@alvarotrigo)
on CodePen.
Ideal for FAQs. Open, close, play around. It’s like an interactive toy for your website.
Multi-Level Accordion Menu
Navigate through levels with this one. For when you got layers to your content.
Accessible Accordion
See the Pen
ARIA Accessible Accordion by Kiri Egington (@kiriegington)
on CodePen.
Dropdowns, quick responses, touch-enabled, and it doesn’t leave anyone behind. How’s that for inclusive?
Zoom Animated Accordion Menu
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Pure CSS Accordion (Checkbox Hack) by Álvaro (@alvarotrigo)
on CodePen.
This one’s like watching an optical illusion. Zoom animations for every item. Mesmerizing!
CSS Tab Menu
See the Pen
II just another Css tabs (:checked) by Kseso (@Kseso)
on CodePen.
Oh man, got a combo here! HTML & CSS doing wonders with those tabs. Plus, you get pictures and icons? Sweet deal. Fully responsive? Even better. Supports all those fancy browsers? Oh, we’re golden!
Accordion Menu With Transition
See the Pen
CSS Accordion by Álvaro (@alvarotrigo)
on CodePen.
Pure CSS magic here. Designed for FAQs, with numbers and everything. And trust me, it’s a looker!
Responsive Flexbox Tabs / Accordion – CSS Only
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Responsive Flexbox Tabs / Accordion – CSS Only by Josh Vogt (@josh_vogt)
on CodePen.
Flexbox doing its thing. Super responsive. And if you’re into techie stuff, there’s a switch when the viewport’s below 600px. Cool, huh?
Creating A Stylish Accordion Menu with Pure CSS
Style it up with this one. Click, and boom! Hidden panels reveal themselves.
CSS3 Accordion
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CSS3 Accordion by Ying Zhang (@dodozhang21)
on CodePen.
This one’s for the lazy peeps out there. No need to click! Plus, if you’re a tinkerer, a bit of CSS play, and you’re golden!
Multi-Coloured Accordion Menu With Icons
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pure css accordion by Álvaro (@alvarotrigo)
on CodePen.
Colors, icons, smooth animations. And those arrow indicators? Sweet touch!
Marvel Horizontal Accordion
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Marvel Horizontal Accordion by Laura C. (@lzen)
on CodePen.
Props to Laura C. for this one. I mean, horizontal accordion? Genius!
Colorful CSS Accordion V05
This is like a party for your eyes! Grouping items with colors? UI brilliance right there!
Foundation CSS Accordion Menu
Want a basic vertical menu? Nah. Go big with an expandable accordion!
CSS Accordion: Radio Button Hack
See the Pen
CSS Accordion: Radio Button Hack (Fixed Height) by Jon Yablonski (@jonyablonski)
on CodePen.
Radio button hack in action. Sass is in the mix too. Dive in, and explore the magic!
Responsive Accordion Menu using only HTML & CSS
Starting out? No worries. Craft an accordion like this, and let your website shine!
SEO-friendly Accordion Menu In Pure CSS/CSS3
Yeah, that’s right. It’s sleek, semantic, and SEO-friendly. Dropdown magic with HTML and CSS. Winner, winner!
FAQ on CSS Accordion Examples
What is a CSS accordion?
A CSS accordion is a collapsible content panel that expands when clicked, showing hidden information while saving space on webpages. These interactive UI elements use CSS transitions to create smooth animations when toggling between states, making them popular for FAQ sections and navigation menus in responsive designs.
How do I create an accordion without JavaScript?
Using pure CSS accordion techniques requires three key components: HTML structure with checkboxes or radio inputs, labels as triggers, and CSS to handle the show/hide behavior. The :checked pseudo-class controls visibility, while transitions add animation. This creates lightweight accordion solutions perfect for simple implementations.
Are CSS accordions mobile-friendly?
Absolutely. Responsive accordion designs work exceptionally well on mobile devices by consolidating content in limited screen space. When implementing mobile-friendly accordions, focus on larger touch targets, clear visual indicators, and performance optimization. Many CSS frameworks like Bootstrap include accordion components with built-in responsiveness.
How do I make accordions accessible?
Build accessible accordion patterns by:
- Using proper ARIA attributes (aria-expanded, aria-controls)
- Ensuring keyboard navigation functionality
- Providing visible focus states
- Following W3C accessibility standards
- Supporting screen readers with semantic HTML structure
These techniques help all users interact with your accordion content organization system.
Can I nest accordions inside each other?
Yes, multi-level accordion menus are possible using nested HTML structures. When creating these more complex interfaces, maintain clean code organization to avoid specificity conflicts. Frontend frameworks can simplify implementation, but watch for potential performance issues in deeply nested accordion content displays.
What’s the difference between jQuery and CSS accordions?
Pure CSS accordions don’t require jQuery accordion widgets or additional libraries, reducing load times and dependencies. However, jQuery offers more advanced interaction patterns, better cross-browser accordion compatibility, and simpler implementation of complex behaviors. Choose based on your project’s specific frontend development needs.
How do I animate accordion transitions?
Create animated accordion elements by using:
- CSS transitions on height/max-height properties
- Transform properties for more complex effects
- Timing functions to control animation speed
- Overflow management for content visibility
Combine these CSS animation examples for smooth, professional sliding content panels.
Can accordions improve my website’s UX?
Definitely. Accordion UX best practices help organize information using progressive disclosure techniques, allowing users to focus on relevant content. By implementing proper accordion interaction patterns, you enhance the user experience through improved content organization methods and efficient space utilization.
Which browsers support CSS accordions?
Modern CSS accordion implementations work across all major browsers. For older browsers, include appropriate fallbacks and use feature detection. Testing across Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge ensures cross-browser accordion compatibility. Web component libraries often include solutions that address browser inconsistencies.
Should I use a framework for accordions?
Frontend frameworks like Bootstrap, Foundation, or Material Design offer pre-built accordion components that save development time. These provide tested solutions with built-in accessibility and responsive behavior. However, lightweight accordion solutions without frameworks offer more customization and smaller file sizes.
Conclusion
CSS accordion examples offer powerful tools for content organization on modern websites. Expandable CSS menus solve the perpetual challenge of presenting complex information in limited spaces. With vertical accordion navigation, you gain elegant solutions that work across devices.
Implementing lightweight accordion solutions brings several advantages:
- Enhanced information architecture through progressive disclosure
- Better user interface components that follow accessibility guidelines
- Flexible options from pure CSS to JavaScript-enhanced implementations
- Improved mobile experiences through efficient space utilization
The accordion pattern continues to evolve with modern UI components and frontend coding examples constantly pushing boundaries. When properly implemented with HTML5 accordion structure and CSS3 folding elements, these interactive content displays create intuitive experiences.
Next time you need to manage complex content, remember—accordion design patterns aren’t just about saving space. They represent thoughtful web design components that respect user agency and improve overall experience through deliberate content reveal techniques.
If you liked this article about CSS accordions, you should check out this article about CSS hamburger menus.
There are also similar articles discussing CSS tabs, CSS arrows, CSS modals, and CSS link styles.
And let’s not forget about articles on CSS button hover effects, CSS forms, JavaScript carousels, and CSS background patterns.
