font-synthesis-position

Limited availability

This feature is not Baseline because it does not work in some of the most widely-used browsers.

Experimental: This is an experimental technology
Check the Browser compatibility table carefully before using this in production.

The font-synthesis-position CSS property lets you specify whether or not a browser may synthesize the subscript and superscript "position" typefaces when they are missing in a font family, while using font-variant-position to set the positions.

The font-synthesis-position property has no effect when using the <sup> and <sub> elements.

It is often convenient to use the shorthand property font-synthesis to control all typeface synthesis values.

Syntax

css
/* Keyword values */
font-synthesis-position: auto;
font-synthesis-position: none;

/* Global values */
font-synthesis-position: inherit;
font-synthesis-position: initial;
font-synthesis-position: revert;
font-synthesis-position: revert-layer;
font-synthesis-position: unset;

Values

auto

Indicates that a missing position typeface may be synthesized by the browser if needed.

none

Indicates that the synthesis of a missing position typeface by the browser is not allowed.

Formal definition

Initial valuenone
Applies toall elements and text. It also applies to ::first-letter and ::first-line.
Inheritedyes
Computed valueas specified
Animation typediscrete

Formal syntax

font-synthesis-position = 
auto |
none

Examples

Disabling synthesis of position typeface

This example shows turning off synthesis of the superscript and subscript typefaces by the browser in the Montserrat font.

HTML

html
<p>
  These are the default position <span class="super">superscript</span>,
  position <span class="sub">subscript</span>, <strong>bold</strong> and
  <em>oblique</em> typefaces.
</p>

<p class="no-syn">
  The positions <span class="super">superscript</span> and
  <span class="sub">subscript</span> typeface is turned off here but not the
  <strong>bold</strong> and <em>oblique</em> typefaces (on browsers that support
  <code>font-synthesis-position</code>).
</p>

CSS

css
@import url("https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Montserrat&display=swap");

* {
  font-family: "Montserrat", sans-serif;
}
.super {
  font-variant-position: super;
}
.sub {
  font-variant-position: sub;
}
.no-syn {
  font-synthesis-position: none;
}

Result

Specifications

Specification
CSS Fonts Module Level 4
# font-synthesis-position

Browser compatibility

Report problems with this compatibility data on GitHub
desktopmobile
Chrome
Edge
Firefox
Opera
Safari
Chrome Android
Firefox for Android
Opera Android
Safari on iOS
Samsung Internet
WebView Android
WebView on iOS
font-synthesis-position
Experimental
auto
Experimental
none
Experimental

Legend

Tip: you can click/tap on a cell for more information.

Full support
Full support
No support
No support
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.

See also