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align-content

The CSS align-content property sets how the browser distributes space between and around content items along the cross-axis of a flexbox container, and the main-axis of a grid container.

The interactive example below use Grid Layout to demonstrate some of the values of this property.

This property has no effect on single line flex containers (i.e. ones with flex-wrap: nowrap).

Syntax

/* Basic positional alignment */
/* align-content does not take left and right values */
align-content: center;     /* Pack items around the center */
align-content: start;      /* Pack items from the start */
align-content: end;        /* Pack items from the end */
align-content: flex-start; /* Pack flex items from the start */
align-content: flex-end;   /* Pack flex items from the end */

/* Normal alignment */
align-content: normal;

/* Baseline alignment */ 
align-content: baseline;
align-content: first baseline;
align-content: last baseline;

/* Distributed alignment */
align-content: space-between; /* Distribute items evenly
                                 The first item is flush with the start,
                                 the last is flush with the end */
align-content: space-around;  /* Distribute items evenly
                                 Items have a half-size space
                                 on either end */
align-content: space-evenly;  /* Distribute items evenly
                                 Items have equal space around them */
align-content: stretch;       /* Distribute items evenly
                                 Stretch 'auto'-sized items to fit
                                 the container */

/* Overflow alignment */
align-content: safe center;
align-content: unsafe center;

/* Global values */
align-content: inherit;
align-content: initial;
align-content: unset;

Values

start
The items are packed flush to each other toward the start edge of the alignment container in the cross axis.
end
The items are packed flush to each other toward the end edge of the alignment container in the cross axis.
flex-start
The items are packed flush to each other toward the edge of the alignment container depending on the flex container's cross-start side.
This only applies to flex layout items. For items that are not children of a flex container, this value is treated like start.
flex-end
The items are packed flush to each other toward the edge of the alignment container depending on the flex container's cross-end side.
This only applies to flex layout items. For items that are not children of a flex container, this value is treated like end.
center
The items are packed flush to each other toward the center of the alignment container along the cross axis.
normal
The items are packed in their default position as if no align-content value was set.
baseline
first baseline

last baseline
the baseline is the line upon which most letters "sit" and below which descenders extend.
Specifies participation in first- or last-baseline alignment: aligns the alignment baseline of the box’s first or last baseline set with the corresponding baseline in the shared first or last baseline set of all the boxes in its baseline-sharing group.
The fallback alignment for first baseline is start, the one for last baseline is end.
space-between
The items are evenly distributed within the alignment container along the cross axis. The spacing between each pair of adjacent items is the same. The first item is flush with the main-start edge, and the last item is flush with the main-end edge.
space-around
The items are evenly distributed within the alignment container along the cross axis. The spacing between each pair of adjacent items is the same. The empty space before the first and after the last item equals half of the space between each pair of adjacent items.
space-evenly
The items are evenly distributed within the alignment container along the cross axis. The spacing between each pair of adjacent items, the main-start edge and the first item, and the main-end edge and the last item, are all exactly the same.
stretch
If the combined size of the items along the cross axis is less than the size of the alignment container, any auto-sized items have their size increased equally (not proportionally), while still respecting the constraints imposed by max-height/max-width (or equivalent functionality), so that the combined size exactly fills the alignment container along the cross axis.
safe
Used alongside an alignment keyword. If the chosen keyword means that the item overflows the alignment container causing data loss, the item is instead aligned as if the alignment mode were start.
unsafe
Used alongside an alignment keyword. Regardless of the relative sizes of the item and alignment container and whether overflow which causes data loss might happen, the given alignment value is honored.

Formal syntax

normal | <baseline-position> | <content-distribution> | <overflow-position>? <content-position>

where
<baseline-position> = [ first | last ]? baseline
<content-distribution> = space-between | space-around | space-evenly | stretch
<overflow-position> = unsafe | safe
<content-position> = center | start | end | flex-start | flex-end

Example

CSS

#container {
  height:200px;
  width: 240px;
  align-content: center; /* Can be changed in the live sample */
  background-color: #8c8c8c;
}

.flex {
  display: flex;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
}

.grid {
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, 50px);
}

div > div {
  box-sizing: border-box;
  border: 2px solid #8c8c8c;
  width: 50px;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
}

#item1 {
  background-color: #8cffa0;
  min-height: 30px;
}

#item2 {
  background-color: #a0c8ff;
  min-height: 50px;
}

#item3 {
  background-color: #ffa08c;
  min-height: 40px;
}

#item4 {
  background-color: #ffff8c;
  min-height: 60px;
}

#item5 {
  background-color: #ff8cff;
  min-height: 70px;
}

#item6 {
  background-color: #8cffff;
  min-height: 50px;
  font-size: 30px;
}

select {
  font-size: 16px;
}

.row {
  margin-top: 10px;
}

HTML

<div id="container" class="flex">
  <div id="item1">1</div>
  <div id="item2">2</div>
  <div id="item3">3</div>
  <div id="item4">4</div>
  <div id="item5">5</div>
  <div id="item6">6</div>
</div>

