overflow property CSS Reference

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Definition and Usage

The overflow CSS property specifies whether to clip content, render scroll bars or display overflow content of a block-level element.

Using the overflow property with a value different than visible, its default, will create a new block formatting context. This is technically necessary as if a float would intersect with the scrolling element it would force to rewrap the content of the scrollable element around intruding floats. The rewrap would happen after each scroll step and would be lead to a far too slow scrolling experience. Note that, by programmatically setting scrollTop to the relevant HTML element, even when overflow has the hidden value an element may need to scroll.

• Initial visible
• Applies to non-replaced block-level elements and non-replaced inline-block elements
• Inherited no
• Media visual
• Computed Value as specified
• Animatable no
• Canonical order the unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar

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Syntax

Formal syntax: visible | hidden | scroll | auto

overflow: visible
overflow: hidden
overflow: scroll
overflow: auto
overflow: inherit

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Values

visible

Default value. Content is not clipped, it may be rendered outside the content box.

hidden

The content is clipped and no scrollbars are provided.

scroll

The content is clipped and desktop browsers use scrollbars, whether or not any content is clipped. This avoids any problem with scrollbars appearing and disappearing in a dynamic environment. Printers may print overflowing content.

auto

Depends on the user agent. Desktop browsers like Firefox provide scrollbars if content overflows.

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Examples

p {
     width: 12em;
     border: dotted;
     overflow: visible;   /* append scrollbars if necessary */
}

visible (default)
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium.

p { overflow: hidden; /* no scrollbars are provided */ }

overflow: hidden
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium.

p { overflow: scroll; /* always show scrollbars */ }

overflow: scroll
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium.

p { overflow: auto; /* append scrollbars if necessary */ }

overflow: auto
Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium.

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Compatibility

Desktop browsers

Mobile browsers