transform
Baseline Widely available
This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since September 2015.
The transform
CSS property lets you rotate, scale, skew, or translate an element.
It modifies the coordinate space of the CSS visual formatting model.
Try it
If the property has a value different from none
, a stacking context will be created.
In that case, the element will act as a containing block for any position: fixed;
or position: absolute;
elements that it contains.
Warning: Only transformable elements can be transform
ed.
That is, all elements whose layout is governed by the CSS box model except for: non-replaced inline boxes, table-column boxes, and table-column-group boxes.
Syntax
/* Keyword values */
transform: none;
/* Function values */
transform: matrix(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6);
transform: matrix3d(1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1);
transform: perspective(17px);
transform: rotate(0.5turn);
transform: rotate3d(1, 2, 3, 10deg);
transform: rotateX(10deg);
transform: rotateY(10deg);
transform: rotateZ(10deg);
transform: translate(12px, 50%);
transform: translate3d(12px, 50%, 3em);
transform: translateX(2em);
transform: translateY(3in);
transform: translateZ(2px);
transform: scale(2, 0.5);
transform: scale3d(2.5, 1.2, 0.3);
transform: scaleX(2);
transform: scaleY(0.5);
transform: scaleZ(0.3);
transform: skew(30deg, 20deg);
transform: skewX(30deg);
transform: skewY(1.07rad);
/* Multiple function values */
transform: translateX(10px) rotate(10deg) translateY(5px);
transform: perspective(500px) translate(10px, 0, 20px) rotateY(3deg);
/* Global values */
transform: inherit;
transform: initial;
transform: revert;
transform: revert-layer;
transform: unset;
The transform
property may be specified as either the keyword value none
or as one or more <transform-function>
values.
Values
<transform-function>
-
One or more of the CSS transform functions to be applied. The transform functions are multiplied in order from left to right, meaning that composite transforms are effectively applied in order from right to left.
none
-
Specifies that no transform should be applied.
Accessibility
Scaling/zooming animations are problematic for accessibility, as they are a common trigger for certain types of migraine. If you need to include such animations on your website, you should provide a control to allow users to turn off animations, preferably site-wide.
Also, consider making use of the prefers-reduced-motion
media feature — use it to write a media query that will turn off animations if the user has reduced animation specified in their system preferences.
Find out more:
Formal definition
Initial value | none |
---|---|
Applies to | transformable elements |
Inherited | no |
Percentages | refer to the size of bounding box |
Computed value | as specified, but with relative lengths converted into absolute lengths |
Animation type | a transform |
Creates stacking context | yes |
Formal syntax
transform =
none |
<transform-list>
<transform-list> =
<transform-function>+
Examples
Translating and rotating an element
HTML
<div>Transformed element</div>
CSS
div {
border: solid red;
transform: translate(30px, 20px) rotate(20deg);
width: 140px;
height: 60px;
}
Result
Transform order
The order of transform functions matters. In this example, two boxes are rotated and translated by the same values; only the transform function order is different.
HTML
<div class="original"></div>
<div class="one">1</div>
<div class="two">2</div>
CSS
.one {
transform: translateX(200px) rotate(135deg);
}
.two {
transform: rotate(135deg) translateX(200px);
}
Result
When an element is rotated before being translated, the translate direction is on the rotated axis. The axis as indicated with the dotted lines.
More examples
Please see Using CSS transforms and <transform-function>
for more examples.
Specifications
Specification |
---|
CSS Transforms Module Level 2 # transform-functions |
CSS Transforms Module Level 1 # transform-property |
Browser compatibility
BCD tables only load in the browser
See also
- Using CSS transforms
<transform-function>
data type with all the transform functions explained.- Individual CSS properties:
translate
,rotate
, andscale
(there is noskew
property). - Online tool to visualize CSS Transform functions: CSS Transform Playground