The max-height CSS property sets the maximum height of an element. It prevents the used value of the height property from becoming larger than the value specified for max-height.
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max-height overrides height, but min-height overrides max-height.
Syntax
/* <length> value */ max-height: 3.5em; /* <percentage> value */ max-height: 75%; /* Keyword values */ max-height: none; max-height: max-content; max-height: min-content; max-height: fit-content; max-height: fill-available; /* Global values */ max-height: inherit; max-height: initial; max-height: unset;
Values
<length>- The maximum height, expressed as a
<length>. <percentage>- The maximum height, expressed as a
<percentage>of the containing block's height. If the height of the containing block is not specified explicitly, the percentage value is treated as zero.
Keyword values
none- The height has no maximum value.
max-content- The intrinsic preferred height.
min-content- The intrinsic minimum height.
fill-available- The containing block's height minus the vertical margin, border, and padding. (Note that some browsers implement an ancient name for this keyword,
available.) fit-content- The same as
max-content.
Formal syntax
<length> | <percentage> | none | max-content | min-content | fit-content | fill-available
Examples
table { max-height: 75%; }
form { max-height: none; }
Accessibility concerns
Ensure that elements set with a max-height are not truncated and/or do not obscure other content when the page is zoomed to increase text size.
- MDN Understanding WCAG, Guideline 1.4 explanations
- Understanding Success Criterion 1.4.4 | W3C Understanding WCAG 2.0
Specifications
| Specification | Status | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| CSS Intrinsic & Extrinsic Sizing Module Level 3 The definition of 'max-height' in that specification. |
Working Draft | Adds the max-content, min-content, fit-content, and fill-available keywords. (Both CSS3 Box and CSS3 Writing Modes drafts used to define these keywords, but are superseded by this spec.) |
| CSS Transitions The definition of 'max-height' in that specification. |
Working Draft | Defines max-height as animatable. |
| CSS Level 2 (Revision 1) The definition of 'max-height' in that specification. |
Recommendation | Initial definition. |
| Initial value | none |
|---|---|
| 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 percentage value is treated as none. |
| Media | visual |
| Computed value | the percentage as specified or the absolute length or none |
| Animation type | a length, percentage or calc(); |
| Canonical order | the unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar |
Browser compatibility
| Feature | Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Internet Explorer | Opera | Safari |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic support | 1 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 72 | 1 |
fit-content, max-content, and min-content | No3 | No | 3 -moz- 4 | No | No | 95 |
fill-available | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Feature | Android webview | Chrome for Android | Edge mobile | Firefox for Android | Opera Android | iOS Safari | Samsung Internet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic support | ? | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? |
fit-content, max-content, and min-content | ? | ? | No | ? | ? | 95 | No |
fill-available | ? | ? | No | ? | ? | ? | No |
1. CSS 2.1 leaves the behavior of max-height with table undefined. Firefox supports applying max-height to table elements.
2. CSS 2.1 leaves the behavior of max-height with table undefined. Opera supports applying max-height to table elements.
3. Chrome implements an earlier proposal for setting height to an intrinsic height: the keywords intrinsic (instead of max-content), and min-intrinsic (instead of min-content). There is no equivalent for fill-available or fit-content.
4. Firefox implements the definitions given in CSS3 Basic Box. This defines available and not fit-available. Also, the definition of fit-content is simpler than in CSS3 Sizing.
5. Safari implements an earlier proposal for setting height to an intrinsic height: the keywords intrinsic (instead of max-content), and min-intrinsic (instead of min-content). There is no equivalent for fill-available or fit-content.