Summary

The vertical-align CSS property specifies the vertical alignment of an inline or table-cell box.

Initial valuebaseline
Applies toinline-level and table-cell elements. It also applies to ::first-letter and ::first-line.
Inheritedno
Percentagesrefer to the line-height of the element itself
Mediavisual
Computed valuefor percentage and length values, the absolute length, otherwise the keyword as specified
Animatableyes, as a length
Canonical orderthe unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar

Syntax

/* keyword values */
vertical-align: baseline;
vertical-align: sub;
vertical-align: super;
vertical-align: text-top;
vertical-align: text-bottom;
vertical-align: middle;
vertical-align: top;
vertical-align: bottom;

/* <length> values */
vertical-align: 10em;
vertical-align: 4px;

/* <percentage> values */
vertical-align: 20%;

/* Global values */
vertical-align: inherit;
vertical-align: initial;
vertical-align: unset;

Values (for inline elements)

Most of the values vertically align the element relative to its parent element:

baseline
Aligns the baseline of the element with the baseline of its parent. The baseline of some replaced elements, like <textarea>, is not specified by the HTML specification, meaning that their behavior with this keyword may change from one browser to the other.
sub
Aligns the baseline of the element with the subscript-baseline of its parent.
super
Aligns the baseline of the element with the superscript-baseline of its parent.
text-top
Aligns the top of the element with the top of the parent element's font.
text-bottom
Aligns the bottom of the element with the bottom of the parent element's font.
middle
Aligns the middle of the element with the baseline plus half the x-height of the parent.
<length>
Aligns the baseline of the element at the given length above the baseline of its parent.
<percentage>
Like <length> values, with the percentage being a percent of the line-height property.

(Negative values are allowed for <length> and <percentage>.)

The following two values vertically align the element relative to the entire line rather than relative to its parent:

top
Align the top of the element and its descendants with the top of the entire line.
bottom
Align the bottom of the element and its descendants with the bottom of the entire line.

For elements that do not have a baseline, the bottom margin edge is used instead.

Values (for table cells)

baseline (and sub, super, text-top, text-bottom, <length>, and <percentage>)
Align the baseline of the cell with the baseline of all other cells in the row that are baseline-aligned.
top
Align the top padding edge of the cell with the top of the row.
middle
Center the padding box of the cell within the row.
bottom
Align the bottom padding edge of the cell with the bottom of the row.

Negative values are allowed.

Example

HTML Content

<div>An <img src="https://mdn.mozillademos.org/files/12245/frame_image.svg" alt="link" width="32" height="32" /> image with a default alignment.</div>
<div>An <img class="top" src="https://mdn.mozillademos.org/files/12245/frame_image.svg" alt="link" width="32" height="32" /> image with a text-top alignment.</div>
<div>An <img class="bottom" src="https://mdn.mozillademos.org/files/12245/frame_image.svg" alt="link" width="32" height="32" /> image with a text-bottom alignment.</div>
<div>An <img class="middle" src="https://mdn.mozillademos.org/files/12245/frame_image.svg" alt="link" width="32" height="32" /> image with a middle alignment.</div>

CSS Content

img.top { vertical-align: text-top; }
img.bottom { vertical-align: text-bottom; }
img.middle { vertical-align: middle; }

Output


 

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Transitions
The definition of 'vertical-align' in that specification.
Working Draft Defines vertical-align as animatable.
CSS Level 2 (Revision 1)
The definition of 'vertical-align' in that specification.
Recommendation Add the <length> value and allows it to be applied to element with a display type of table-cell.
CSS Level 1
The definition of 'vertical-align' in that specification.
Recommendation Initial definition

Browser compatibility

Feature Chrome Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support 1.0 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) 4.0 4.0 1.0 (85)
Feature Android Chrome for Android Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Mobile Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support 1.0 1.0 1.0 (1.0) (Yes) (Yes) 1.0

See also