464
votes

I am trying to center my tabs content vertically, but when I add the CSS style display:inline-flex, the horizontal text-align disappears.

How can I make both text alignments x and y for each of my tabs?

* { box-sizing: border-box; }
#leftFrame {
  background-color: green;
  position: absolute;
  left: 0;
  right: 60%;
  top: 0;
  bottom: 0;
}
#leftFrame #tabs {
  background-color: red;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  left: 0;
  right: 0;
  height: 25%;
}
#leftFrame #tabs div {
  border: 2px solid black;
  position: static;
  float: left;
  width: 50%;
  height: 100%;
  text-align: center;
  display: inline-flex;
  align-items: center;
}
<div id=leftFrame>
  <div id=tabs>
    <div>first</div>
    <div>second</div>
  </div>
</div>
24

24 Answers

751
votes
  • Approach 1 - transform translateX/translateY:

    Example Here / Full Screen Example

    In supported browsers (most of them), you can use top: 50%/left: 50% in combination with translateX(-50%) translateY(-50%) to dynamically vertically/horizontally center the element.

.container {
    position: absolute;
    top: 50%;
    left: 50%;
    -moz-transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(-50%);
    -webkit-transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(-50%);
    transform: translateX(-50%) translateY(-50%);
}
<div class="container">
    <span>I'm vertically/horizontally centered!</span>
</div>

  • Approach 2 - Flexbox method:

    Example Here / Full Screen Example

    In supported browsers, set the display of the targeted element to flex and use align-items: center for vertical centering and justify-content: center for horizontal centering. Just don't forget to add vendor prefixes for additional browser support (see example).

html, body, .container {
    height: 100%;
}

.container {
    display: -webkit-flexbox;
    display: -ms-flexbox;
    display: -webkit-flex;
    display: flex;
    -webkit-flex-align: center;
    -ms-flex-align: center;
    -webkit-align-items: center;
    align-items: center;
    justify-content: center;
}
<div class="container"> 
  <span>I'm vertically/horizontally centered!</span>
</div>

  • Approach 3 - table-cell/vertical-align: middle:

    Example Here / Full Screen Example

    In some cases, you will need to ensure that the html/body element's height is set to 100%.

    For vertical alignment, set the parent element's width/height to 100% and add display: table. Then for the child element, change the display to table-cell and add vertical-align: middle.

    For horizontal centering, you could either add text-align: center to center the text and any other inline children elements. Alternatively, you could use margin: 0 auto, assuming the element is block level.

html, body {
    height: 100%;
}
.parent {
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    display: table;
    text-align: center;
}
.parent > .child {
    display: table-cell;
    vertical-align: middle;
}
<section class="parent">
    <div class="child">I'm vertically/horizontally centered!</div>
</section>

  • Approach 4 - Absolutely positioned 50% from the top with displacement:

    Example Here / Full Screen Example

    This approach assumes that the text has a known height - in this instance, 18px. Just absolutely position the element 50% from the top, relative to the parent element. Use a negative margin-top value that is half of the element's known height, in this case - -9px.

html, body, .container {
    height: 100%;
}

.container {
    position: relative;
    text-align: center;
}

.container > p {
    position: absolute;
    top: 50%;
    left: 0;
    right: 0;
    margin-top: -9px;
}
<div class="container">
    <p>I'm vertically/horizontally centered!</p>
</div>

  • Approach 5 - The line-height method (Least flexible - not suggested):

    Example Here

    In some cases, the parent element will have a fixed height. For vertical centering, all you have to do is set a line-height value on the child element equal to the fixed height of the parent element.

    Though this solution will work in some cases, it's worth noting that it won't work when there are multiple lines of text - like this.

