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Summary

The display CSS property specifies the type of rendering box used for an element. In HTML, default display property values are taken from behaviors described in the HTML specifications or from the browser/user default stylesheet. The default value in XML is inline.

In addition to the many different display box types, the value none lets you turn off the display of an element; when you use none, all descendant elements also have their display turned off. The document is rendered as though the element doesn't exist in the document tree.

Initial valueinline
Applies toall elements
Inheritedno
Mediaall
Computed valueas the specified value, except for positioned and floating elements and the root element. In both cases the computed value may be a keyword other than the one specified.
Animatableno
Canonical orderthe unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar

Syntax

display: none;

display: inline;
display: block;
display: inline-block;
display: contents;
display: list-item;
display: inline-list-item;
display: table;
display: inline-table;
display: table-cell;
display: table-column;
display: table-column-group;
display: table-footer-group;
display: table-header-group;
display: table-row;
display: table-row-group;
display: table-caption;
display: flex;
display: inline-flex;
display: grid;
display: inline-grid;
display: ruby;
display: ruby-base;
display: ruby-text;
display: ruby-base-container;
display: ruby-text-container;
display: run-in;

/* Global values */
display: inherit;
display: initial;
display: unset;

Values

display-value

Is a keyword defining the rendering type to apply to the element. Its possible values and their meanings are:
Value set Value Description
Basic values (CSS 1) none

Turns off the display of an element (it has no effect on layout); all descendant elements also have their display turned off. The document is rendered as though the element did not exist.

To render an element box's dimensions, yet have its contents be invisible, see the visibility property.
inline The element generates one or more inline element boxes.
block The element generates a block element box.
list-item The element generates a block box for the content and a separate list-item inline box.
Extended values (CSS 2.1) inline-block The element generates a block element box that will be flowed with surrounding content as if it were a single inline box (behaving much like a replaced element would)
Table model values (CSS 2.1) inline-table The inline-table value does not have a direct mapping in HTML. It behaves like a <table> HTML element, but as an inline box, rather than a block-level box. Inside the table box is a block-level context.
table These elements behave like  <table> HTML elements. It defines a block-level box.
table-caption These elements behave like <caption> HTML elements.
table-cell These elements behave like <td> HTML elements.
table-column These elements behave like  <col> HTML elements.
table-column-group These elements behave like  <colgroup> HTML elements.
table-footer-group These elements behave like <tfoot> HTML elements.
table-header-group These elements behave like <thead> HTML elements.
table-row These elements behave like <tr> HTML elements.
table-row-group These elements behave like <tbody> HTML elements
CSS3 lists values (CSS3) inline-list-item The inline-list-item display value makes the element a list item, with the effects described above. Additionally, the outside value of list-style-position computes to inside on this element. Otherwise, this display value is treated identically to inline.
Flexbox model values (CSS3) flex The element behaves like a block element and lays out its content according to the flexbox model.
inline-flex The element behaves like an inline element and lays out its content according to the flexbox model.
Grid box model values (CSS3) grid

The element behaves like a block element and lays out its content according to the grid model.

As this is experimental, most browsers don't support it. Especially pay attention that -moz-grid is not the prefixed version of this, but a XUL layout model that must not be used on a Web site.
inline-grid The element behaves like an inline element and lays out its content according to the grid model.
Ruby formatting model values (CSS3) ruby The element behaves like an inline element and lays out its content according to the ruby formatting model. It behaves like the corresponding <ruby> HTML elements.
ruby-base These elements behave like <rb> elements.
ruby-text These elements behave like <rt> elements.
ruby-base-container These elements behave like <rbc> elements generated as anonymous boxes.
ruby-text-container These elements behave like <rtc> elements.
Experimental values run-in
  • If the run-in box contains a block box, same as block.
  • If a block box follows the run-in box, the run-in box becomes the first inline box of the block box.
  • If an inline box follows, the run-in box becomes a block box.
contents These elements don't produce a specific box by themselves. They are replaced by their pseudo-box and their child boxes.

Formal syntax

none | inline | block | list-item | inline-list-item | inline-block | inline-table | table | table-cell | table-column | table-column-group | table-footer-group | table-header-group | table-row | table-row-group | flex | inline-flex | grid | inline-grid | run-in | ruby | ruby-base | ruby-text | ruby-base-container | ruby-text-container | contents

Examples

View Live Examples

p.secret  { display: none }
<p style="display:none"> invisible text </p>

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Lists and Counters Module Level 3
The definition of 'display' in that specification.		 Working Draft Added the inline-list-item values.
CSS Display Module Level 3
The definition of 'display' in that specification.		 Working Draft Added the run-in and contents values.
CSS Ruby Layout Module Level 1
The definition of 'display' in that specification.		 Working Draft Added the ruby, ruby-base, ruby-text, ruby-base-container, and ruby-text-container
CSS Grid Layout
The definition of 'display' in that specification.		 Working Draft Added the grid box model values.
CSS Flexible Box Layout Module
The definition of 'display' in that specification.		 Candidate Recommendation Added the flexible box model values.
CSS Level 2 (Revision 1)
The definition of 'display' in that specification.		 Recommendation Added the table model values and inline-block.
CSS Level 1
The definition of 'display' in that specification.		 Recommendation Initial definition. Basic values: none, block, inline, and list-item.

Browser compatibility

Feature Chrome Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Opera Safari (WebKit)
none, inline and block 1.0 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) 4.0 7.0 1.0 (85)
inline-block 1.0 3.0 (1.9) 5.5 [4] 7.0 1.0 (85)
list-item 1.0 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) 6.0 7.0 1.0 (85)
inline-list-item No support No support [6] No support No support No support
run-in 1.0 [5] No support 8.0 7.0 1.0 (85) [5]

4.0

Removed in 32

5.0 (532.5)

Removed in 8.0
inline-table 1.0 3.0 (1.9) 8.0 7.0 1.0 (85)
table, table-cell, table-column, table-column-group, table-header-group, table-row-group, table-footer-group, table-row, and table-caption 1.0 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) 8.0 7.0 1.0 (85)
flex 21.0-webkit 18.0 (18.0) [1]
20.0 (20.0)		 11 12.50 6.1-webkit
inline-flex 21.0-webkit 18.0 (18.0) [1]
20.0 (20.0)		 11 12.50 6.1-webkit
grid ? No support 10.0-ms ? ?
inline-grid ? No support 10.0-ms ? ?
ruby, ruby-base, ruby-text, ruby-base-container, ruby-text-container ? 34.0 (34.0) [3] ? ? ?
contents No support 37 (37) [2] No support No support No support
Feature Android Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Phone Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support 4.4 ? ? ? 7.0-webkit

[1] To activate flexbox support, for Firefox 18 and 19, the user has to change the about:config preference "layout.css.flexbox.enabled" to true. Multi-line flexbox are supported since Firefox 28.

[2] In Firefox 36, it the preference governing this feature was off by default.

[3] CSS Ruby support is behind pref "layout.css.ruby.enabled". The user has to change this pref to true to activate this.

[4] Natural inline elements only

[5] Not before inline-elements

[6] See bug 1105868

See also

Document Tags and Contributors

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 Last updated by: Mats.Palmgren,