height property

Definition and Usage

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.

  • Initialauto
  • Applies toall elements but non-replaced inline elements, table columns, and column groups
  • Inheritedno
  • PercentagesThe 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.
  • Mediavisual
  • Computed Valuea percentage or auto or the absolute length
  • Animatableyes, as a lengthpercentage 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 orderthe unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar

Syntax

Formal syntax: auto | <length> | <percentage>
height: auto     /* auto keyword */
height: 120px    /* <length> values */
height: 10em
height: 75%      /* <percentage> values */
height: inherit

Values

<length>
See <length> for possible units.
<percentage>
The <percentage> is calculated with respect to the height of the containing block. If the height of the containing block is not specified explicitly, the value computes to auto. A percentage height on the root element (e.g. <html>) is relative to the initial containing block (whose dimensions are equal to the dimensions of the viewport).
auto
The browser will calculate and select a height for the specified element.

Examples

1 table { height100%; }
2 img { height200px; }
3 form { heightauto; }
4 /* make sure percentage height of body's children works as expected */
5 html, body { margin0height100%; }

Compatibility

Desktop browsers

Feature Chrome Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support 1.0 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) 4.0 7.0 1.0

Mobile browsers

Feature Android Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Phone Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support 1.0 1.0 (1) 6.0 6.0 1.0