.parent {
    height: 200px;
    width: 400px;
    background: lightgray;
    text-align: center;
}

.parent > .child {
    line-height: 200px;
}
<div class="parent">
    <span class="child">I'm vertically/horizontally centered!</span>
</div>
36
votes

If CSS3 is an option (or you have a fallback) you can use transform:

.center {
    right: 50%;
    bottom: 50%;
    transform: translate(50%,50%);
    position: absolute;
}

Unlike the first approach above, you don't want to use left:50% with the negative translation because there's an overflow bug in IE9+. Utilize a positive right value and you won't see horizontal scrollbars.

15
votes

The best way to center a box both vertically and horizontally, is to use two containers :

##The outher container :

  • should have display: table;

##The inner container :

  • should have display: table-cell;
  • should have vertical-align: middle;
  • should have text-align: center;

##The content box :

  • should have display: inline-block;
  • should adjust the horizontal text-alignment, unless you want text to be centered

##Demo :

body {
    margin : 0;
}

.outer-container {
    display: table;
    width: 80%;
    height: 120px;
    background: #ccc;
}

.inner-container {
    display: table-cell;
    vertical-align: middle;
    text-align: center;
}

.centered-content {
    display: inline-block;
    text-align: left;
    background: #fff;
    padding : 20px;
    border : 1px solid #000;
}
<div class="outer-container">
   <div class="inner-container">
     <div class="centered-content">
        Center this!
     </div>
   </div>
</div>

See also this Fiddle!

##Centering in the middle of the page:

To center your content in the middle of your page, add the following to your outer container :

  • position : absolute;
  • width: 100%;
  • height: 100%;

Here's a demo for that :

body {
    margin : 0;
}

.outer-container {
    position : absolute;
    display: table;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    background: #ccc;
}

.inner-container {
    display: table-cell;
    vertical-align: middle;
    text-align: center;
}

.centered-content {
    display: inline-block;
    text-align: left;
    background: #fff;
    padding : 20px;
    border : 1px solid #000;
}
<div class="outer-container">
   <div class="inner-container">
     <div class="centered-content">
        Center this!
     </div>
   </div>
</div>

See also this Fiddle!

13
votes

Here is how to use 2 simple flex properties to center n divs on the 2 axis:

  • Set the height of your container: Here the body is set to be at least 100vh.
  • align-items: center will vertically center the blocks
  • justify-content: space-around will distribute the free horizontal space around the divs

body {
  min-height: 100vh;
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: space-around;
}
<div>foo</div>
<div>bar</div>
6
votes

Run this code snippet and see a vertically and horizontally aligned div.

html,
body,
.container {
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
}
.container {
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
}
.mydiv {
  width: 80px;
}
<div class="container">
  <div class="mydiv">h & v aligned</div>
</div>
4
votes

CSS Grid: place-items

Finally, we have place-items: center for CSS Grid to make it easier.

HTML

<div class="parent">
  <div class="to-center"></div>
</div>

CSS

.parent {
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
}

Output:

html,
body {
  height: 100%;
}

.container {
  display: grid;
  place-items: center;
  height: 100%;
}

.center {
  background: #5F85DB;
  color: #fff;
  font-weight: bold;
  font-family: Tahoma;
  padding: 10px;
}
<div class="container">
  <div class="center" contenteditable>I am always super centered within my parent</div>
</div>
3
votes

The simplest and cleanest solution for me is using the CSS3 property "transform":

.container {
  position: relative;
}

.container a {
  position: absolute;
  top: 50%;
  transform: translate(0,-50%);
}
<div class="container">
  <a href="#">Hello world!</a>
</div>
3
votes

    .align {
        display: flex;
        width: 400px;
        height: 400px;
        border: solid 1px black;
        align-items: center;
        justify-content: space-around;
    }
    .align div:first-child {
        width: 20px;
        height: 20px;
        background-color: red;
        position: absolute; 
    }
    .align div {
        width: 20px;
        height: 20px;
        background-color: blue;
    }
    <div class='align'>
        <div></div>
        <div></div>
        <div></div>
        <div></div>
        <div></div>
        <div></div>
    </div>

