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The overflow property specifies whether to clip content, render scrollbars or just display content when it overflows its block level container.

Using the overflow property with a value different to visible (its default) will create a new block formatting context. This is technically necessary — if a float intersected with the scrolling element it would forcibly rewrap the content. The rewrap would happen after each scroll step, leading to a slow scrolling experience.

In order for the overflow property to have an effect, the block level container must either have a bounding height (height or max-height) or have white-space set to nowrap.

Note: When programmatically setting scrollTop on the relevant HTML element, even when overflow has the hidden value an element may still need to scroll.

Initial valuevisible
Applies tonon-replaced block-level elements and non-replaced inline-block elements
Inheritedno
Mediavisual
Computed valueas specified
Animatableno
Canonical orderthe unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar

Syntax

/* Content is not clipped */
overflow: visible;

/* Content is clipped, with no scrollbars */
overflow: hidden;

/* Content is clipped, with scrollbars */
overflow: scroll;

/* Let the browser decide */
overflow: auto;

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

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.

Mozilla Extensions

-moz-scrollbars-none
Use overflow:hidden instead.
-moz-scrollbars-horizontal
Use of overflow-x and overflow-y is preferred.
-moz-scrollbars-vertical
Use of overflow-x and overflow-y is preferred.
-moz-hidden-unscrollable
Is intended mainly for internal use and by themes. Disables scrolling of XML root elements and <html>, <body> by arrow keys and mouse wheel.

Formal syntax

visible | hidden | scroll | auto

Examples

p {  
     width: 12em;
     height: 6em;
     border: dotted;
     overflow: visible; /* content is not clipped */ 
}

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.

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Overflow Module Level 3
The definition of 'overflow' in that specification.
Working Draft  
CSS Basic Box Model
The definition of 'overflow' in that specification.
Working Draft No change
CSS Level 2 (Revision 1)
The definition of 'overflow' 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)[1] 4.0[2] 7.0 1.0 (85)
Feature Android Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Phone Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support ? 1.0 (1)[1] ? ? ?

[1] Through Firefox 3.6 (Gecko 1.9.2), the overflow property is incorrectly applied to table-group elements (<thead> , <tbody> , <tfoot>). This behavior is corrected in later versions.

[2] Internet Explorer 4 to 6 enlarges an element with overflow:visible (default value) to fit the content inside it. height/width behaves like min-height/min-width.

See also