Circle Menu
CSS-only radial navigation menu that fans items out in a circle from a central toggle button
Circle Menu
Circle menus fan navigation items out in a radial pattern from a central toggle button. Built entirely with CSS — no JavaScript required. The toggle is a hidden checkbox; clicking the circular button shows or hides up to 6 items evenly distributed around it.
Basic Usage
A circle menu with 6 items. The toggle button uses a hamburger icon that animates to an X when open:
Basic Circle Menu
html
<nav class="circle-menu" style="margin: 8rem auto; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; height: 12rem;">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-basic">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-basic"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🐱</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🍪</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🐦</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🦋</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">💎</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🥂</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>Fewer Items
The radial positions still evenly space up to 6 items. Fewer items create a partial arc:
Three Items
html
<nav class="circle-menu" style="margin: 8rem auto; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; height: 12rem;">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-three">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-three"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🏠</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">⚙️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">👤</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>Color Variants
Primary
Primary
html
<nav class="circle-menu circle-menu-primary" style="margin: 8rem auto; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; height: 12rem;">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-primary">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-primary"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">✏️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📋</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🔍</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📎</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🗑️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📤</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>Secondary
Secondary
html
<nav class="circle-menu circle-menu-secondary" style="margin: 8rem auto; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; height: 12rem;">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-secondary">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-secondary"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">✏️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📋</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🔍</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📎</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🗑️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📤</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>Tertiary
Tertiary
html
<nav class="circle-menu circle-menu-tertiary" style="margin: 8rem auto; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; height: 12rem;">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-tertiary">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-tertiary"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">✏️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📋</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🔍</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📎</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🗑️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📤</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>Semantic Variants
Info, Success, Warning, Error
html
<div style="display: flex; gap: 10rem; flex-wrap: wrap; justify-content: center; padding: 8rem 2rem;">
<nav class="circle-menu circle-menu-info">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-info">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-info"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">ℹ️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📖</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🔗</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
<nav class="circle-menu circle-menu-success">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-success">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-success"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">✅</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">💾</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📤</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
<nav class="circle-menu circle-menu-warning">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-warning">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-warning"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">⚠️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🔔</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">⚡</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
<nav class="circle-menu circle-menu-error">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-error">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-error"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🗑️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🚫</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">⛔</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
</div>Size Variants
Small
Small
html
<nav class="circle-menu circle-menu-sm" style="margin: 7rem auto; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; height: 10rem;">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-sm">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-sm"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🏠</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">⚙️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">👤</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🔔</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📧</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🔍</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>Default
Default
html
<nav class="circle-menu" style="margin: 8rem auto; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; height: 12rem;">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-md">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-md"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🏠</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">⚙️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">👤</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🔔</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📧</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🔍</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>Large
Large
html
<nav class="circle-menu circle-menu-lg" style="margin: 9rem auto; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; height: 14rem;">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-lg">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-lg"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🏠</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">⚙️</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">👤</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🔔</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">📧</a></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="#">🔍</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>Using Buttons
Use <button> elements instead of <a> for action items:
Button Items
html
<nav class="circle-menu circle-menu-primary" style="margin: 8rem auto; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; height: 12rem;">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="demo-cm-btn">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="demo-cm-btn"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><button type="button" onclick="alert('Edit')">✏️</button></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><button type="button" onclick="alert('Copy')">📋</button></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><button type="button" onclick="alert('Search')">🔍</button></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><button type="button" onclick="alert('Attach')">📎</button></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><button type="button" onclick="alert('Delete')">🗑️</button></li>
<li class="circle-menu-item"><button type="button" onclick="alert('Share')">📤</button></li>
</ul>
</nav>API Reference
Classes
| Class | Description |
|---|---|
circle-menu |
Root container (applied to <nav>) |
circle-menu-toggler |
Hidden checkbox input that controls open/close state |
circle-menu-label |
Visible circular toggle button (label for the checkbox) |
circle-menu-list |
The <ul> holding menu items |
circle-menu-item |
Each <li> menu item |
Color Variants
Apply to the circle-menu container:
| Class | Description |
|---|---|
circle-menu-primary |
Primary color scheme |
circle-menu-secondary |
Secondary color scheme |
circle-menu-tertiary |
Tertiary color scheme |
circle-menu-info |
Info color scheme |
circle-menu-success |
Success color scheme |
circle-menu-warning |
Warning color scheme |
circle-menu-error |
Error color scheme |
Size Variants
Apply to the circle-menu container:
| Class | Toggle size | Item size | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|
circle-menu-sm |
2.5rem | 2.5rem | 4.5rem |
| (default) | 3rem | 3rem | 5.5rem |
circle-menu-lg |
3.5rem | 3.5rem | 6.5rem |
CSS Custom Properties
These properties are set on .circle-menu and can be overridden for custom sizing:
| Property | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
--circle-menu-size |
3rem |
Toggle button diameter |
--circle-menu-item-size |
3rem |
Menu item diameter |
--circle-menu-radius |
5.5rem |
Distance from center to items |
--circle-menu-icon-size |
1.25rem |
Font size inside items |
--circle-menu-bar-width |
1.125rem |
Hamburger bar width |
--circle-menu-bar-height |
0.1875rem |
Hamburger bar height |
--circle-menu-bar-gap |
0.375rem |
Gap between hamburger bars |
HTML Structure
<nav class="circle-menu">
<input type="checkbox" class="circle-menu-toggler" id="my-menu">
<label class="circle-menu-label" for="my-menu"></label>
<ul class="circle-menu-list">
<li class="circle-menu-item"><a href="/path">icon</a></li>
<!-- up to 6 items -->
</ul>
</nav>Note: The
idon the input and theforon the label must match. Each circle menu on a page needs a unique id.
Overflow: Menu items extend beyond the container bounds when open. Ensure the parent element does not have
overflow: hidden.