- align-content
- Try it
- Syntax
- Values
- Formal definition
- Formal syntax
- Examples
- CSS
- HTML
- Result
- Specifications
- CSS Layout — Horizontal & Vertical Align
- Example
- Center Align Text
- Example
- Center an Image
- Example
- Left and Right Align — Using position
- Example
- Left and Right Align — Using float
- Example
- The clearfix Hack
- Without Clearfix
- With Clearfix
- Example
- Center Vertically — Using padding
- Example
- Example
- Center Vertically — Using line-height
- Example
- Center Vertically — Using position & transform
- Example
- Center Vertically — Using Flexbox
- Example
align-content
The CSS align-content property sets the distribution of space between and around content items along a flexbox’s cross-axis or a grid’s block axis.
The interactive example below uses Grid Layout to demonstrate some of the values of this property.
Try it
This property has no effect on single line flex containers (i.e. ones with flex-wrap: nowrap ).
Syntax
/* Basic positional alignment */ /* align-content does not take left and right values */ align-content: center; /* Pack items around the center */ align-content: start; /* Pack items from the start */ align-content: end; /* Pack items from the end */ align-content: flex-start; /* Pack flex items from the start */ align-content: flex-end; /* Pack flex items from the end */ /* Normal alignment */ align-content: normal; /* Baseline alignment */ align-content: baseline; align-content: first baseline; align-content: last baseline; /* Distributed alignment */ align-content: space-between; /* Distribute items evenly The first item is flush with the start, the last is flush with the end */ align-content: space-around; /* Distribute items evenly Items have a half-size space on either end */ align-content: space-evenly; /* Distribute items evenly Items have equal space around them */ align-content: stretch; /* Distribute items evenly Stretch 'auto'-sized items to fit the container */ /* Overflow alignment */ align-content: safe center; align-content: unsafe center; /* Global values */ align-content: inherit; align-content: initial; align-content: revert; align-content: revert-layer; align-content: unset;
Values
The items are packed flush to each other against the start edge of the alignment container in the cross axis.
The items are packed flush to each other against the end edge of the alignment container in the cross axis.
The items are packed flush to each other against the edge of the alignment container depending on the flex container’s cross-start side. This only applies to flex layout items. For items that are not children of a flex container, this value is treated like start .
The items are packed flush to each other against the edge of the alignment container depending on the flex container’s cross-end side. This only applies to flex layout items. For items that are not children of a flex container, this value is treated like end .
The items are packed flush to each other in the center of the alignment container along the cross axis.
The items are packed in their default position as if no align-content value was set.
baseline , first baseline , last baseline
Specifies participation in first- or last-baseline alignment: aligns the alignment baseline of the box’s first or last baseline set with the corresponding baseline in the shared first or last baseline set of all the boxes in its baseline-sharing group.
The fallback alignment for first baseline is start , the one for last baseline is end .
The items are evenly distributed within the alignment container along the cross axis. The spacing between each pair of adjacent items is the same. The first item is flush with the start edge of the alignment container in the cross axis, and the last item is flush with the end edge of the alignment container in the cross axis.
The items are evenly distributed within the alignment container along the cross axis. The spacing between each pair of adjacent items is the same. The empty space before the first and after the last item equals half of the space between each pair of adjacent items.
The items are evenly distributed within the alignment container along the cross axis. The spacing between each pair of adjacent items, the start edge and the first item, and the end edge and the last item, are all exactly the same.
If the combined size of the items along the cross axis is less than the size of the alignment container, any auto -sized items have their size increased equally (not proportionally), while still respecting the constraints imposed by max-height / max-width (or equivalent functionality), so that the combined size exactly fills the alignment container along the cross axis.
Used alongside an alignment keyword. If the chosen keyword means that the item overflows the alignment container causing data loss, the item is instead aligned as if the alignment mode were start .
Used alongside an alignment keyword. Regardless of the relative sizes of the item and alignment container and whether overflow which causes data loss might happen, the given alignment value is honored.
Formal definition
Formal syntax
align-content =
normal |
|
|
?
