The CSS max-width Property
The max-width property defines the maximum width of an element.
This property prevents the element's width from being larger than the specified value (it can be smaller, but not larger).
This property is useful for creating responsive layouts and to ensure content readability across various screen sizes.
Problem with width:
Here we have a horizontally centered
width (600px):
What happens to the
Using max-width instead:
Now, we use the max-width property instead. This will improve the browser's handling of small windows:
Tip: Resize the browser window to less than 600px wide, to see the difference between the two
Here is the CSS code for the two
Example
div.ex1 {
width: 500px;
margin:
auto;
border: 3px solid #73AD21;
}
div.ex2 {
max-width: 500px;
margin: auto;
border: 3px solid #73AD21;
}
CSS Properties
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| max-width | Defines the maximum width of an element |
| width | Sets the width of an element |
Want to go beyond the notes?
Join Aivasu Tech Institute's CSS course — live mentorship, real projects, and 100% placement support.
Enroll Now — Free Demo Available✳ Common questions
CSS Max-width – FAQs
Quick answers about learning CSS Max-width in CSS.