Add a shadow to any image
A shadow lifts a picture off the page. This free tool lets you add a shadow to an image the way designers do it: a soft drop shadow with offset, blur, spread, colour and opacity; a flat-design long shadow that stretches out at any angle; or a coloured glow around a logo, sticker or product cut-out.
The canvas grows automatically so the shadow is never cropped, and the area around it stays transparent when you save as PNG or WebP — drop the result onto a slide, web page or social graphic and the shadow blends with whatever is behind it. For photos with transparent backgrounds the shadow follows the outline of the subject, not its rectangular box. Images are processed in your browser and never uploaded.
How to add a drop shadow to a photo
- Drop one or more images onto the upload area, click it to choose files, or paste a screenshot with Ctrl+V.
- Choose the effect: Drop shadow, Long shadow or Glow, and whether sizes are in pixels or % of the image’s shorter side.
- Set the offset, blur and spread (or the angle and length for a long shadow), then pick the colour and opacity.
- Optionally round the image’s corners and add extra space around everything.
- Choose PNG, WebP or JPG and press Download. Several images are saved together as a ZIP.
Image Shadow features
Full drop-shadow control
Horizontal and vertical offset (negative values work), blur, spread, any colour and 0–100% opacity — the same controls as CSS box-shadow.
Long shadow
A crisp flat-design shadow at any angle from 0° to 360°, solid or fading out along its length.
Glow
An even halo in any colour with adjustable size, spread and intensity — great for stickers, logos and gaming thumbnails.
Follows transparent shapes
PNG cut-outs cast shadows shaped like the subject; opaque photos get a clean rectangular or rounded shadow.
Canvas that fits
The output grows on whichever sides the shadow reaches, plus optional extra space, so nothing is clipped.
Batch, private, free
Apply one look to a whole set of product photos or screenshots and download a ZIP. No upload, no watermark.
What each shadow setting does
The blur behaves like the blur radius in CSS: a value of B softens the edge over roughly B pixels on each side. To build the same effect for a web element instead of an image file, use the Box Shadow Generator; for headings, the Text Shadow Generator.
| Setting | Effect | Typical value |
|---|---|---|
| Offset X / Y | Moves the shadow right/down (negative: left/up), implying where the light comes from | 1–3% for a soft lift; 0 for an even glow |
| Blur | Softens the edge. The canvas grows by about 1.5 × the blur so the soft tail is not cut off | 3–6% for photos, 0 for a hard “sticker” shadow |
| Spread | Grows the shadow before blurring, making it larger and denser | 0–1% |
| Opacity | How dark the shadow is | 25–50% for realistic depth |
| Extra space | Empty margin around the whole result | 2–5% for social posts |
Drop shadow, long shadow or glow?
- Drop shadow — the realistic choice. A small downward offset with a soft blur at 30–45% opacity makes screenshots, book covers and product photos look like they float above the page.
- Long shadow — a graphic, flat-design style popular for icons and bold social posts. A 45° angle with the fade switched on keeps it from overpowering the subject.
- Glow — no offset, the shadow spreads evenly on every side. A white glow outlines a cut-out like a sticker; a neon colour suits gaming and event graphics; a dark glow separates light objects from a light background.
Getting the cleanest result
Shadows look best on transparent PNGs. If your picture has a plain background you want gone, remove it before adding the shadow, so the shadow takes the shape of the subject. For screenshots, round the corners slightly with the “Round image corners” setting — the shadow follows the rounded shape — or use Rounded Corners for circles and ellipses.
Save as PNG or WebP to keep the soft shadow semi-transparent. JPG cannot store transparency, so the shadow is flattened onto the background colour you choose; pick the colour of the page or slide the image will sit on and the result looks identical. A reflection on a glossy floor is a different effect — try Image Reflection.
Image Shadow FAQ
How do I add a drop shadow to an image?
Add the image, keep the effect on Drop shadow, adjust the offset, blur and opacity until the preview looks right, and press Download. The shadow is added outside the image, so the photo itself is unchanged.
Why does my image get bigger?
The shadow needs room. The canvas grows on the sides the shadow reaches — about one and a half times the blur plus the spread and offset — so the soft edge is never cut off. Set offset, blur and extra space to 0 if you want the smallest file.
Will the background around the shadow be transparent?
Yes, when you save as PNG or WebP. The shadow is semi-transparent too, so it blends with any background. JPG fills the transparent area with a solid colour.
Can I add a shadow to a PNG with a transparent background?
Yes. The shadow follows the shape of the visible pixels — a round logo casts a round shadow, and spread grows that shape outward evenly.
How do I make a long shadow?
Choose Long shadow, set the angle (45° points to the bottom right) and the length, and decide whether it should fade out. A darker colour at 25–40% opacity looks best.
How do I add a glow around an image?
Choose Glow, pick a colour, then increase the glow size and intensity. A little spread makes the glow denser right next to the image.
Are my images uploaded?
No. The shadow is drawn with your browser’s canvas and the files are saved directly to your device.