- CSS Text Alignment
- Text Alignment
- Example
- Example
- Text Align Last
- Example
- Text Direction
- Example
- Vertical Alignment
- Example
- The CSS Text Alignment/Direction Properties
- CSS text-align Property
- Browser Support
- CSS Syntax
- Property Values
- More Examples
- Example
- Related Pages
- COLOR PICKER
- Report Error
- Thank You For Helping Us!
- text-align
- Try it
- Syntax
- Values
- Accessibility concerns
- Formal definition
- Formal syntax
- Examples
- Start alignment
- HTML
- CSS
- 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
CSS Text Alignment
In this chapter you will learn about the following properties:
- text-align
- text-align-last
- direction
- unicode-bidi
- vertical-align
Text Alignment
The text-align property is used to set the horizontal alignment of a text.
A text can be left or right aligned, centered, or justified.
The following example shows center aligned, and left and right aligned text (left alignment is default if text direction is left-to-right, and right alignment is default if text direction is right-to-left):
Example
When the text-align property is set to «justify», each line is stretched so that every line has equal width, and the left and right margins are straight (like in magazines and newspapers):
Example
Text Align Last
The text-align-last property specifies how to align the last line of a text.
Example
Align the last line of text in three
elements:
Text Direction
The direction and unicode-bidi properties can be used to change the text direction of an element:
Example
Vertical Alignment
The vertical-align property sets the vertical alignment of an element.
Example
Set the vertical alignment of an image in a text:
img.a <
vertical-align: baseline;
>
img.b vertical-align: text-top;
>
img.c vertical-align: text-bottom;
>
The CSS Text Alignment/Direction Properties
Property | Description |
---|---|
direction | Specifies the text direction/writing direction |
text-align | Specifies the horizontal alignment of text |
text-align-last | Specifies how to align the last line of a text |
unicode-bidi | Used together with the direction property to set or return whether the text should be overridden to support multiple languages in the same document |
vertical-align | Sets the vertical alignment of an element |
CSS text-align Property
The text-align property specifies the horizontal alignment of text in an element.
Default value: | left if direction is ltr, and right if direction is rtl |
---|---|
Inherited: | yes |
Animatable: | no. Read about animatable |
Version: | CSS1 |
JavaScript syntax: | object.style.textAlign=»right» Try it |
Browser Support
The numbers in the table specify the first browser version that fully supports the property.
CSS Syntax
Property Values
Value | Description | Demo |
---|---|---|
left | Aligns the text to the left | Demo ❯ |
right | Aligns the text to the right | Demo ❯ |
center | Centers the text | Demo ❯ |
justify | Stretches the lines so that each line has equal width (like in newspapers and magazines) | Demo ❯ |
initial | Sets this property to its default value. Read about initial | |
inherit | Inherits this property from its parent element. Read about inherit |
More Examples
Example
Another text-align example:
Related Pages
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text-align
The text-align CSS property sets the horizontal alignment of the inline-level content inside a block element or table-cell box. This means it works like vertical-align but in the horizontal direction.
Try it
Syntax
/* Keyword values */ text-align: start; text-align: end; text-align: left; text-align: right; text-align: center; text-align: justify; text-align: justify-all; text-align: match-parent; /* Character-based alignment in a table column */ text-align: "."; text-align: "." center; /* Block alignment values (Non-standard syntax) */ text-align: -moz-center; text-align: -webkit-center; /* Global values */ text-align: inherit; text-align: initial; text-align: revert; text-align: revert-layer; text-align: unset;
The text-align property is specified in one of the following ways:
- Using the keyword values start , end , left , right , center , justify , justify-all , or match-parent .
- Using a value only, in which case the other value defaults to right .
- Using both a keyword value and a value.
Values
The same as left if direction is left-to-right and right if direction is right-to-left.
The same as right if direction is left-to-right and left if direction is right-to-left.
The inline contents are aligned to the left edge of the line box.
The inline contents are aligned to the right edge of the line box.
The inline contents are centered within the line box.
The inline contents are justified. Text should be spaced to line up its left and right edges to the left and right edges of the line box, except for the last line.
Same as justify , but also forces the last line to be justified.
Similar to inherit , but the values start and end are calculated according to the parent’s direction and are replaced by the appropriate left or right value.
When applied to a table cell, specifies the alignment character around which the cell’s contents will align.
Accessibility concerns
The inconsistent spacing between words created by justified text can be problematic for people with cognitive concerns such as Dyslexia.
Formal definition
Initial value | start , or a nameless value that acts as left if direction is ltr , right if direction is rtl if start is not supported by the browser. |
---|---|
Applies to | block containers |
Inherited | yes |
Computed value | as specified, except for the match-parent value which is calculated against its parent’s direction value and results in a computed value of either left or right |
Animation type | discrete |
Formal syntax
text-align =
start |
end |
left |
right |
center |
justify |
match-parent |
justify-all
Examples
Start alignment
HTML
p class="example"> Integer elementum massa at nulla placerat varius. Suspendisse in libero risus, in interdum massa. Vestibulum ac leo vitae metus faucibus gravida ac in neque. Nullam est eros, suscipit sed dictum quis, accumsan a ligula. p>
CSS
.example text-align: start; border: solid; >
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.