Ever stared at a bland, default HTML list and wished it had more visual appeal? Custom styling lists is one of the most practical yet underused techniques in front-end list design.
Plain <ul> and <ol> elements work functionally, but custom bullet points CSS and list marker positioning can dramatically enhance your web design. Whether you’re creating navigation menu styling, icon lists implementation, or content hierarchies, mastering CSS list-style-type property usage is essential.
This guide explores modern list design patterns including:
- Horizontal list navigation
- Custom counters CSS for ordered lists
- List image bullets and icon techniques
- Mobile-friendly list styles with responsive list design
- List animation effects and interactive elements
By the end, you’ll understand how to implement CSS list markers that align with your web typography and visual design principles while maintaining cross-browser compatibility and accessibility.
CSS List Style Examples To Check Out
List Style Domain Favicon
See the Pen
List Style Domain Favicons by John McGarrah (@freshmasterj)
on CodePen.
Mixing a tad of JavaScript magic with CSS and HTML, you get this. Lists showing site favicons beside the site’s name? Yes, please!
Beautiful Custom List Styles Using Modern CSS
Fancy switching up list markers? Dive in here for some modern styles and tips!
List Styles with HTML and CSS by Tiffany May
See the Pen
List Styles HTML/CSS by Tiffany May (@tiffyzsmile)
on CodePen.
Tiffany’s got game. From basic navs to iPhone menus, all done with just HTML and CSS. Eight ways? You read that right!
Custom CSS List Styles by Kyle Timothy Charlton
See the Pen
Custom CSS List Styles by Kyle Timothy Charlton (@kyle-timothy-charlton)
on CodePen.
Shoutout to Kyle! Rocking the list world, one style at a time.
Custom CSS List Items by Gabriel Molochko
See the Pen
Custom CSS List Items by Gabriel Molochko (@gabrielmolochko)
on CodePen.
Simple? Yep. Customizable? Oh, for sure. Hover over for that sleek highlight. All thanks to pure HTML and CSS.
Custom Counter for Ordered List by Eric E. Anderson
See the Pen
Custom Counter for Ordered List by Eric E. Anderson (@esquareda)
on CodePen.
Eric’s addressing the real challenges here! Kiss those auto-generated styles goodbye, and DIY the way you’ve always wanted.
Alternating List from web.dev
See the Pen
Alternating list by web.dev (@web-dot-dev)
on CodePen.
A little twist from the usual, courtesy of web.dev.
Horizontal Menu using List Style
See the Pen
Untitled by Josh Johnson (@secondfret)
on CodePen.
Horizontal menus, anyone? Lists aren’t just vertical, you know.
Break In The Middle Ordered List by Chris Coyier
See the Pen
Break in the middle ordered list by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Our man Chris is back at it. Lists starting wherever you want them to? He’s got you covered.
Ordered List with CSS Counters by Ian Mac
See the Pen
Ordered List with CSS Counters by Ian Mac (@iam)
on CodePen.
Numbered lists with a twist. Ian’s style lets you customize them even more.
Standard Thumbnail Grid
See the Pen
Untitled by Josh Johnson (@secondfret)
on CodePen.
Talking unordered lists? Gotta throw in a picture grid. Almost always, it’s a list game!
Nested Decimal Ordered List by Chris Coyier
See the Pen
Nested Decimal Ordered List by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Another one by Chris, for those who like their lists nested.
CSS List-Style Guide
Into the world of ordered and unordered lists, and the CSS properties that make them pop.
List Inline Style
See the Pen
List Styles by Cody McAfee (@gcmcafee)
on CodePen.
Here, designs come alive in five styles. Just HTML and CSS, but so much flair. Add animations? The sky’s the limit!
Thumbnail List Vibes
See the Pen
Untitled by Josh Johnson (@secondfret)
on CodePen.
Picture this: Thumbnails paired with text. Yep, that’s the way to spice up what would’ve been a snooze-fest paragraph list. And trust me, it’s super versatile for, like, any project you’ve got going.
Reversed & Split Magic with ::before
See the Pen
Reversed and split list with ::before by web.dev (@web-dot-dev)
on CodePen.
Big shoutout to Web.dev for cooking up this gem.
Picture Bullets with List Style
See the Pen
Image Bullets by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Chris Coyier dropped this bomb. Now, you’d think list-style-image is your dude here, but nope! It’s kinda limited. Better trick? Use a background-image on a pseudo-element, and you’re golden.
Big Numbers in the House!
See the Pen
Untitled by Josh Johnson (@secondfret)
on CodePen.
Here’s a brain-bender: not all lists are, like, unordered! Ordered lists have their own charm, especially if you’re trying to style the numbers a tad differently than the rest.
Emoji Bullets? Why Not!
See the Pen
Emoji Bullets List by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Another masterpiece from Chris Coyier. Emojis as bullets? Sign me up!
Flexbox Menu List for the Foodies
See the Pen
Flexbox Menu List by AyaOki (@mazereeta)
on CodePen.
You hungry? Here’s an idea: a list but make it a restaurant menu! And because it’s super basic, you can totally make it fit on mobiles and stuff.
