min-height

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

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

Syntax

/* <length> value */
min-height: 3.5em;

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

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

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

Values

<length>

Defines the min-height as an absolute value.

<percentage>

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

auto

The browser will calculate and select a min-height for the specified element.

max-content

The intrinsic preferred min-height.

min-content

The intrinsic minimum min-height.

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 value auto
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 0.
Computed value the percentage as specified or the absolute length
Animation type a length, percentage or calc();

Formal syntax

auto | <length> | <percentage> | min-content | max-content | fit-content | fit-content(<length-percentage>)

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

Examples

Setting min-height

table { min-height: 75%; }

form { min-height: 0; }

Specifications

Browser compatibility

Desktop Mobile
Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari WebView Android Chrome Android Firefox for Android Opera Android Safari on IOS Samsung Internet
min-height
1
12
3
CSS 2.1 leaves the behavior of min-height with table undefined. Firefox supports applying min-height to table elements.
7
In Internet Explorer 10 and 11, a min-height declaration on a column-direction flex container doesn't apply to the container's flex items. See Flexbug #3 for more info.
4
CSS 2.1 leaves the behavior of min-height with table undefined. Opera supports applying min-height to table elements.
1.3
4.4
18
4
CSS 2.1 leaves the behavior of min-height with table undefined. Firefox supports applying min-height to table elements.
14
1
1.0
auto
21
79
16-22
Firefox 18 and later used auto as the initial value for min-height.
No
12.1
No
37
25
16-22
Firefox 18 and later used auto as the initial value for min-height.
14
No
1.5
fit-content
46
25
79
79
3
Firefox implements the definitions given in CSS3 Basic Box. This defines available and not fit-available. Also, the definition of fit-content is simpler than in CSS3 Sizing.
No
44
11
6.1
2
46
≤37
46
4
Firefox implements the definitions given in CSS3 Basic Box. This defines available and not fit-available. Also, the definition of fit-content is simpler than in CSS3 Sizing.
43
11
6.1
1
5.0
fit-content_function
No
No
91
No
No
No
No
No
91
No
No
No
max-content
46
79
66
3
No
44
11
9
46
46
66
4
43
11
9
5.0
min-content
46
79
66
3
No
44
11
9
46
46
66
4
43
11
9
5.0
stretch
28
79
No
No
15
9
4.4
28
No
15
9
1.5

See also

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Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/min-height