`symbols()` CSS function

Baseline Widely available

This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It's been available across browsers since July 2015.

The symbols() CSS function enables defining counter styles inline, directly as a value of properties such as list-style, providing a less powerful but simpler alternative to the @counter-style method of defining a counter style.

Unlike @counter-style, which defines a reusable counter style, symbols() is anonymous (i.e., it can only be used once). This function accepts strings and images as values. In comparison, the @counter-style's symbols descriptor also accepts identifiers.

Syntax

symbols() = symbols( <symbols-type>? [ <string> | <image> ]+ );

<symbols-type> can be one of the following:

cyclic: The system cycles through the given values in the order of their definition, and returns to the start when it reaches the end.
numeric: The system interprets the given values as the successive units of a place-value numbering system.
alphabetic: The system interprets the given values as the digits of an alphabetic numbering system, like a place-value numbering system but without 0.
symbolic: The system cycles through the values, printing them an additional time at each cycle (one time for the first cycle, two times for the second, etc.).
fixed: The system cycles through the given values once, then falls back to Arabic numerals.

Formal syntax

<symbols()> = 
  symbols( <symbols-type>? [ <string> | <image> ]+ )

<symbols-type> = 
  cyclic |
  numeric |
  alphabetic |
  symbolic |
  fixed

<image> = 
  <url> |
  <image()> |
  <image-set()> |
  <element()> |
  <paint()> |
  <cross-fade()> |
  <gradient>

<image()> = 
  image( <image-tags>? [ <image-src>? , <color>? ]! )

<image-set()> = 
  image-set( <image-set-option># )

<element()> = 
  element( <id-selector> )

<paint()> = 
  paint( <ident>, <declaration-value>? )

<cross-fade()> = 
  cross-fade( <cf-mixing-image> , <cf-final-image>? )

<gradient> = 
  <linear-gradient()> |
  <repeating-linear-gradient()> |
  <radial-gradient()> |
  <repeating-radial-gradient()> |
  <conic-gradient()> |
  <repeating-conic-gradient()>

<image-tags> = 
  ltr |
  rtl

<image-src> = 
  <url> |
  <string>

<color> = 
  <color-base> |
  currentColor |
  <system-color> |
  <light-dark()> |
  <deprecated-system-color>

<image-set-option> = 
  [ <image> | <string> ] [ <resolution> || type(<string>) ]

<id-selector> = 
  <hash-token>

<cf-mixing-image> = 
  <percentage>? &&
  <image>

<cf-final-image> = 
  <image> |
  <color>

<linear-gradient()> = 
  linear-gradient( [ <linear-gradient-syntax> ] )

<repeating-linear-gradient()> = 
  repeating-linear-gradient( [ <linear-gradient-syntax> ] )

<radial-gradient()> = 
  radial-gradient( [ <radial-gradient-syntax> ] )

<repeating-radial-gradient()> = 
  repeating-radial-gradient( [ <radial-gradient-syntax> ] )

<conic-gradient()> = 
  conic-gradient( [ <conic-gradient-syntax> ] )

<repeating-conic-gradient()> = 
  repeating-conic-gradient( [ <conic-gradient-syntax> ] )

<color-base> = 
  <hex-color> |
  <color-function> |
  <named-color> |
  <color-mix()> |
  transparent

<system-color> = 
  AccentColor |
  AccentColorText |
  ActiveText |
  ButtonBorder |
  ButtonFace |
  ButtonText |
  Canvas |
  CanvasText |
  Field |
  FieldText |
  GrayText |
  Highlight |
  HighlightText |
  LinkText |
  Mark |
  MarkText |
  SelectedItem |
  SelectedItemText |
  VisitedText

<light-dark()> = 
  light-dark( <color>, <color> )

<deprecated-system-color> = 
  ActiveBorder |
  ActiveCaption |
  AppWorkspace |
  Background |
  ButtonHighlight |
  ButtonShadow |
  CaptionText |
  InactiveBorder |
  InactiveCaption |
  InactiveCaptionText |
  InfoBackground |
  InfoText |
  Menu |
  MenuText |
  Scrollbar |
  ThreeDDarkShadow |
  ThreeDFace |
  ThreeDHighlight |
  ThreeDLightShadow |
  ThreeDShadow |
  Window |
  WindowFrame |
  WindowText

<linear-gradient-syntax> = 
  [ [ <angle> | <zero> | to <side-or-corner> ] || <color-interpolation-method> ]? , <color-stop-list>