Decoding list-style with codesdope
See the Pen
list-style-type by Aakhya Singh (@aakhya)
on CodePen.
Brace yourself! Dive deep into the nitty-gritty of longhand properties and their gazillion values.
HelvetiList: Beauty in Simplicity
See the Pen
Untitled by Josh Johnson (@secondfret)
on CodePen.
Josh Johnson crafted this! It’s clean, it’s sleek, and oh boy, that typography? Stunning! Hover for some animation magic.
Skew-tastic List Styles
See the Pen
Transfrom Skew Property and nice List styles by vikas singh (@vikassingh1111)
on CodePen.
Imagine a magazine vibe when you first look at it. Hover over, and it’s like the magazine comes alive. That’s all some slick CSS animation at work.
CSS List-Style: The Three Musketeers
Ever heard of list-style-type, list-style-image, and list-style-position? The CSS list-style property is like the BFF that wraps them all into one.
Shiny Colored Circles
See the Pen
Circle Ordered List Numbers by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Keeping it real simple with CSS lists here.
Image It Up with list-style-image
Get the lowdown on the CSS list-style-image property – how it works, how to use it, and more.
List Glam by Aakhya Singh
See the Pen
CSS list-style-position example by Aakhya Singh (@aakhya)
on CodePen.
Aakhya Singh sprinkled some list style goodness here.
List UI: When HTML Meets CSS
See the Pen
List UI by Collin Smith (@collincodes)
on CodePen.
Collin Smith’s idea is pure fun! Looking for animated list styles? This one’s a total eye-catcher. And yeah, it’s all CSS3.
Random, but Hand-Picked
See the Pen
“Random” Order List by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Play around with the value attribute to pick the perfect marker for your list spot.
Three Lines of Total Customization
See the Pen
Totally Custom List Styles by Stephanie Eckles (@5t3ph)
on CodePen.
Stephanie Eckles came up with this. Think CSS grid – just three lines, and you have responsive columns that adjust to content.
Cycling Through List Symbols
See the Pen
Custom List Symbols by Chris Coyier (@chriscoyier)
on CodePen.
Props to Chris Coyie for this genius design.
FAQ on CSS List Style Examples
How do I remove default bullets from a list?
Use list-style-type: none or the list style none alternatives shorthand property list-style: none. This creates clean lists perfect for navigation menu styling or custom designs. You’ll often need to reset margins and padding too.
ul {
list-style: none;
padding-left: 0;
}
How can I use custom images as bullets?
Apply list-style-image property or use the li::before pseudo-element for better control. The pseudo-element approach is preferred for custom bullet points CSS as it offers more positioning flexibility.
ul {
list-style-image: url('bullet.png');
}
Can I create horizontal lists with CSS?
Yes! Convert vertical list formatting to horizontal using either flexbox list layout, inline list formatting, or CSS grid for list layouts. Simply set display: inline-block or display: flex on your list items for basic horizontal list navigation design.
How do I style nested lists differently?
Target nested lists with descendant selectors to create proper list hierarchy styling and nested list indentation styles. Use different CSS markers for definition lists at each level for visual distinction in your content lists design.
What’s the difference between list-style-type and list-style?
List-style-type controls only the marker type (disc, circle, square, etc.) while list-style shorthand combines list-style-type, list-style-position, and list-style-image in one declaration, making it more efficient for comprehensive CSS list styling methods.
How do I create custom numbered formats?
Use the CSS counter implementation with counter-increment and counter() function for advanced ordered list number formats. This technique offers complete control over CSS numbering formats beyond the standard options.
Can I position list markers inside or outside the content box?
Control marker position with list-style-position property. Values include “inside” or “outside” (default). This affects list marker alignment and text wrapping behavior, critical for proper list item spacing adjustments.
How do I style list items individually?
Target specific list items with classes or :nth-child() selectors for list item decorations. This enables interactive list hover effects and visual separation in your web list appearance when needed for highlighting specific items.
Are CSS list styles supported across all browsers?
Basic list style properties have excellent browser compatibility for list styles, but advanced techniques like custom counters may require testing. Always consider cross-browser compatibility when implementing complex modern list design patterns.
How do I create multi-level dropdown menus with lists?
Build drop-down menu list styling using nested lists with CSS selectors for lists and proper positioning. Add JavaScript for interaction or use the :hover pseudo-class for simple implementations of responsive list design techniques.
Conclusion
CSS list style examples showcase how far beyond basic bullets and numbers we can take our content presentation. With techniques like list animation effects and multi-column list layouts, ordinary information transforms into engaging design elements. The versatility of list typography customization lets you match your brand’s voice perfectly.
Learning to implement list counter implementation and custom counters CSS empowers you to create truly unique presentations. Remember these key benefits:
- Mobile responsiveness ensures your lists work across all devices
- Flexbox list layout creates flexible, dynamic arrangements
- List image bullets add visual distinction to important information
- List border styling creates clear content separation
The best front-end development balances creativity with web accessibility. As you experiment with li::before pseudo-element techniques and list width adjustment, always test across browsers. Your newly styled lists will enhance user experience while maintaining the semantic structure that makes HTML powerful.
If you liked this article about CSS list styles, you should check out this article about CSS star ratings.
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