Background

Background utilities paint an element with a theme colour, a subtle tint, the body surface or a gradient. Combine bg-{colour} with bg-opacity-* or the --ui-bg-opacity variable to fade it, and prefer the text-bg-* helpers or -emphasis text colours so contrast stays readable in light and dark mode.

1Theme colour backgrounds

bg-primary to bg-dark fill an element with a theme colour. Pair them with a readable text colour.

bg-primary

bg-secondary

bg-success

bg-danger

bg-warning

bg-info

bg-light

bg-dark

<div class="row g-2 small">
  <div class="col-6 col-md-3">
    <div class="bg-primary text-white rounded-2 p-3">
      bg-primary
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-6 col-md-3">
    <div class="bg-secondary text-white rounded-2 p-3">
      bg-secondary
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-6 col-md-3">
    <div class="bg-success text-white rounded-2 p-3">
      bg-success
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-6 col-md-3">
    <div class="bg-danger text-white rounded-2 p-3">
      bg-danger
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-6 col-md-3">
    <div class="bg-warning text-dark rounded-2 p-3">
      bg-warning
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-6 col-md-3">
    <div class="bg-info text-dark rounded-2 p-3">
      bg-info
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-6 col-md-3">
    <div class="bg-light text-dark rounded-2 p-3 border">
      bg-light
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-6 col-md-3">
    <div class="bg-dark text-white rounded-2 p-3">
      bg-dark
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

2Subtle backgrounds

The -subtle variants are soft tints that work in light and dark mode; use the matching -emphasis text colour.

bg-primary-subtle

bg-success-subtle

bg-warning-subtle

bg-danger-subtle

bg-info-subtle

<div class="d-grid gap-2">
  <div class="bg-primary-subtle text-primary-emphasis rounded-3 px-3 py-2">
    bg-primary-subtle
  </div>
  <div class="bg-success-subtle text-success-emphasis rounded-3 px-3 py-2">
    bg-success-subtle
  </div>
  <div class="bg-warning-subtle text-warning-emphasis rounded-3 px-3 py-2">
    bg-warning-subtle
  </div>
  <div class="bg-danger-subtle text-danger-emphasis rounded-3 px-3 py-2">
    bg-danger-subtle
  </div>
  <div class="bg-info-subtle text-info-emphasis rounded-3 px-3 py-2">
    bg-info-subtle
  </div>
</div>

3Body backgrounds

bg-body, bg-body-secondary and bg-body-tertiary follow the page surface and adapt to colour mode.

bg-body - the page itself

bg-body-secondary - side panels

bg-body-tertiary - wells and inputs

<div class="border rounded-4 overflow-hidden">
  <div class="bg-body p-3 border-bottom">
    <code>bg-body</code> - the page itself
  </div>
  <div class="bg-body-secondary p-3 border-bottom">
    <code>bg-body-secondary</code> - side panels
  </div>
  <div class="bg-body-tertiary p-3">
    <code>bg-body-tertiary</code> - wells and inputs
  </div>
</div>

4Text and background together

text-bg-{colour} sets the background and a contrasting text colour in one class.

text-bg-primary text-bg-warning text-bg-info text-bg-light text-bg-dark

<div class="d-flex flex-wrap gap-2">
  <span class="text-bg-primary rounded-pill px-3 py-1">text-bg-primary</span> <span class="text-bg-warning rounded-pill px-3 py-1">text-bg-warning</span> <span class="text-bg-info rounded-pill px-3 py-1">text-bg-info</span> <span class="text-bg-light rounded-pill px-3 py-1 border">text-bg-light</span> <span class="text-bg-dark rounded-pill px-3 py-1">text-bg-dark</span> 
</div>

5Background opacity steps

bg-opacity-10, -25, -50, -75 and -100 fade a theme background in fixed steps.

