HTML Guide for background
background CSS property has an invalid value; "from" is not recognized as a valid color or background value.
The background property in CSS can accept color names, hex codes, rgb/rgba values, or CSS keywords, but "from" is not valid. Sometimes this error can appear if using incorrect CSS gradient syntax, where "from" is not a recognized value.
Detailed Explanation
In standard HTML and CSS, a background can be set using:
- Hex color codes, such as #fff or #ffffff
- Named colors, such as red or blue
- Functions, such as rgb(255,0,0) or linear-gradient(...)
If you wrote something like:
background: from #fff to #000;
or
background: "from";
neither is valid CSS.
To use gradients, use correct linear-gradient() or radial-gradient() syntax:
background: linear-gradient(to right, #fff, #000);
For a solid color:
background: #fff;
HTML Examples
Incorrect CSS:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>Incorrect CSS</title>
<style>
div {
background: from #fff to #000; /* Invalid syntax */
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div>Bad background</div>
</body>
</html>
Correct CSS (Gradient):
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>Correct CSS Gradient</title>
<style>
div {
background: linear-gradient(to right, #fff, #000);
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div>Good background</div>
</body>
</html>
Correct CSS (Solid Color):
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>Correct CSS Color</title>
<style>
div {
background: #fff;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div>White background</div>
</body>
</html>
Always use a valid color value or gradient function for the background property.
Use the correct direction keyword syntax in CSS gradients: replace top with to top.
In CSS Images Level 4, the first argument of linear-gradient() should either be an angle (e.g., 180deg) or a direction using the to keyword (e.g., to top, to right). Older syntax like linear-gradient(top, ...) is no longer valid and triggers validator errors. Valid forms include: linear-gradient(to top, #fff, #000), linear-gradient(180deg, #fff, #000), or simply omit the direction to default to to bottom. Keep gradients in your CSS, not HTML attributes. The style attribute or a stylesheet can set the background or background-image with a valid gradient function.
HTML Examples
Example showing the issue
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>Gradient Issue</title>
<style>
.box {
width: 200px;
height: 100px;
background: linear-gradient(top, #ffffff, #000000); /* invalid */
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="box"></div>
</body>
</html>
Fixed example (valid syntax)
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<title>Gradient Fixed</title>
<style>
.box {
width: 200px;
height: 100px;
/* Option A: direction keyword */
background: linear-gradient(to top, #ffffff, #000000);
/* Option B: angle (equivalent) */
/* background: linear-gradient(0deg, #ffffff, #000000); */
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="box"></div>
</body>
</html>
There’s an invalid value for the background property in your CSS. The W3C HTML Validator has attempted to match the value to a background color, without success.
Here’s how to resolve this issue:
-
Identify the Correct CSS Configuration: The background property in CSS can take various forms, such as a color, an image, or a combination of background components. Ensure you provide a valid value.
-
Correct the Value: If you meant to set a background color, use a valid color format (e.g., hexadecimal, RGB, RGBA, named color, etc.).
Valid CSS Examples:
-
Using a named color:
.example { background: blue; }
-
Using a hexadecimal color:
.example { background: #00ff00; }
-
Using an RGB color:
.example { background: rgb(255, 0, 0); }
-
Using an RGBA color (with transparency):
.example { background: rgba(255, 0, 0, 0.5); }
-
Setting an image as background:
.example { background: url('image.jpg'); }
-
Combining multiple background properties:
.example { background: url('image.jpg') no-repeat center/cover; }