=
[ first | last ]? &&
baseline
=
space-between |
space-around |
space-evenly |
stretch
=
unsafe |
safe
=
center |
start |
end |
flex-start |
flex-end
Examples
CSS
#container height: 200px; width: 240px; align-content: center; /* Can be changed in the live sample */ background-color: #8c8c8c; > .flex display: flex; flex-wrap: wrap; > .grid display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, 50px); > div > div box-sizing: border-box; border: 2px solid #8c8c8c; width: 50px; display: flex; align-items: center; justify-content: center; > #item1 background-color: #8cffa0; min-height: 30px; > #item2 background-color: #a0c8ff; min-height: 50px; > #item3 background-color: #ffa08c; min-height: 40px; > #item4 background-color: #ffff8c; min-height: 60px; > #item5 background-color: #ff8cff; min-height: 70px; > #item6 background-color: #8cffff; min-height: 50px; font-size: 30px; > select font-size: 16px; > .row margin-top: 10px; >
HTML
div id="container" class="flex"> div id="item1">1div> div id="item2">2div> div id="item3">3div> div id="item4">4div> div id="item5">5div> div id="item6">6div> div> div class="row"> label for="display">display: label> select id="display"> option value="flex">flexoption> option value="grid">gridoption> select> div> div class="row"> label for="values">align-content: label> select id="values"> option value="normal">normaloption> option value="stretch">stretchoption> option value="flex-start">flex-startoption> option value="flex-end">flex-endoption> option value="center" selected>centeroption> option value="space-between">space-betweenoption> option value="space-around">space-aroundoption> option value="space-evenly">space-evenlyoption> option value="start">startoption> option value="end">endoption> option value="baseline">baselineoption> option value="first baseline">first baselineoption> option value="last baseline">last baselineoption> option value="safe center">safe centeroption> option value="unsafe center">unsafe centeroption> option value="safe right">safe rightoption> option value="unsafe right">unsafe rightoption> option value="safe end">safe endoption> option value="unsafe end">unsafe endoption> option value="safe flex-end">safe flex-endoption> option value="unsafe flex-end">unsafe flex-endoption> select> div>
const values = document.getElementById("values"); const display = document.getElementById("display"); const container = document.getElementById("container"); values.addEventListener("change", (evt) => container.style.alignContent = evt.target.value; >); display.addEventListener("change", (evt) => container.className = evt.target.value; >);
Result
Specifications
CSS Layout — Horizontal & Vertical Align
Setting the width of the element will prevent it from stretching out to the edges of its container.
The element will then take up the specified width, and the remaining space will be split equally between the two margins:
This div element is centered.
Example
Note: Center aligning has no effect if the width property is not set (or set to 100%).
Center Align Text
To just center the text inside an element, use text-align: center;
Example
Tip: For more examples on how to align text, see the CSS Text chapter.
Center an Image
To center an image, set left and right margin to auto and make it into a block element:
Example
Left and Right Align — Using position
One method for aligning elements is to use position: absolute; :
In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I’ve been turning over in my mind ever since.
Example
Note: Absolute positioned elements are removed from the normal flow, and can overlap elements.
Left and Right Align — Using float
Another method for aligning elements is to use the float property:
Example
The clearfix Hack
Note: If an element is taller than the element containing it, and it is floated, it will overflow outside of its container. You can use the «clearfix hack» to fix this (see example below).
Without Clearfix
With Clearfix
Then we can add the clearfix hack to the containing element to fix this problem:
Example
Center Vertically — Using padding
There are many ways to center an element vertically in CSS. A simple solution is to use top and bottom padding :
Example
To center both vertically and horizontally, use padding and text-align: center :
I am vertically and horizontally centered.
Example
Center Vertically — Using line-height
Another trick is to use the line-height property with a value that is equal to the height property:
I am vertically and horizontally centered.
Example
.center <
line-height: 200px;
height: 200px;
border: 3px solid green;
text-align: center;
>
/* If the text has multiple lines, add the following: */
.center p line-height: 1.5;
display: inline-block;
vertical-align: middle;
>
Center Vertically — Using position & transform
If padding and line-height are not options, another solution is to use positioning and the transform property:
I am vertically and horizontally centered.
Example
.center <
height: 200px;
position: relative;
border: 3px solid green;
>
.center p margin: 0;
position: absolute;
top: 50%;
left: 50%;
transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
>
Tip: You will learn more about the transform property in our 2D Transforms Chapter.
Center Vertically — Using Flexbox
You can also use flexbox to center things. Just note that flexbox is not supported in IE10 and earlier versions:
Example
.center <
display: flex;
justify-content: center;
align-items: center;
height: 200px;
border: 3px solid green;
>
Tip: You will learn more about Flexbox in our CSS Flexbox Chapter.