How to add an image as the list-item marker in a list using CSS?

CSS allows you to replace the default bullet points in lists with custom images using the list-style-image property. This creates visually appealing lists that match your website's design theme.

Syntax

selector {
    list-style-image: none | url(image-path) | initial | inherit;
}

Possible Values

Value Description
none No image is used (default behavior)
url() Specifies the path to the image file
initial Sets the property to its default value
inherit Inherits the value from the parent element

Example: Custom Image as List Marker

The following example demonstrates how to use a custom image as list markers

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
    .custom-list {
        list-style-image: url("/css/images/arrow-right.png");
        padding-left: 30px;
        line-height: 2;
    }
    
    .custom-list li {
        margin-bottom: 10px;
        color: #333;
    }
    
    h3 {
        color: #2c3e50;
        margin-bottom: 15px;
    }
</style>
</head>
<body>
    <h3>Programming Languages</h3>
    <ul class="custom-list">
        <li>JavaScript</li>
        <li>Python</li>
        <li>Java</li>
        <li>CSS</li>
    </ul>
</body>
</html>
A list appears with custom arrow images instead of default bullet points. Each list item shows programming languages with right-pointing arrow markers and proper spacing.

Example: Fallback with list-style-type

You can combine list-style-image with list-style-type as a fallback

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
    .fallback-list {
        list-style-image: url("/css/images/star.png");
        list-style-type: disc;
        padding-left: 25px;
        line-height: 1.8;
    }
    
    .fallback-list li {
        color: #555;
        font-size: 16px;
    }
</style>
</head>
<body>
    <h3>Features</h3>
    <ul class="fallback-list">
        <li>Responsive Design</li>
        <li>Cross-browser Support</li>
        <li>Fast Loading</li>
    </ul>
</body>
</html>
A list displays with star images as markers. If the image fails to load, disc-style bullets appear as fallback markers.

Conclusion

The list-style-image property provides an easy way to customize list markers with images. Always include a fallback list-style-type to ensure proper display if images fail to load.

Updated on: 2026-03-15T16:30:19+05:30

1K+ Views

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