Progressive Blur

name: progressive-blur
description: Create a layered CSS progressive blur (top or bottom) using multiple backdrop-filter masks for depth and softness. Use when asked for “progressive blur”, “gradient blur overlay”, or stepped blur masks that fade from an edge of the viewport.

Progressive Blur Skill

Workflow

1. Confirm placement (top or bottom), height, and z-index relative to UI.
2. Provide the matching snippet and a short usage checklist.
3. Offer only targeted tweaks (height, blur steps, direction, opacity stops).

Usage checklist

• Insert the HTML inside <body>.
• Keep the .gradient-blur element near the top of the DOM.
• Ensure the background behind it exists (backdrop-filter blurs what is behind).
• Adjust z-index to sit above content but below modals.

Top blur (from top)

<div class="gradient-blur">
  <div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div>
</div>
<style>
  .gradient-blur {
    position: fixed;
    z-index: 5;
    inset: 0 0 auto 0;
    height: 12%;
    pointer-events: none;
  }

  .gradient-blur > div,
  .gradient-blur::before,
  .gradient-blur::after {
    position: absolute;
    inset: 0;
  }

  .gradient-blur::before {
    content: "";
    z-index: 1;
    backdrop-filter: blur(0.5px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to top,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 12.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 25%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 37.5%);
  }

  .gradient-blur > div:nth-of-type(1) {
    z-index: 2;
    backdrop-filter: blur(1px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to top,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 12.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 25%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 37.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%);
  }

  .gradient-blur > div:nth-of-type(2) {
    z-index: 3;
    backdrop-filter: blur(2px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to top,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 25%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 37.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 50%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 62.5%);
  }

  .gradient-blur > div:nth-of-type(3) {
    z-index: 4;
    backdrop-filter: blur(4px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to top,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 37.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 50%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 62.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 75%);
  }

  .gradient-blur > div:nth-of-type(4) {
    z-index: 5;
    backdrop-filter: blur(8px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to top,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 62.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 75%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 87.5%);
  }

  .gradient-blur > div:nth-of-type(5) {
    z-index: 6;
    backdrop-filter: blur(16px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to top,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 62.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 75%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 87.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 100%);
  }

  .gradient-blur > div:nth-of-type(6) {
    z-index: 7;
    backdrop-filter: blur(32px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to top,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 75%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 87.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 100%);
  }

  .gradient-blur::after {
    content: "";
    z-index: 8;
    backdrop-filter: blur(64px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to top,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 87.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 100%);
  }
</style>

Bottom blur (from bottom)

<div class="gradient-blur">
  <div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div>
</div>
<style>
  .gradient-blur {
    position: fixed;
    z-index: 5;
    inset: auto 0 0 0;
    height: 65%;
    pointer-events: none;
  }

  .gradient-blur > div,
  .gradient-blur::before,
  .gradient-blur::after {
    position: absolute;
    inset: 0;
  }

  .gradient-blur::before {
    content: "";
    z-index: 1;
    backdrop-filter: blur(0.5px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to bottom,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 0%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 12.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 25%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 37.5%);
  }

  .gradient-blur > div:nth-of-type(1) {
    z-index: 2;
    backdrop-filter: blur(1px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to bottom,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 12.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 25%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 37.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%);
  }

  .gradient-blur > div:nth-of-type(2) {
    z-index: 3;
    backdrop-filter: blur(2px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to bottom,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 25%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 37.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 50%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 62.5%);
  }

  .gradient-blur > div:nth-of-type(3) {
    z-index: 4;
    backdrop-filter: blur(4px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to bottom,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 37.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 50%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 62.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 75%);
  }

  .gradient-blur > div:nth-of-type(4) {
    z-index: 5;
    backdrop-filter: blur(8px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to bottom,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 50%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 62.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 75%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 87.5%);
  }

  .gradient-blur > div:nth-of-type(5) {
    z-index: 6;
    backdrop-filter: blur(16px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to bottom,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 62.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 75%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 87.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 100%);
  }

  .gradient-blur > div:nth-of-type(6) {
    z-index: 7;
    backdrop-filter: blur(32px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to bottom,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 75%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 87.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 100%);
  }

  .gradient-blur::after {
    content: "";
    z-index: 8;
    backdrop-filter: blur(64px);
    mask: linear-gradient(to bottom,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 87.5%,
      rgba(0, 0, 0, 1) 100%);
  }
</style>

Customization knobs

• Direction: flip to top ↔ to bottom.
• Height: adjust .gradient-blur height percentage.
• Strength: change blur values (0.5px → 64px).
• Steps: add/remove layers to control smoothness.

Common pitfalls

• backdrop-filter needs content behind it; it will not blur a flat background.
• High blur values are GPU-heavy; reduce steps on low-end devices.
• Ensure pointer-events: none stays to avoid blocking clicks.

Questions to ask when specs are missing

• Should the blur start from the top or bottom?
• How tall should the blur area be?
• Is performance a concern on lower-end devices?