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.
/* <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;
max-height overrides height, but min-height overrides max-height.
| 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 |
Syntax
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; }
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 (Both CSS3 Box and CSS3 Writing Modes drafts used to define these keywords, but are superseded by this spec.)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. |
Browser compatibility
| Feature | Chrome | Edge | Firefox (Gecko) | Internet Explorer | Opera | Safari (WebKit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic support | 1.0 | (Yes) | 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) | 7.0 | 7.0 | 1.0 |
applies to <table>[1] |
No support | No support | (Yes) | No support | (Yes) | No support |
max-content, min-content, and fit-content |
No support [3] | No support | 3.0 (1.9)-moz [2] | No support | No support | 9[3](bug) |
fill-available |
No support | No support | No support bug 527285 | No support | No support | No support |
| Feature | Android | Edge | Firefox Mobile (Gecko) | IE Phone | Opera Mobile | Safari Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic support | ? | (Yes) | ? | ? | ? | ? |
applies to <table>[1] |
? | No support | ? | ? | ? | ? |
max-content, min-content, and fit-content |
? | No support | ? | ? | ? | 9[3](bug) |
fill-available |
? | No support | ? | ? | ? | ? |
[1] CSS 2.1 explicitely leaves the behavior of max-height with <table> undefined. Therefore any behavior is CSS2.1-compliant; newer CSS specifications may define this behavior, so Web developers shouldn't rely on a specific one now.
[2] Gecko experimentally implements the definitions given in CSS3 Basic Box. This one defines available and not fill-available. Also the definition of fit-content is simpler than in CSS3 Sizing.
[3] WebKit implements an earlier proposal for setting the 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.