100

<div class="d-flex flex-wrap gap-2">
  <div class="bg-success bg-opacity-100 text-white rounded-3 p-3 small">
    100
  </div>
  <div class="bg-success bg-opacity-75 text-white rounded-3 p-3 small">
    75
  </div>
  <div class="bg-success bg-opacity-50 rounded-3 p-3 small">
    50
  </div>
  <div class="bg-success bg-opacity-25 rounded-3 p-3 small">
    25
  </div>
  <div class="bg-success bg-opacity-10 rounded-3 p-3 small">
    10
  </div>
</div>

6Gradient overlay

bg-gradient adds a soft white-to-transparent gradient on top of any bg-{colour}.

bg-primary bg-gradient

24/7 assistance

bg-dark bg-gradient

Curated stays

<div class="row g-2">
  <div class="col-sm-6">
    <div class="bg-primary bg-gradient text-white rounded-4 p-4">
      <div class="fw-semibold">
        bg-primary bg-gradient
      </div>
      <div class="small text-white-50">
        24/7 assistance
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-sm-6">
    <div class="bg-dark bg-gradient text-white rounded-4 p-4">
      <div class="fw-semibold">
        bg-dark bg-gradient
      </div>
      <div class="small text-white-50">
        Curated stays
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

7Transparent background

bg-transparent removes a fill, useful when a component's default background must disappear.

bg-white

bg-transparent

<div class="bg-body-tertiary rounded-3 p-3 d-flex flex-wrap gap-2">
  <div class="bg-white border rounded-2 px-3 py-2 small">
    bg-white
  </div>
  <div class="bg-transparent border rounded-2 px-3 py-2 small">
    bg-transparent
  </div>
  <button type="button" class="btn btn-light bg-transparent border-0"><i class="bi bi-three-dots" aria-hidden="true"></i> Ghost button</button>
</div>

8Black and white

bg-black and bg-white are fixed colours that do not change with colour mode, unlike bg-body.

bg-black

bg-white

<div class="d-flex rounded-3 overflow-hidden border">
  <div class="bg-black text-white flex-fill p-3 text-center small">
    bg-black
  </div>
  <div class="bg-white text-black flex-fill p-3 text-center small">
    bg-white
  </div>
</div>

9Highlighted table row

Background utilities on a table cell or row mark a selection without extra CSS.

Order	Customer	Total
#ORD-6276	Luna Okafor	$86.62
#INV-6732	Nora Ortega	$144.75
#INV-3781	Maya Haddad	$221.63

<div class="table-responsive">
  <table class="table table-sm mb-0 align-middle">
    <thead>
      <tr>
        <th scope="col">Order</th>
        <th scope="col">Customer</th>
        <th scope="col" class="text-end">Total</th>
      </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
      <tr>
        <td>#ORD-6276</td>
        <td>Luna Okafor</td>
        <td class="text-end">$86.62</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td class="bg-primary-subtle">#INV-6732</td>
        <td class="bg-primary-subtle">Nora Ortega</td>
        <td class="bg-primary-subtle text-end fw-semibold">$144.75</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>#INV-3781</td>
        <td>Maya Haddad</td>
        <td class="text-end">$221.63</td>
      </tr>
    </tbody>
  </table>
</div>

10Feature icons on tinted circles

A subtle background with rounded-circle and fixed size gives each icon a soft colour badge.

Local guides

24/7 assistance

Curated stays

<div class="row g-3">
  <div class="col-sm-4 d-flex gap-2 align-items-center">
    <span class="bg-primary-subtle text-primary rounded-circle d-inline-flex align-items-center justify-content-center fs-5" style="width:44px;height:44px"><i class="bi bi-lightning-charge-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i></span><span class="small fw-medium">Local guides</span>
  </div>
  <div class="col-sm-4 d-flex gap-2 align-items-center">
    <span class="bg-success-subtle text-success rounded-circle d-inline-flex align-items-center justify-content-center fs-5" style="width:44px;height:44px"><i class="bi bi-shield-check" aria-hidden="true"></i></span><span class="small fw-medium">24/7 assistance</span>
  </div>
  <div class="col-sm-4 d-flex gap-2 align-items-center">
    <span class="bg-danger-subtle text-danger rounded-circle d-inline-flex align-items-center justify-content-center fs-5" style="width:44px;height:44px"><i class="bi bi-heart-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i></span><span class="small fw-medium">Curated stays</span>
  </div>
</div>

11Section bands

Alternating bg-body and bg-body-tertiary bands separate page sections.

