height

Summary

The height CSS property specifies the height of the content area of an element. The content area is inside the padding, border, and margin of the element.

The min-height and max-height properties override height.

• Initial value auto
• Applies to all elements but non-replaced inline elements, table columns, and column groups
• Inherited no
• Percentages The percentage is calculated with respect to the height of the generated box's containing block. If the height of the containing block is not specified explicitly (i.e., it depends on content height), and this element is not absolutely positioned, the value computes to auto. A percentage height on the root element is relative to the initial containing block.
• Media visual
• Computed value a percentage or auto or the absolute length
• Animatable yes, as a length, percentage or calc(); when both values are lengths, they are interpolated as lengths; when both values are percentages, they are interpolated as percentages; otherwise, both values are converted into a calc() function that is the sum of a length and a percentage (each possibly zero), and these calc() functions have each half interpolated as real numbers.
• Canonical order the unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar

Syntax

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

height: auto     /* auto keyword */

height: 120px    /* <length> values */
height: 10em

height: 75%      /* <percentage> values */

height: inherit

Values

<length>

See <length> for possible units.

<percentage>

Specified as a <percentage> of containing block's height.

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 height for the specified element.

max-content 

The intrinsic preferred height.

min-content 

The intrinsic minimum height.

available 

The containing block height minus vertical margin, border and padding.

fit-content 

The larger of:

• the intrinsic minimum height
• the smaller of the intrinsic preferred height and the available height

Example

HTML

<div id="red">
  <span>I'm 50 pixels tall.</span>
</div>
<div id="green">
  <span>I'm 25 pixels tall.</span>
</div>
<div id="parent">
  <div id="child">
    <span>I'm half the height of my parent.</span>
  </div>
</div>

CSS

div {
  width: 250px;
  margin-bottom: 5px;
  border: 3px solid #999999;
}

#red {
  height: 50px;
}

#green {
  height: 25px;
}

#parent {
  height: 100px;
}

#child {
  height: 50%;
  width: 75%;
}

Specifications

Browser compatibility

See also

• box model, width, box-sizing, min-height, max-height