<radial-gradient-syntax> = 
  [ [ [ <radial-shape> || <radial-size> ]? [ at <position> ]? ] || <color-interpolation-method> ]? , <color-stop-list>

<conic-gradient-syntax> = 
  [ [ [ from [ <angle> | <zero> ] ]? [ at <position> ]? ] || <color-interpolation-method> ]? , <angular-color-stop-list>

<color-function> = 
  <rgb()> |
  <rgba()> |
  <hsl()> |
  <hsla()> |
  <hwb()> |
  <lab()> |
  <lch()> |
  <oklab()> |
  <oklch()> |
  <color()>

<named-color> = 
  aliceblue |
  antiquewhite |
  aqua |
  aquamarine |
  azure |
  beige |
  bisque |
  black |
  blanchedalmond |
  blue |
  blueviolet |
  brown |
  burlywood |
  cadetblue |
  chartreuse |
  chocolate |
  coral |
  cornflowerblue |
  cornsilk |
  crimson |
  cyan |
  darkblue |
  darkcyan |
  darkgoldenrod |
  darkgray |
  darkgreen |
  darkgrey |
  darkkhaki |
  darkmagenta |
  darkolivegreen |
  darkorange |
  darkorchid |
  darkred |
  darksalmon |
  darkseagreen |
  darkslateblue |
  darkslategray |
  darkslategrey |
  darkturquoise |
  darkviolet |
  deeppink |
  deepskyblue |
  dimgray |
  dimgrey |
  dodgerblue |
  firebrick |
  floralwhite |
  forestgreen |
  fuchsia |
  gainsboro |
  ghostwhite |
  gold |
  goldenrod |
  gray |
  green |
  greenyellow |
  grey |
  honeydew |
  hotpink |
  indianred |
  indigo |
  ivory |
  khaki |
  lavender |
  lavenderblush |
  lawngreen |
  lemonchiffon |
  lightblue |
  lightcoral |
  lightcyan |
  lightgoldenrodyellow |
  lightgray |
  lightgreen |
  lightgrey |
  lightpink |
  lightsalmon |
  lightseagreen |
  lightskyblue |
  lightslategray |
  lightslategrey |
  lightsteelblue |
  lightyellow |
  lime |
  limegreen |
  linen |
  magenta |
  maroon |
  mediumaquamarine |
  mediumblue |
  mediumorchid |
  mediumpurple |
  mediumseagreen |
  mediumslateblue |
  mediumspringgreen |
  mediumturquoise |
  mediumvioletred |
  midnightblue |
  mintcream |
  mistyrose |
  moccasin |
  navajowhite |
  navy |
  oldlace |
  olive |
  olivedrab |
  orange |
  orangered |
  orchid |
  palegoldenrod |
  palegreen |
  paleturquoise |
  palevioletred |
  papayawhip |
  peachpuff |
  peru |
  pink |
  plum |
  powderblue |
  purple |
  rebeccapurple |
  red |
  rosybrown |
  royalblue |
  saddlebrown |
  salmon |
  sandybrown |
  seagreen |
  seashell |
  sienna |
  silver |
  skyblue |
  slateblue |
  slategray |
  slategrey |
  snow |
  springgreen |
  steelblue |
  tan |
  teal |
  thistle |
  tomato |
  turquoise |
  violet |
  wheat |
  white |
  whitesmoke |
  yellow |
  yellowgreen

<color-mix()> = 
  color-mix( <color-interpolation-method> , [ <color> && <percentage [0,100]>? ]#{2})

<side-or-corner> = 
  [ left | right ] ||
  [ top | bottom ]

<color-interpolation-method> = 
  in [ <rectangular-color-space> | <polar-color-space> <hue-interpolation-method>? | <custom-color-space> ]

<color-stop-list> = 
  <linear-color-stop> , [ <linear-color-hint>? , <linear-color-stop> ]#?

<radial-shape> = 
  circle |
  ellipse

<radial-size> = 
  <radial-extent> |
  <length [0,∞]> |
  <length-percentage [0,∞]>{2}

<position> = 
  [ [ left | center | right ] || [ top | center | bottom ] | [ left | center | right | <length-percentage> ] [ top | center | bottom | <length-percentage> ]? | [ [ left | right ] <length-percentage> ] && [ [ top | bottom ] <length-percentage> ] ]

<angular-color-stop-list> = 
  <angular-color-stop> , [ <angular-color-hint>? , <angular-color-stop> ]#?

