break-after property CSS Reference



Definition and Usage

The break-after CSS property describes how the page, column or region break behavior after the generated box. If there is no generated box, the property is ignored.

Each possible break point, that is each element boundary, is under the influence of three properties, the break-after value of the previous element, the break-before value of the next element and the break-inside of the containing element.

To define if a break must be done, the following rules are applied:

  • If any of the three concerned values is a forced break value, that is always, left, right, page, column or region, it has precedence. If several of the concerned values is such a break, the one of the element that appears the latest in the flow is taken (that is the break-before value has precedence over the break-after value, which itself has precedence over the break-inside value).
  • If any of the three concerned values is an avoid break value, that is avoid, avoid-page, avoid-region, avoid-column, no such break will be applied at that point.

Once forced breaks have been applied, soft breaks may be added if needed, but not on element boundaries that resolve in a corresponding avoid value.

  • Initial auto
  • Applies to block-level elements
  • Inherited no
  • Media paged
  • Computed Value as specified
  • Animatable no
  • Canonical order the unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar

Syntax

Formal syntax: auto | always | avoid | left | right | page | column | avoid-page | avoid-colum
break-after: auto
break-after: always
break-after: left
break-after: right
break-after: recto
break-after: verso
break-after: page
break-after: column
break-after: region
break-after: avoid
break-after: avoid-page
break-after: avoid-column
break-after: avoid-region

Values

auto
Initial value. Allows, meaning neither forbid nor force, any break (either page, column or region) to be be inserted after the principal box.
always
Always force page breaks after the principal box. This is a synonym of page, it has been kept to facilitate transition from page-break-after which is subset of this property.
avoid
Prevent any break, either page, column or region, to be inserted right after the principal box.
left
Force one or two page breaks right after the principal box so that the next page is formatted as a left page.
right
Force one or two page breaks right after the principal box so that the next page is formatted as a right page.
page
Always force one page break right after the principal box.
column
Always force one column break right after the principal box.
region
Always force one region break right after the principal box.
recto
Force one or two page breaks right after the principal box so that next page is formatted as a recto page, that is a right page in a left-to-right spread or a left page in a right-to-left spread.
verso
Force one or two page breaks right after the principal box so that next page is formatted as a verso page, that is a left page in a left-to-right spread or a left right in a right-to-left spread.
avoid-page
Avoid any page break right after the principal box.
avoid-column
Avoid any column break right after the principal box.
avoid-region
Avoid any region break right after the principal box.

Examples

No examples

Compatibility

Desktop browsers

Feature Chrome Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Opera Safari (WebKit)
Basic support Not supported Not supported 10 11.10 Not supported
column, avoid-column Not supported Not supported 10 11.10 Not supported
recto, verso Not supported Not supported Not supported Not supported Not supported
region, avoid-region Not supported Not supported Not supported Not supported Not supported

Mobile browsers

Feature Android Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Phone Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support Not supported Not supported NA NA Not supported
column, avoid-column Not supported Not supported NA NA Not supported
recto, verso Not supported Not supported Not supported Not supported Not supported
region, avoid-region Not supported Not supported Not supported Not supported Not supported

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