Customize Radio and Checkbox with CSS

Question

Is it possible to customize the look of radio and checkboxes only using CSS? I see there is a lot out there regarding this, but most solutions require the use of images and javascript.

Answer 1

Looks like the guys at bootswatch.com do a nice job of customizing inputs with pure CSS. I simplified their approach on the fiddle here: https://jsfiddle.net/mthomas9261/qujbq4gs/

HTML:

<input type="radio" value="a" name="test">
<input type="radio" value="b" name="test">

<input type="checkbox" name="a" value="a">
<input type="checkbox" name="b" value="b">

CSS:

/*****************************************************
******************      Radio        *****************
******************************************************/

/* Hide Original Radio Button */
input[type="radio"] {
  position: relative;
  margin-top: 6px;
  margin-right: 4px;
  vertical-align: top;
  border: none;
  background-color: transparent;
  -webkit-appearance: none;
  appearance: none;
  cursor: pointer;
}
/* Remove standard blue selection outline */
input[type="radio"]:focus {
  outline: none;
}
/* New radio button */
input[type="radio"]:before,
input[type="radio"]:after {
  content: "";
  display: block;
  width: 14px;
  height: 14px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  -webkit-transition: 240ms;
  -o-transition: 240ms;
  transition: 240ms;
}
input[type="radio"]:before {
  position: absolute;
  left: 1px;
  top: -2px;
  background-color: red;
  -webkit-transform: scale(0);
  -ms-transform: scale(0);
  -o-transform: scale(0);
  transform: scale(0);
}
input[type="radio"]:after {
  position: relative;
  top: -3px;
  border: 1px solid #E0E0E0;
}
/* New radio checked */
input[type="radio"]:checked:before {
  -webkit-transform: scale(0.5);
  -ms-transform: scale(0.5);
  -o-transform: scale(0.5);
  transform: scale(0.5);
}
input[type="radio"]:checked:after {
  border-color: #E0E0E0;
}
/* New radio disabled */
input[type="radio"]:disabled:after,
input[type="radio"]:disabled:checked:after {
  border-color: #F1F1F1;
}
input[type="radio"]:disabled:checked:before {
  background-color: #F1F1F1;
}

/*****************************************************
****************      Checkbox        ****************
******************************************************/
/* Hide Original Checkbox  */
input[type="checkbox"] {
  position: relative;
  border: none;
  margin-bottom: -4px;
  -webkit-appearance: none;
  appearance: none;
  cursor: pointer;
}
/* Display New Checkox */
input[type="checkbox"] {
  position: relative;
  border: none;
  margin-bottom: -4px;
  -webkit-appearance: none;
  appearance: none;
  cursor: pointer;
}
input[type="checkbox"]:focus,
.checkbox input[type="checkbox"]:focus,
.checkbox-inline input[type="checkbox"]:focus {
  outline: none;
}
input[type="checkbox"]:focus:after,
.checkbox input[type="checkbox"]:focus:after,
.checkbox-inline input[type="checkbox"]:focus:after {
  border-color: #E0E0E0;
}
input[type="checkbox"]:after,
.checkbox input[type="checkbox"]:after,
.checkbox-inline input[type="checkbox"]:after {
  content: "";
  display: block;
  width: 14px;
  height: 14px;
  margin-top: -2px;
  margin-right: 5px;
  border: 1px solid #E0E0E0;
  border-radius: 1px;
  -webkit-transition: 240ms;
  -o-transition: 240ms;
  transition: 240ms;
}
/* Checkbox Checked  */
input[type="checkbox"]:checked:before {
  content: "";
  position: absolute;
  top: -2px;
  left: 5px;
  display: table;
  width: 4px;
  height: 9px;
  border: 3px solid red;
  border-top-width: 0;
  border-left-width: 0;
  -webkit-transform: rotate(45deg);
  -ms-transform: rotate(45deg);
  -o-transform: rotate(45deg);
  transform: rotate(45deg);
}
input[type="checkbox"]:checked:after {
  border-color: #E0E0E0;
}
/* Checkbox Disabled  */
input[type="checkbox"]:disabled:after {
  border-color: #F1F1F1;
}
input[type="checkbox"]:disabled:checked:after {
  background-color: #F1F1F1;
  border-color: transparent;
}