First child will be aligned vertically and horizontally at center

2
votes

to center the Div in a page check the fiddle link

#vh {
    border-radius: 15px;
    box-shadow: 0 0 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
    padding: 25px;
    width: 200px;
    height: 200px;
    background: white;
    text-align: center;
    margin: auto;
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    left: 0;
    bottom: 0;
    right: 0;
}
<div id="vh">Div to be aligned vertically</div>

Update Another option is to use flex box check the fiddle link

.vh {
    background-color: #ddd;
    height: 200px;
    align-items: center;
    display: flex;
}
.vh > div {
    width: 100%;
    text-align: center;
    vertical-align: middle;
}
<div class="vh">
    <div>Div to be aligned vertically</div>
</div>
2
votes

Below is the Flex-box approach to get desired result

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width">
  <title>Flex-box approach</title>
<style>
  .tabs{
    display: -webkit-flex;
    display: flex;
    width: 500px;
    height: 250px;
    background-color: grey;
    margin: 0 auto;
    
  }
  .f{
    width: 200px;
    height: 200px;
    margin: 20px;
    background-color: yellow;
    margin: 0 auto;
    display: inline; /*for vertically aligning */
    top: 9%;         /*for vertically aligning */
    position: relative; /*for vertically aligning */
  }
</style>
</head>
<body>

    <div class="tabs">
        <div class="f">first</div>
        <div class="f">second</div>        
    </div>

</body>
</html>
2
votes

Another approach is to use table:

<div style="border:2px solid #8AC007; height:200px; width:200px;">
  <table style="width:100%; height:100%">
    <tr style="height:100%">
      <td style="height:100%; text-align:center">hello, multiple lines here, this is super long, and that is awesome, dude</td>
    </tr>
  </table>
</div>
2
votes

In order to vertically and horizontally center an element we can also use below mentioned properties.

This CSS property aligns-items vertically and accepts the following values:

flex-start: Items align to the top of the container.

flex-end: Items align to the bottom of the container.

center: Items align at the vertical center of the container.

baseline: Items display at the baseline of the container.

stretch: Items are stretched to fit the container.

This CSS property justify-content , which aligns items horizontally and accepts the following values:

flex-start: Items align to the left side of the container.

flex-end: Items align to the right side of the container.

center: Items align at the center of the container.

space-between: Items display with equal spacing between them.

space-around: Items display with equal spacing around them.

2
votes

Grid css approach

#wrapper {
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    bottom: 0;
    right: 0;
    left: 0;
    display: grid;
    grid-template-columns: repeat(3, 1fr);
    grid-template-rows: repeat(3, 1fr);
}
.main {
    background-color: #444;
}
<div id="wrapper">
    <div class="box"></div>
    <div class="box"></div>
    <div class="box"></div>
    <div class="box"></div>
    <div class="box main"></div>
</div>
2
votes

Need to follow following New and easy solution:

  .centered-class {
      align-items: center;
      display: flex;
      justify-content: center;
      width: 100vw;
      height: 100vh;
    }
<div class="centered-class">
  I'm in center vertically and horizontally.
</div>
1
votes

Just make top,bottom, left and right to 0.

<html>
<head>
<style>
<div> 
{
position: absolute;
margin: auto;
background-color: lightblue;
width: 100px;
height :100px;
padding: 25px;
top :0;
right :0;
bottom:0;
left:0;
}


</style>
</head>
<body>

<div> I am in the middle</div>

</body>
</html>
1
votes

You can achieve this using CSS (your element display:inline-grid + grid-auto-flow: row; ) Grid and Flex Box ( parent element display:flex;),

See below snippet

#leftFrame {
  display: flex;
  height: 100vh;
  width: 100%;
}

#tabs {
  display: inline-grid;
  grid-auto-flow: row;
  grid-gap: 24px;
  justify-items: center;
  margin: auto;
}

html,body {
  margin:0;
  padding:0;
}
<div>
<div id=leftFrame>
  <div id=tabs>
    <div>first</div>
    <div>second</div>        
  </div>
</div>
</div>
1
votes