<rgb()> = 
  rgb( <percentage>#{3} , <alpha-value>? ) |
  rgb( <number>#{3} , <alpha-value>? ) |
  rgb( [ <number> | <percentage> | none ]{3} [ / [ <alpha-value> | none ] ]? )

<rgba()> = 
  rgba( <percentage>#{3} , <alpha-value>? ) |
  rgba( <number>#{3} , <alpha-value>? ) |
  rgba( [ <number> | <percentage> | none ]{3} [ / [ <alpha-value> | none ] ]? )

<hsl()> = 
  hsl( <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value>? ) |
  hsl( [ <hue> | none ] [ <percentage> | <number> | none ] [ <percentage> | <number> | none ] [ / [ <alpha-value> | none ] ]? )

<hsla()> = 
  hsla( <hue>, <percentage>, <percentage>, <alpha-value>? ) |
  hsla( [ <hue> | none ] [ <percentage> | <number> | none ] [ <percentage> | <number> | none ] [ / [ <alpha-value> | none ] ]? )

<hwb()> = 
  hwb( [ <hue> | none ] [ <percentage> | <number> | none ] [ <percentage> | <number> | none ] [ / [ <alpha-value> | none ] ]? )

<lab()> = 
  lab( [<percentage> | <number> | none] [ <percentage> | <number> | none] [ <percentage> | <number> | none] [ / [<alpha-value> | none] ]? )

<lch()> = 
  lch( [<percentage> | <number> | none] [ <percentage> | <number> | none] [ <hue> | none] [ / [<alpha-value> | none] ]? )

<oklab()> = 
  oklab( [ <percentage> | <number> | none] [ <percentage> | <number> | none] [ <percentage> | <number> | none] [ / [<alpha-value> | none] ]? )

<oklch()> = 
  oklch( [ <percentage> | <number> | none] [ <percentage> | <number> | none] [ <hue> | none] [ / [<alpha-value> | none] ]? )

<color()> = 
  color( [ from <color> ]? <colorspace-params> [ / [ <alpha-value> | none ] ]? )

<rectangular-color-space> = 
  srgb |
  srgb-linear |
  display-p3 |
  display-p3-linear |
  a98-rgb |
  prophoto-rgb |
  rec2020 |
  lab |
  oklab |
  xyz |
  xyz-d50 |
  xyz-d65

<polar-color-space> = 
  hsl |
  hwb |
  lch |
  oklch

<hue-interpolation-method> = 
  [ shorter | longer | increasing | decreasing ] hue

<custom-color-space> = 
  <dashed-ident>

<linear-color-stop> = 
  <color> <color-stop-length>?

<linear-color-hint> = 
  <length-percentage>

<radial-extent> = 
  closest-corner |
  closest-side |
  farthest-corner |
  farthest-side

<length-percentage> = 
  <length> |
  <percentage>

<angular-color-stop> = 
  <color> <color-stop-angle>?

<angular-color-hint> = 
  <angle-percentage> |
  <zero>

<alpha-value> = 
  <number> |
  <percentage>

<hue> = 
  <number> |
  <angle>

<colorspace-params> = 
  [<custom-params> | <predefined-rgb-params> | <xyz-params>]

<color-stop-length> = 
  <length-percentage>{1,2}

<color-stop-angle> = 
  [ <angle-percentage> | <zero> ]{1,2}

<angle-percentage> = 
  <angle> |
  <percentage>

<custom-params> = 
  <dashed-ident> [ <number> | <percentage> | none ]+

<predefined-rgb-params> = 
  <predefined-rgb> [ <number> | <percentage> | none ]{3}

<xyz-params> = 
  <xyz> [ <number> | <percentage> | none ]{3}

<predefined-rgb> = 
  srgb |
  srgb-linear |
  display-p3 |
  display-p3-linear |
  a98-rgb |
  prophoto-rgb |
  rec2020

<xyz> = 
  xyz |
  xyz-d50 |
  xyz-d65

Examples

HTML

<ol>
  <li>One</li>
  <li>Two</li>
  <li>Three</li>
  <li>Four</li>
  <li>Five</li>
</ol>

CSS

ol {
  list-style: symbols(cyclic "*" "†" "‡");
}

Result

Specifications

Specification
CSS Counter Styles Level 3 # symbols-function

Browser compatibility

	Desktop					Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Opera	Safari	Chrome Android	Firefox for Android	Opera Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet	WebView Android	WebView on iOS
`symbols`	preview	No	35	No	No	No	35	No	No	No	No	No