CSS left Property
Example
Set the left edge of a positioned <div> element to 150px from the left edge of its nearest positioned ancestor:
div.c {
position: absolute;
left:
150px;
width: 200px;
height: 120px;
border: 3px solid
green;
}
Try it Yourself »
More "Try it Yourself" examples below.
Definition and Usage
The left property affects the horizontal
position of a positioned element. This property has no effect on non-positioned
elements.
- If position: absolute; or position: fixed; - the
leftproperty sets the left edge of an element to a unit to the left of the left edge of its nearest positioned ancestor. - If position: relative; - the
leftproperty sets the left edge of an element to a unit to the left/right of its normal position. - If position: sticky; - the
leftproperty behaves like its position is relative when the element is inside the viewport, and like its position is fixed when it is outside. - If position: static; - the
leftproperty has no effect.
| Default value: | auto |
|---|---|
| Inherited: | no |
| Animatable: | yes. Read about animatable Try it |
| Version: | CSS2 |
| JavaScript syntax: | object.style.left="100px" Try it |
Browser Support
The numbers in the table specify the first browser version that fully supports the property.
| Property | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| left | 1.0 | 5.5 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 5.0 |
CSS Syntax
left: auto|length|initial|inherit;
Property Values
| Value | Description | Demo |
|---|---|---|
| auto | Lets the browser calculate the left edge position. This is default | Demo ❯ |
| length | Sets the left edge position in px, cm, etc. Negative values are allowed. Read about length units | Demo ❯ |
| % | Sets the left edge position in % of containing element. Negative values are allowed | Demo ❯ |
| initial | Sets this property to its default value. Read about initial | |
| inherit | Inherits this property from its parent element. Read about inherit |
More Examples
Example
Use the left property with a negative value and for an element with no positioned ancestors:
div.b {
position: absolute;
left: -10px;
width: 100px;
height: 120px;
border: 3px solid blue;
}
div.c {
position: absolute;
left: 150px;
width: 200px;
height: 120px;
border: 3px solid green;
}
Try it Yourself »
Related Pages
CSS tutorial: CSS Positioning
CSS reference: right property
CSS reference: bottom property
CSS reference: top property
HTML DOM reference: left property
