How to Extract Images From CSS
Learn how to parse CSS files, inline style attributes, and CSS variables to locate embedded background images and sprite sheets.
Key Takeaways
- Images in CSS are specified with the `url()` functional notation.
- CSS sprite sheets combine dozens of small UI icons into one master image file.
- ImgEx scans style tags and inline CSS rules to capture all stylesheet imagery.
Extract all CSS visual assets
Detect and download CSS background patterns, hero textures, and sprites.
Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) contain vital visual components: background textures, banner graphics, sprite sheets, cursor icons, and border images. Here is how to parse CSS to extract every linked media asset.
The CSS `url()` Function
In CSS, background imagery is declared as: `background: url('../images/pattern.png') no-repeat;`.
Relative paths in CSS files resolve relative to the stylesheet file's URL, not the HTML page URL.
Finding CSS Images with ImgEx
ImgEx parses stylesheet contents and resolves CSS paths against their base stylesheet location, guaranteeing valid downloadable image URLs.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a CSS sprite?
A CSS sprite is a single large image containing dozens of small icons. Websites use CSS background-position to show only one icon at a time to reduce HTTP request counts.