Stay somewhere unforgettable

This bright release shows data easy to understand all year round.

The world is waiting for you

Our travel insurance shows results you can measure in just a few clicks.

Stay somewhere unforgettable

The new free cancellation brings time back in your day at a fair price.

<div class="border rounded-4 overflow-hidden">
  <section class="bg-body p-4">
    <h3 class="h6 mb-1">Stay somewhere unforgettable</h3>
    <p class="small mb-0 text-body-secondary">This bright release shows data easy to understand all year round.</p>
  </section>
  <section class="bg-body-tertiary p-4">
    <h3 class="h6 mb-1">The world is waiting for you</h3>
    <p class="small mb-0 text-body-secondary">Our travel insurance shows results you can measure in just a few clicks.</p>
  </section>
  <section class="bg-body p-4">
    <h3 class="h6 mb-1">Stay somewhere unforgettable</h3>
    <p class="small mb-0 text-body-secondary">The new free cancellation brings time back in your day at a fair price.</p>
  </section>
</div>

12Dark footer strip

bg-dark with text-white-50 and link-light builds a compact footer.

<footer class="bg-dark text-white-50 rounded-3 p-3 d-flex flex-column flex-sm-row justify-content-between gap-2 small">
  <span>&copy; Brand name 6</span> <span class="d-flex gap-3"><a href="#" class="link-light">Privacy</a><a href="#" class="link-light">Terms</a><a href="#" class="link-light">Contact</a></span> 
</footer>

13Alert-like message

A message strip built from bg-danger-subtle, a matching border and emphasis text.

Payment failed. A calm journey gives decisions quicker and clearer with friendly support.

<div class="bg-danger-subtle border border-danger-subtle text-danger-emphasis rounded-3 p-3 d-flex gap-2" role="alert">
  <span class="fs-5"><i class="bi bi-exclamation-octagon-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i></span> 
  <div>
    <strong>Payment failed.</strong> <span class="small">A calm journey gives decisions quicker and clearer with friendly support.</span>
  </div>
</div>

14Background on hoverable list

List items with bg-body-tertiary for the active one; other rows stay on bg-body.

Inbox
Starred
Sent
Archive

<ul class="list-unstyled border rounded-3 mb-0 overflow-hidden" style="max-width:20rem">
  <li class="px-3 py-2 bg-body border-bottom"><i class="bi bi-inbox-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i> Inbox</li>
  <li class="px-3 py-2 bg-body-tertiary border-bottom fw-semibold"><i class="bi bi-star-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i> Starred</li>
  <li class="px-3 py-2 bg-body border-bottom"><i class="bi bi-send-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i> Sent</li>
  <li class="px-3 py-2 bg-body"><i class="bi bi-archive-fill" aria-hidden="true"></i> Archive</li>
</ul>

15Progress made from backgrounds

A bg-body-secondary track and a bg-success fill with a width utility form a simple meter.

Storage75 of 100 GB

Seats5 of 20

<div class="d-grid gap-3">
  <div>
    <div class="d-flex justify-content-between small mb-1">
      <span>Storage</span><span>75 of 100 GB</span>
    </div>
    <div class="bg-body-secondary rounded-pill" style="height:8px">
      <div class="bg-success rounded-pill h-100 w-75">
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div>
    <div class="d-flex justify-content-between small mb-1">
      <span>Seats</span><span>5 of 20</span>
    </div>
    <div class="bg-body-secondary rounded-pill" style="height:8px">
      <div class="bg-warning rounded-pill h-100 w-25">
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

16Pricing highlight

The recommended plan gets bg-primary and white text; the others stay on bg-body-tertiary.

