There is a css selector that I can select an Submit input only when it is triggered/clicked

Question

my doubt is as follows:

Is there any way to select only with css a tag <input type="submit">only when it is clicked/triggered.

Answer 1

When you click on the input, it gets the status of :focus:

input[type=submit]:focus {
  color: red;
}

Editing: as reported in Hugo’s reply, :active occurs when button is clicked. The :focus may occur when the button is clicked, via TAB key or via script.

When the focus is removed it returns to its original state.

Example:

input[type=submit]:focus {
  color: red;
}

<input type="submit">

Answer 2

I think I understood the question differently, I believe he wants to "shoot" some property in the click. And in that case would be with the :active

Follows code referring to image above:

[type="submit"]:active {
    box-shadow: none;
    transition: box-shadow 100ms;
}
[type="submit"]:active {
    box-shadow: 0 0 20px red;
}

<input type="submit" value="Clique aqui">

---

OBS

Any element can receive a :active

The :active pseudo-class is also typically Matched when using the Keyboard tab key. It is Frequently used on <a> and <button> HTML Elements, but may not be Limited to just those.

PORTUGUÊS "The pseudo-class :active is also commonly used when using the keyboard tab key. It is often used in HTML elements <a> and <button>, but may not be limited only to them."

Source: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/:active