<div class="row">
  <label for="display">display: </label>
  <select id="display">
    <option value="flex">flex</option>
    <option value="grid">grid</option>
  </select>
</div>

<div class="row">
  <label for="values">align-content: </label>
  <select id="values">
    <option value="normal">normal</option>
    <option value="stretch">stretch</option>
    <option value="flex-start">flex-start</option>
    <option value="flex-end">flex-end</option>
    <option value="center" selected>center</option>
    <option value="space-between">space-between</option>
    <option value="space-around">space-around</option>
    <option value="space-evenly">space-evenly</option>

    <option value="start">start</option>
    <option value="end">end</option>
    <option value="left">left</option>
    <option value="right">right</option>

    <option value="baseline">baseline</option>
    <option value="first baseline">first baseline</option>
    <option value="last baseline">last baseline</option>

    <option value="safe center">safe center</option>
    <option value="unsafe center">unsafe center</option>
    <option value="safe right">safe right</option>
    <option value="unsafe right">unsafe right</option>
    <option value="safe end">safe end</option>
    <option value="unsafe end">unsafe end</option>
    <option value="safe flex-end">safe flex-end</option>
    <option value="unsafe flex-end">unsafe flex-end</option>
  </select>
</div>

Result

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Box Alignment Module Level 3
The definition of 'align-content' in that specification.
Working Draft Adds the [ first | last ]? baseline, start, end, left, right, unsafe | safe values.
CSS Flexible Box Layout Module
The definition of 'align-content' in that specification.
Candidate Recommendation Initial definition
Initial value normal
Applies to multi-line flex containers
Inherited no
Media visual
Computed value as specified
Animation type discrete
Canonical order the unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar

Browser compatibilityUpdate compatibility data on GitHubUpdate compatibility data on GitHub

Support in Flex layout

Desktop
Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support 29
29
21
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
12
12
12
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
28
28
49
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
48
Prefixed Disabled
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Disabled From version 48: this feature is behind the layout.css.prefixes.webkit preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
11 12.1 9
9
6.1
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
space-evenly 60 No 52 No 47 11
start and end Partial
Partial
This value is recognized, but has no effect.
No Yes No Partial
Partial
This value is recognized, but has no effect.
No
left and right Partial
Partial
This value is recognized, but has no effect.
No 52 — 60
52 — 60
align-content no longer accepts the left and right values
Partial
This value is recognized, but has no effect.
No Partial
Partial
This value is recognized, but has no effect.
?
baseline 57 No Yes No 44 ?
first baseline and last baseline No No 52 No No ?
stretch 57 No 52 No 44 9
safe and unsafe No No 63 No No ?
Mobile
Android webview Chrome for Android Edge Mobile Firefox for Android Opera for Android iOS Safari Samsung Internet
Basic support 4.4
4.4
Yes
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
29
29
25
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Yes
Yes
Yes
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
28
28
49
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
48
Prefixed Disabled
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Disabled From version 48: this feature is behind the layout.css.prefixes.webkit preference (needs to be set to true). To change preferences in Firefox, visit about:config.
12.1 9.2
9.2
7.1
Prefixed
Prefixed Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-
Yes
space-evenly 60 60 No 52 47 11 No
start and end Partial
Partial
This value is recognized, but has no effect.
Partial
Partial
This value is recognized, but has no effect.
No No Partial
Partial
This value is recognized, but has no effect.
No Yes
left and right Partial
Partial
This value is recognized, but has no effect.
Partial
Partial
This value is recognized, but has no effect.
No 52 — 60
52 — 60
align-content no longer accepts the left and right values
Partial
This value is recognized, but has no effect.
Partial
Partial
This value is recognized, but has no effect.
? Yes
baseline 57 57 No Yes 44 ? 7.0
first baseline and last baseline No No No 52 No ? No
stretch 57 57 No 52 44 9 7.0
safe and unsafe ? ? No 63 ? ? No

Support in Grid layout

Desktop
Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support 57 16 52 No 44 10.1
Mobile
Android webview Chrome for Android Edge Mobile Firefox for Android Opera for Android iOS Safari Samsung Internet
Basic support 57 52 Yes 52 44 10.3 6.2

See also

© 2005–2018 Mozilla Developer Network and individual contributors.
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/align-content