min-width

The min-width CSS property sets the minimum width of an element. It prevents the used value of the width property from becoming smaller than the value specified for min-width.

Try it

The element's width is set to the value of min-width whenever min-width is larger than max-width or width.

Syntax

css
/* <length> value */
min-width: 3.5em;
min-width: anchor-size(width);
min-width: anchor-size(--myAnchor self-inline, 200%);

/* <percentage> value */
min-width: 10%;

/* Keyword values */
min-width: max-content;
min-width: min-content;
min-width: fit-content;
min-width: fit-content(20em);

/* Global values */
min-width: inherit;
min-width: initial;
min-width: revert;
min-width: revert-layer;
min-width: unset;

Values

<length>

Defines the min-width as an absolute value.

<percentage>

Defines the min-width as a percentage of the containing block's width.

auto

The default value. The source of the automatic value for the specified element depends on its display value. For block boxes, inline boxes, inline blocks, and all table layout boxes auto resolves to 0.

For flex items and grid items, the minimum width value is either the specified suggested size, such as the value of the width property, the transferred size, calculated if the element has an aspect-ratio set and the height is a definite size, otherwise, the min-content size is used. If the flex or grid item is a scroll container, or if a grid item spans more than one flexible column track, the automatic minimum size is 0.

max-content

The intrinsic preferred min-width.

min-content

The intrinsic minimum min-width.

fit-content

Use the available space, but not more than max-content, i.e. min(max-content, max(min-content, stretch)).

fit-content(<length-percentage>)

Uses the fit-content formula with the available space replaced by the specified argument, i.e. min(max-content, max(min-content, argument)).

Formal definition

Initial valueauto
Applies toall elements but non-replaced inline elements, table rows, and row groups
Inheritedno
Percentagesrefer to the width of the containing block
Computed valuethe percentage as specified or the absolute length
Animation typea length, percentage or calc();

Formal syntax

min-width = 
  auto                                      |
  <length-percentage [0,∞]>                 |
  min-content                               |
  max-content                               |
  fit-content( <length-percentage [0,∞]> )  |
  <calc-size()>                             

<length-percentage> = 
  <length>      |
  <percentage>  

<calc-size()> = 
  calc-size( <calc-size-basis> , <calc-sum>? )  

<calc-size-basis> = 
  <intrinsic-size-keyword>  |
  percentage                |
  <calc-size()>             |
  any                       |
  <calc-sum>                

<calc-sum> = 
  <calc-product> [ [ '+' | '-' ] <calc-product> ]*  

<calc-product> = 
  <calc-value> [ [ '*' | '/' ] <calc-value> ]*  

<calc-value> = 
  <number>        |
  <dimension>     |
  <percentage>    |
  <calc-keyword>  |
  ( <calc-sum> )  

<calc-keyword> = 
  e          |
  pi         |
  infinity   |
  -infinity  |
  NaN

Examples

Setting minimum element width

css
table {
  min-width: 75%;
}

form {
  min-width: 0;
}

Specifications

Specification
CSS Box Sizing Module Level 3
# min-size-properties
CSS Box Sizing Module Level 4
# sizing-values

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also