Basic

$9.59

Pro

$30.76

Team

$71.35

<div class="row g-2 text-center">
  <div class="col-4">
    <div class="bg-body-tertiary rounded-3 p-3">
      <div class="small">
        Basic
      </div>
      <div class="fs-5 fw-bold">
        $9.59
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-4">
    <div class="bg-primary text-white rounded-3 p-3">
      <div class="small">
        Pro
      </div>
      <div class="fs-5 fw-bold">
        $30.76
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-4">
    <div class="bg-body-tertiary rounded-3 p-3">
      <div class="small">
        Team
      </div>
      <div class="fs-5 fw-bold">
        $71.35
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

17Colour swatches

Square swatches with bg-{colour} and a caption below, as used in a style guide.

Primary

Secondary

Success

Warning

Surface

<div class="d-flex flex-wrap gap-3">
  <figure class="mb-0 text-center">
    <div class="bg-primary rounded-3" style="width:56px;height:56px">
    </div>
    <figcaption class="small mt-1">Primary</figcaption>
  </figure>
  <figure class="mb-0 text-center">
    <div class="bg-secondary rounded-3" style="width:56px;height:56px">
    </div>
    <figcaption class="small mt-1">Secondary</figcaption>
  </figure>
  <figure class="mb-0 text-center">
    <div class="bg-success rounded-3" style="width:56px;height:56px">
    </div>
    <figcaption class="small mt-1">Success</figcaption>
  </figure>
  <figure class="mb-0 text-center">
    <div class="bg-warning rounded-3" style="width:56px;height:56px">
    </div>
    <figcaption class="small mt-1">Warning</figcaption>
  </figure>
  <figure class="mb-0 text-center">
    <div class="bg-body-secondary border rounded-3" style="width:56px;height:56px">
    </div>
    <figcaption class="small mt-1">Surface</figcaption>
  </figure>
</div>

18Card header and footer tints

bg-body-tertiary on the header and footer of a card, bg-body in the middle.

Friendly ways to improve your process

A practical story lets projects moving forward without extra tools.

Updated yesterday

<div class="border rounded-3 overflow-hidden" style="max-width:24rem">
  <div class="bg-body-tertiary px-3 py-2 border-bottom fw-semibold small">
    Friendly ways to improve your process
  </div>
  <div class="bg-body p-3 small">
    A practical story lets projects moving forward without extra tools.
  </div>
  <div class="bg-body-tertiary px-3 py-2 border-top small text-body-secondary">
    Updated yesterday
  </div>
</div>

19Image scrim with bg-black

A bg-black layer at reduced --ui-bg-opacity makes white text readable over a photo.

Trips designed around you

<div class="position-relative rounded-4 overflow-hidden" style="max-width:28rem">
  <img src="../assets/img/wide-3.svg" alt="Explore more, worry less" class="w-100 d-block"> 
  <div class="position-absolute top-0 start-0 w-100 h-100 bg-black d-flex align-items-center justify-content-center" style="--ui-bg-opacity:.45">
    <span class="text-white fs-5 fw-semibold text-center px-3">Trips designed around you</span> 
  </div>
</div>

20Chat bubbles

Incoming messages on bg-body-tertiary, outgoing on bg-primary, each with a rounded corner set.

A bright release makes customers coming back in just a few clicks.

This powerful experience shows customers coming back in just a few clicks.

A bright workflow guides every detail in view for teams of every size.

<div class="d-flex flex-column gap-2" style="max-width:24rem">
  <div class="align-self-start bg-body-tertiary rounded-4 rounded-bottom-0 px-3 py-2 small">
    A bright release makes customers coming back in just a few clicks.
  </div>
  <div class="align-self-end bg-primary text-white rounded-4 rounded-bottom-0 px-3 py-2 small">
    This powerful experience shows customers coming back in just a few clicks.
  </div>
  <div class="align-self-start bg-body-tertiary rounded-4 rounded-bottom-0 px-3 py-2 small">
    A bright workflow guides every detail in view for teams of every size.
  </div>
</div>