To make lists stand out in web design, use CSS techniques in the following order: 1) Use list-style-type for basic changes like switching bullets or numbering styles; 2) Replace bullets entirely with list-style-image to use custom icons or images; 3) Style markers manually using ::before pseudo-elements for full creative control; and 4) Use CSS counters for fully customizable numbered lists including dynamic formatting. Each method progressively offers more control starting from simple adjustments to complete customization.

When you want to make your lists stand out in a web design, default bullet points or numbers probably won’t cut it. The good news is that with CSS, you can create custom list styles that match your site’s visual tone — and it's not as hard as it might sound.

Use list-style-type for basic changes

If you're looking to change the appearance of bullets or numbering without going too wild, the list-style-type property is a solid starting point.

<ul> <li>For unordered lists (<ul></ul>), you can switch from the default disc to things like circle, square, or even none if you plan to style them manually. <li>For ordered lists (<ol></ol>), you can use values like upper-roman, lower-alpha, or decimal-leading-zero.

Example:

ul {
  list-style-type: square;
}
ol {
  list-style-type: upper-roman;
}

This won't give you full visual control, but it's great for quick tweaks.

Replace bullets completely with list-style-image

If you want to replace standard bullets with custom icons or images, list-style-image is the way to go.

You just need an image file (like a PNG) and a bit of CSS:

ul {
  list-style-image: url('bullet-star.png');
}

Keep in mind:

<ul><li>The image should be small enough to fit naturally next to the text.<li>Not all browsers handle spacing exactly the same, so test across platforms.<li>You might still want to adjust padding or margin on the <ul> to align everything nicely.

This method gives more personality than list-style-type, but it's still limited when you want total control.

Style list markers manually with pseudo-elements

For full creative freedom — like adding background colors, custom shapes, or positioning bullets exactly where you want — you'll want to hide the default markers and build your own using ::before pseudo-elements.

Here’s how:

<li>Set list-style: none; to remove default bullets or numbers.<li>Use position: relative; on the <li> so you can absolutely position your custom bullet inside.<li>Add a ::before pseudo-element with content, styling, and positioning.

Example:

ul {
  list-style: none;
  padding-left: 0;
}

li {
  position: relative;
  padding-left: 20px;
}

li::before {
  content: "?";
  color: red;
  font-size: 20px;
  position: absolute;
  left: 0;
  top: 0;
}

With this technique, you’re no longer stuck with what the browser provides. You can use icons via fonts (like Font Awesome), emojis, or SVGs inside content.

Bonus tip: Use counters for custom numbered lists

If you want to customize how numbers appear in an ordered list, CSS counters are your friend. They let you generate and style numbers dynamically.

How to do it:

ol {
  counter-reset: my-counter;
  list-style: none;
}

li {
  position: relative;
  padding-left: 30px;
}

li::before {
  counter-increment: my-counter;
  content: counter(my-counter) ".";
  position: absolute;
  left: 0;
}

Now you can format numbers any way you like — add prefixes, suffixes, or even style them differently from the rest of the text.

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That’s about it. Customizing list styles with CSS isn’t complicated once you know which tools to use. Start simple with list-style-type, get creative with list-style-image, or take full control with pseudo-elements and counters. It doesn’t require advanced skills, just a little attention to detail.

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