@Media min-width & max-width

248
votes

I have this @media setup:

HTML:

<head>
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, user-scalable=no" />
</head>

CSS:

@media screen and (min-width: 769px) {
    /* STYLES HERE */
}

@media screen and (min-device-width: 481px) and (max-device-width: 768px) { 
    /* STYLES HERE */
}

@media only screen and (max-device-width: 480px) {
    /* STYLES HERE */
}

With this setup it works on the iPhone but it does not work in the browser.

Is it because I already have device in the meta, and maybe have max-width:480px instead?

5
cssmobilemedia-queries
WHat's the issue - Default styles will be applicable to screens wider than 769 px. – Gurpreet Singh
just remove the @media screen and (min-width:769px){ around your normal browser styles – Zoltan Toth
What do you mean Zoltan? And I think I might solved it. First, the issue was when my I resized my browser with max-device-with it worked on the phone but not in the broswer, without "device" it works in both. – rallybilen
So basiclly with out the "device" it works in both mobile/browser but when I add device I can not see it in the browser\ – rallybilen
960px is better, I remember reading that you should save 20px for the vertical scroll bar on some browsers that don't play well. – Medeno

5 Answers

379
votes

I've found the best method is to write your default CSS for the older browsers, as older browsers (including IE 5.5, 6, 7 and 8) can't read @media. When I use @media, I use it like this:

<style type="text/css">
    /* default styles here for older browsers. 
       I tend to go for a 600px - 960px width max but using percentages
    */
    @media only screen and (min-width: 960px) {
        /* styles for browsers larger than 960px; */
    }
    @media only screen and (min-width: 1440px) {
        /* styles for browsers larger than 1440px; */
    }
    @media only screen and (min-width: 2000px) {
        /* for sumo sized (mac) screens */
    }
    @media only screen and (max-device-width: 480px) {
       /* styles for mobile browsers smaller than 480px; (iPhone) */
    }
    @media only screen and (device-width: 768px) {
       /* default iPad screens */
    }
    /* different techniques for iPad screening */
    @media only screen and (min-device-width: 481px) and (max-device-width: 1024px) and (orientation:portrait) {
      /* For portrait layouts only */
    }

    @media only screen and (min-device-width: 481px) and (max-device-width: 1024px) and (orientation:landscape) {
      /* For landscape layouts only */
    }
</style>

But you can do whatever you like with your @media. This is just an example of what I've found best for me when building styles for all browsers.

iPad CSS specifications.

Also! If you're looking for printability you can use @media print{}.

42
votes

The underlying issue is using max-device-width vs plain old max-width.

Using the "device" keyword targets physical dimension of the screen, not the width of the browser window.

For example:

@media only screen and (max-device-width: 480px) {
    /* STYLES HERE for DEVICES with physical max-screen width of 480px */
}

Versus

@media only screen and (max-width: 480px) {
    /* STYLES HERE for BROWSER WINDOWS with a max-width of 480px. 
       This will work on desktops when the window is narrowed.  */
}
20
votes

If website on small devices behavior like desktop screen then you have to put this meta tag into header before 

<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">

For media queries you can set this as

this will cover your all mobile/cellphone widths

 @media only screen and (min-width: 200px) and (max-width: 767px)  {
    //Put your CSS here for 200px to 767px width devices (cover all width between 200px to 767px //
   
    }

For iPad and iPad pro you have to use

  @media only screen and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px)  {
        //Put your CSS here for 768px to 1024px width devices(covers all width between 768px to 1024px //   
  }

If you want to add css for Landscape mode you can add this

and (orientation : landscape)

  @media only screen and (min-width: 200px) and (max-width: 767px) and (orientation : portrait) {
        //Put your CSS here for 200px to 767px width devices (cover all mobile portrait width //        
  }
9
votes

The correct value for the content attribute should include initial-scale instead:

<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
                                                   ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
0
votes

for some iPhone you have to put your viewport like this

<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0, maximum-scale=1.0, shrink-to-fit=no, user-scalable=0" />