CSS Function

saturate()

The saturate() filter function adjusts the saturation of an element's rendering, making colors more vivid or muted.

Syntax

filter: saturate(amount)

Parameters

NameTypeRequiredDescription
amountnumber | percentageYesSaturation multiplier: 0 (grayscale), 1/100% (original), >1 (super-saturated)

Examples

Grayscale equivalent

Completely desaturates to grayscale.

css
img {
  filter: saturate(0);
}

Vivid colors

Boosts color saturation by 50%.

css
.hero {
  filter: saturate(1.5);
}

Tailwind utility

Tailwind provides saturate-{value} utilities.

html
<img class="saturate-150 hover:saturate-200 transition" src="photo.jpg" />

Browser Support

Chrome

v18++

Firefox

v35++

Safari

v6++

Edge

v12++

Opera

v15++

Tailwind Equivalent

You can achieve similar results in Tailwind CSS using the following utility classes:

saturate-{value}: saturate-0, saturate-50, saturate-100, saturate-150, saturate-200

Frequently Asked Questions

Is saturate(0) the same as grayscale(1)?
Visually similar but technically different algorithms. grayscale() is defined specifically for grayscale conversion. Both produce a desaturated result.
Can oversaturation cause clipping?
Yes. Values much greater than 1 can push color channels beyond their displayable range, causing clipping and banding artifacts.

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