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The width CSS property specifies the width of an element. By default, the property defines the width of the content area. If box-sizing is set to border-box, however, it instead determines the width of the border area.

/* <length> values */
width: 300px;
width: 25em;

/* <percentage> value */
width: 75%;

/* Keyword values */
width: 25em border-box;
width: 75% content-box;
width: max-content;
width: min-content;
width: available;
width: fit-content;
width: auto;

/* Global values */
width: inherit;
width: initial;
width: unset;

Note: The min-width and max-width properties override width.

Initial value auto
Applies to all elements but non-replaced inline elements, table rows, and row groups
Inherited no
Percentages refer to the width of the containing block
Media visual
Computed value a percentage or auto or the absolute length
Animation type a length, percentage or calc();
Canonical order the length or percentage before the keyword, if both are present

Syntax

The width property is specified as either:

Values

<length>
Defines the width as an absolute value.
<percentage>
Defines the width as a percentage of the containing block's width. If the width of the containing block depends on the width of the element, the resulting layout is undefined.
border-box
If present, the preceding <length> or <percentage> is applied to the element's border box.
content-box
If present, the preceding <length> or <percentage> is applied to the element's content box.
auto
The browser will calculate and select a width for the specified element.
fill
Use the fill-available inline size or fill-available block size, as appropriate to the writing mode.
max-content
The intrinsic preferred width.
min-content
The intrinsic minimum width.
available
The containing block width minus horizontal margin, border and padding.
fit-content
The larger of:
  • the intrinsic minimum width
  • the smaller of the intrinsic preferred width and the available width

Formal syntax

[ <length> | <percentage> ] && [ border-box | content-box ]? | available | min-content | max-content | fit-content | auto

Examples

Default width

p.goldie {
  background: gold;
}
<p class="goldie">The Mozilla community produces a lot of great software.</p>

Pixels and ems

.px_length {
  width: 200px;
  background-color: red;
  color: white;
  border: 1px solid black;
}

.em_length {
  width: 20em;
  background-color: white;
  color: red;
  border: 1px solid black;
}
<div class="px_length">Width measured in px</div>
<div class="em_length">Width measured in em</div>

Percentage

.percent {
  width: 20%;
  background-color: silver;
  border: 1px solid red;
}
<div class="percent">Width in percentage</div>

max-content

p.maxgreen {
  background: lightgreen;
  width: intrinsic;           /* Safari/WebKit uses a non-standard name */
  width: -moz-max-content;    /* Firefox/Gecko */
  width: -webkit-max-content; /* Chrome */
}
<p class="maxgreen">The Mozilla community produces a lot of great software.</p>

min-content

p.minblue {
  background: lightblue;
  width: -moz-min-content;    /* Firefox */
  width: -webkit-min-content; /* Chrome */
}
<p class="minblue">The Mozilla community produces a lot of great software.</p>

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Basic Box Model
The definition of 'width' in that specification.
Working Draft Added the max-content, min-content, available, fit-content, border-box, content-box keywords.
CSS Transitions
The definition of 'width' in that specification.
Working Draft Lists width as animatable.
CSS Level 2 (Revision 1)
The definition of 'width' in that specification.
Recommendation Precises on which element it applies to.
CSS Level 1
The definition of 'width' in that specification.
Recommendation Initial definition.
CSS Intrinsic & Extrinsic Sizing Module Level 3
The definition of 'width' in that specification.
Working Draft Adds new sizing keywords for width and height.

Browser compatibility

Feature Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support Yes Yes 1 4 3.5 1
Animatable ? ? 16 ? ? ?
max-content

46

22 -webkit-

No 3 -moz- ? 15 -webkit-

6.1 -webkit-

21

min-content

46

222

No 3 -moz- ? 15 -webkit-

6.1 -webkit-

22

available No No 3 -moz- ? ? ?
fill-available 22 -webkit- No No ? ? 6.1 -webkit-
fit-content

46

22 -webkit-

No 3 -moz- No 15 -webkit- 6.1 -webkit-
content-box No No No No No No
border-box No No No No No No
fill 46 No ? ? ? ?
Feature Android webview Chrome for Android Edge mobile Firefox for Android Opera Android iOS Safari Samsung Internet
Basic support Yes Yes Yes 4 Yes Yes ?
Animatable ? ? ? 16 ? ? ?
max-content 46 46 No ? ? ? ?
min-content 46 46 No ? ? ? ?
available ? ? No ? ? ? ?
fill-available 46 46 No ? ? ? ?
fit-content 46 46 No ? ? ? ?
content-box ? ? No ? ? ? ?
border-box ? ? No ? ? ? ?
fill 46 46 No ? ? ? ?

1. Supported as intrinsic.

2. Supported as min-intrinsic.

See also

© 2005–2018 Mozilla Developer Network and individual contributors.
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/auto