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CSS rotate3d() Function – How to Rotate Elements in 3D

rotate3d() transforms an element by rotating it three-dimensionally around the x-, y-, and z-axis.

Illustration of the 3D Cartesian coordinate system

A three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system showing the X-, Y-, and Z-axis

Syntax of the CSS rotate3d() Function

Section titled “Syntax of the CSS rotate3d() Function”

rotate3d() accepts four arguments. Here is the syntax:

element {
  transform: rotate3d(x, y, z, angle);
}

Note the following:

  • The x, y, and z arguments are numbers specifying the x-, y-, and z-coordinates.
  • The coordinates are the axis around which the element will rotate.
  • The angle argument specifies the element’s angle of rotation.
  • angle can be in degree, gradian, radian, or turn.
  • An angle argument consists of a number followed by the unit you wish to use—for instance, 45deg.

Examples of the CSS rotate3d() Function

Section titled “Examples of the CSS rotate3d() Function”

Below are some examples of how the CSS rotate3d() function works.

How to do a 70-degree rotation around the Z-axis

Section titled “How to do a 70-degree rotation around the Z-axis”
img {
  transform: rotate3d(0, 0, 1, 70deg);
  width: 80%;
}

Try Editing It

The snippet above used the rotate3d() function to specify a seventy-degree (70⁰) rotation for the image around the Z-axis.

How to do a 70-degree rotation around the X-, Y-, and Z-axis

Section titled “How to do a 70-degree rotation around the X-, Y-, and Z-axis”
img {
  transform: rotate3d(1, 1, 1, 70deg);
  width: 80%;
}

Try Editing It

The snippet above used the rotate3d() function to specify a seventy-degree (70⁰) rotation for the image around the x-, y-, and z-axis.

CSS rotate3d() Function vs. rotate Property: What’s the Difference?

Section titled “CSS rotate3d() Function vs. rotate Property: What’s the Difference?”

CSS rotate3d() functions and CSS rotate property provide two similar ways to specify rotation transformations.

The main differences between the two rotation techniques are as follows:

  • The CSS rotate property allows rotating an element without using the CSS transform property.
  • The CSS rotate property’s syntax is shorter than its function alternative.
  • The CSS rotate property saves you from remembering the specific order to position the transform functions.
  • Browsers calculate the transform functions’ matrix in the order you assigned them to the CSS transform property—from left to right.
  • Browsers calculate the transform properties’ matrix in the following transformation matrix order:
    1. translate
    2. rotate
    3. scale

Here’s an example:

Use CSS rotate property to do a 70-degree rotation around the X-, Y-, and Z-axis:

img {
  rotate: 1 1 1 70deg; /* Equal to a transform: rotate3d(1, 1, 1, 70deg) property */
  width: 80%;
}

Try Editing It

The snippet above used the rotate property to specify a seventy-degree (70⁰) rotation for the image around the x-, y-, and z-axis.

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