If you prefer it without:
flexbox / grid / table
or without the:
vertical-align: middle

You can do:

HTML

<div class="box">
  <h2 class="box_label">square</h2>
</div>

CSS

.box {
  box-sizing: border-box;
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
  text-align: center;
  border: 1px solid black;
}

.box_label {
  box-sizing: border-box;
  display: inline-block;
  transform: translateY(50%);
  text-align: center;
  border: 1px solid black;
}
0
votes
  • Approach 6

/*Change units to "%", "px" or whatever*/

#wrapper{
  width: 50%;
  height: 70vh;
  background: rgba(0,0,0,.5);
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  right: 0;
  bottom: 0;
  left: 0;
  margin: auto;
}
#left{
  width: 50%;
  height: 50vh;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  bottom: 0;
  left: 0;
  margin: auto;
  background: red;
}
#right{
  width: 50%;
  height: 50vh;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  bottom: 0;
  right: 0;
  margin: auto;
  background: green;
}
.txt{
  text-align: center;
  line-height: 50vh;
}
<div id="wrapper">
   <div id="left" class="txt">Left</div>
   <div id="right" class="txt">Right</div>
</div>
    .container{ 
               width: 50%;  //Your container width here
               height: 50%; //Your container height here
               position: absolute; 
               top: 0; 
               right: 0;  
               bottom: 0; 
               left: 0; 
               margin: auto;
    }
0
votes

Source Link

Method 1) Display type flex

.child-element{
     display: flex;
     justify-content: center;
     align-items: center;
}

Method 2) 2D Transform

.child-element {
   top: 50%;
   left: 50%;
   transform: translate(-50% , -50%);
   position: absolute;
}

See other methods here

0
votes

The easiest way of centering a div both vertically and horizontally is as follows:

<div style="display: table; width: 200px; height: 200px; border: 1px solid black;">
    <div style="display: table-cell; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;">
        Text Here
    </div>
</div>

One More Example:

.parent {
    display: table; 
    width: 100%; 
    height: 100%;
}

.child {
    display: table-cell; 
    vertical-align: middle;
    text-align: center;
}


<div class="parent">
    <div class="child">
        <h4><u>SERVICE IN BANGLADESH FLEET RESERVE <br> AND <br> RE-ENGAGEMENT ORDER FOR DEFENCE SERVICE</u></h4>
    </div>
</div>
0
votes

This is a related problem that people might come to this page when searching: When I want to centre a div for a (100px square) "waiting.." animated gif I use :

  .centreDiv {
        position: absolute;
        top: calc(50vh - 50px);
        top: -moz-calc(50vh - 50px);
        top: -webkit-calc(50vh - 50px);
        left: calc(50vw - 50px);
        left: -moz-calc(50vw - 50px);
        left: -webkit-calc(50vw - 50px);
        z-index: 1000; /*whatever is required*/
    }
0
votes

I use this css code:

  display: grid;
    justify-content: center;
    align-items: center;

the source is :enter link description here

-1
votes

This should works

.center-div {
    display: flex;
    flex-direction: column;
    justify-content: center;
    align-items: center;
    text-align: center;
    min-height: 100vh;
}
<div class="center-div">Center Div</div>
-1
votes

The simplest flexbox approach:

The easiest way how to center a single element vertically and horizontally is to make it a flex item and set its margin to auto:

If you apply auto margins to a flex item, that item will automatically extend its specified margin to occupy the extra space in the flex container...

.flex-container {
  height: 150px;
  display: flex;
}

.flex-item {
  margin: auto;
}
<div class="flex-container">
  <div class="flex-item">
    This should be centered!
  </div>
</div>

This extension of margins in each direction will push the element exactly to the middle of its container.