Build a Segmented Control using HTML + CSS

Published on: Sep 09, 24

Updated on: Sep 15, 24

Segmented Control is quite popular in Mobile, this is how it looks in iOS & Android. Considering it’s popularity, there is a wide adoption in web as well.

Today we will be building a segmented control to toggle colour schemes on our website, rather recreate the one found on the footer of Apple Developer website.

Segmented Control in Apple Developer website (dark mode)

Segmented Control in Apple Developer website (light mode)

Choosing the right UI element

I am writing this article as I am building it, so hopefully it will be simple to understand & will cover most of the grounds.

From what we already know, the right UI for this component would be a radio input as we can select only one segment at a time. So, let’s try to add 3 radio inputs to an index.html

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">

<body>
  <input id="light-color-scheme-radio" type="radio">
  <label for="light-color-scheme-radio">Light</label>

  <input id="dark-color-scheme-radio" type="radio">
  <label for="dark-color-scheme-radio">Dark</label>

  <input id="auto-color-scheme-radio" type="radio">
  <label for="auto-color-scheme-radio">Auto</label>
</body>

</html>

index.html

Output

Radio Buttons chosen for Segmented Controls

Styling Decisions

Looks like the horizontal alignment is fine, we need to change few things:

hide the radio circle

change background & foreground colour of selected input

Hide the `radio` circle

Let’s add an index.css, we would need to wrap the radio buttons on a div , then change the display property of div.input

<head>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>

<body>
  <div class="color-scheme-segment-control">
    <input id="light-color-scheme-segment" type="radio">
    <label for="light-color-scheme-segment">Light</label>

    <input id="dark-color-scheme-segment" type="radio">
    <label for="dark-color-scheme-segment">Dark</label>

    <input id="auto-color-scheme-segment" type="radio">
    <label for="auto-color-scheme-segment">Auto</label>
  </div>
</body>

index.html

.color-scheme-segment-control input {
  display: none;
}

index.css

Output

Radio buttons with radio circle hidden

Change background & foreground colour of selected `input`

This is tricky, whenever a radio input is selected, we need to somehow change the style of its corresponding label

From w3schools CSS Selector Reference, looks like [element + element] (as referenced here) might do the job, let’s try by setting first input as checked

<div class="color-scheme-segment-control">
    <input id="light-color-scheme-segment" type="radio" checked>
		<label for="light-color-scheme-segment">Light</label>
		...
</div>

index.html

#light-color-scheme-segment:checked + label {
  background-color: blue;
}

index.css

Output

Radio buttons with a selected state

okay, it works, but that means we have to duplicate the same style for other inputs as well. Is there a way to combine the style for all the inputs ? May be if we gave them all the same name & somehow apply style to that name instead 🤔

From w3schools CSS Selector Reference, looks like [*attribute*~=*value*] (as referenced here) might do the job, let’s try (we need to check if it works upon selection & deselection also)

<div class="color-scheme-segment-control">
    <input id="light-color-scheme-segment" name="color-scheme-segment-input" type="radio" checked>
    <label for="light-color-scheme-segment">Light</label>

    <input id="dark-color-scheme-segment" name="color-scheme-segment-input" type="radio">
    <label for="dark-color-scheme-segment">Dark</label>

    <input id="auto-color-scheme-segment" name="color-scheme-segment-input" type="radio">
    <label for="auto-color-scheme-segment">Auto</label>
</div>

index.html

[name~="color-scheme-segment-input"]:checked + label {
  background-color: blue;
}

index.css

Output

Radio buttons interaction with selected & unselected state

Awesome 🥳 it works, even on selection & deselection

From here on, it should be easy for us to add other styles like foreground colour on selection.

Final Styling

1) Outer div should place the inputs & labels in centre

.color-scheme-segment-control {
  display: inline-flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-content: center;
}

index.css

2) Outer div should have some padding , border & capsule-button like look (we can achieve it by giving a really big corner radius)

.color-scheme-segment-control {
  padding: 1px;
  border: solid 1px #306FDB;
  /* To make it look like a capsule */
  border-radius: 1000px;
}

index.css

3) labels should have some padding (more on horizontal), default (unselected) foreground colour, reduced font size & capsule-button like look

.color-scheme-segment-control label {
  padding: 3px 8px;
  color: #306FDB;
  font-size: 0.75rem;
  /* To make it look like a capsule */
  border-radius: 1000px;
}

index.css

4) labels should have a selected foreground & background colour

[name~="color-scheme-segment-input"]:checked+label {
  color: white;
  background-color: #306FDB;
}

index.css

That’s it, this is how our final code will looks like

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">

<head>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>

<body>
  <h1>Segment Control Demo</h1>
  <div class="color-scheme-segment-control">
    <input id="light-color-scheme-segment" name="color-scheme-segment-input" type="radio" checked>
    <label for="light-color-scheme-segment">Light</label>

    <input id="dark-color-scheme-segment" name="color-scheme-segment-input" type="radio">
    <label for="dark-color-scheme-segment">Dark</label>

    <input id="auto-color-scheme-segment" name="color-scheme-segment-input" type="radio">
    <label for="auto-color-scheme-segment">Auto</label>
  </div>
</body>

</html>

index.html

.color-scheme-segment-control {
  display: inline-flex;
  justify-content: center;
  align-content: center;
  padding: 1px;
  border: solid 1px #306FDB;
  /* To make it look like a capsule */
  border-radius: 1000px;
}

.color-scheme-segment-control input {
  display: none;
}

.color-scheme-segment-control label {
  padding: 3px 8px;
  color: #306FDB;
  font-size: 0.75rem;
  /* To make it look like a capsule */
  border-radius: 1000px;
}

[name~="color-scheme-segment-input"]:checked+label {
  color: white;
  background-color: #306FDB;
}

index.css

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Demo

Now, it looks pretty similar to Segmented Control on Apple Developer Website. Hooray 🥳 🥂

Segmented Control final demo

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Build a Segmented Control using HTML + CSS

Choosing the right UI element

Styling Decisions

Hide the radio circle

Change background & foreground colour of selected input

Final Styling

Demo

Hide the `radio` circle

Change background & foreground colour of selected `input`