font

The font CSS shorthand property sets all the different properties of an element's font. Alternatively, it sets an element's font to a system font.

Try it

As with any shorthand property, any individual value that is not specified is set to its corresponding initial value (possibly overriding values previously set using non-shorthand properties). Though not directly settable by font, the longhands font-size-adjust and font-kerning are also reset to their initial values.

Constituent properties

This property is a shorthand for the following CSS properties:

Syntax

The font property may be specified as either a single keyword, which will select a system font, or as a shorthand for various font-related properties.

If font is specified as a system keyword, it must be one of: caption, icon, menu, message-box, small-caption, status-bar.

If font is specified as a shorthand for several font-related properties, then:

it must include values for:
- <font-size>
- <font-family>
it may optionally include values for:
font-style, font-variant and font-weight must precede font-size
font-variant may only specify the values defined in CSS 2.1, that is normal and small-caps
font-stretch may only be a single keyword value.
line-height must immediately follow font-size, preceded by "/", like this: "16px/3"
font-family must be the last value specified.

Values

<'font-style'>: See the font-style CSS property.
<'font-variant'>: See the font-variant CSS property.
<'font-weight'>: See the font-weight CSS property.
<'font-stretch'>: See the font-stretch CSS property.
<'font-size'>: See the font-size CSS property.
<'line-height'>: See the line-height CSS property.
<'font-family'>: See the font-family CSS property.

System font values

caption: The system font used for captioned controls (e.g., buttons, drop-downs, etc.).
icon: The system font used to label icons.
menu: The system font used in menus (e.g., dropdown menus and menu lists).
message-box: The system font used in dialog boxes.
small-caption: The system font used for labeling small controls.
status-bar: The system font used in window status bars.
Prefixed system font keywords: Browsers often implement several more, prefixed, keywords: Gecko implements -moz-window, -moz-document, -moz-desktop, -moz-info, -moz-dialog, -moz-button, -moz-pull-down-menu, -moz-list, and -moz-field.

Formal definition

Initial value	as each of the properties of the shorthand: `font-style`: `normal` `font-variant`: `normal` `font-weight`: `normal` `font-stretch`: `normal` `font-size`: `medium` `line-height`: `normal` `font-family`: depends on user agent
Applies to	all elements. It also applies to `::first-letter` and `::first-line`.
Inherited	yes
Percentages	as each of the properties of the shorthand: `font-size`: refer to the parent element's font size `line-height`: refer to the font size of the element itself
Computed value	as each of the properties of the shorthand: `font-style`: as specified `font-variant`: as specified `font-weight`: the keyword or the numerical value as specified, with `bolder` and `lighter` transformed to the real value `font-stretch`: as specified `font-size`: as specified, but with relative lengths converted into absolute lengths `line-height`: for percentage and length values, the absolute length, otherwise as specified `font-family`: as specified
Animation type	as each of the properties of the shorthand: `font-style`: by computed value type; `normal` animates as `oblique 0deg` `font-variant`: discrete `font-weight`: a font weight `font-stretch`: a font stretch `font-size`: a length `line-height`: either number or length `font-family`: discrete

Formal syntax

font = 
  [ [ <'font-style'> || <font-variant-css2> || <'font-weight'> || <font-stretch-css3> ]? <'font-size'> [ / <'line-height'> ]? <'font-family'> ]  |
  caption                                             |
  icon                                                |
  menu                                                |
  message-box                                         |
  small-caption                                       |
  status-bar                                          

<font-variant-css2> = 
  normal      |
  small-caps  

<font-stretch-css3> = 
  normal           |
  ultra-condensed  |
  extra-condensed  |
  condensed        |
  semi-condensed   |
  semi-expanded    |
  expanded         |
  extra-expanded   |
  ultra-expanded

Examples

Setting font properties

css

/* Set the font size to 12px and the line height to 14px.
   Set the font family to sans-serif */
p {
  font: 12px/14px sans-serif;
}

/* Set the font size to 80% of the parent element
   or default value (if no parent element present).
   Set the font family to sans-serif */
p {
  font: 80% sans-serif;
}

/* Set the font weight to bold,
   the font-style to italic,
   the font size to large,
   and the font family to serif. */
p {
  font: bold italic large serif;
}

/* Use the same font as the status bar of the window */
p {
  font: status-bar;
}

Live sample

<p>
  Change the radio buttons below to see the generated shorthand and its effect.
</p>
<form action="createShortHand()">
  <div class="cf">
    <div class="setPropCont">
      font-style<br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-style-none"
        name="font_style"
        checked=""
        value=""
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-style-none">none</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-style-normal"
        name="font_style"
        value="normal"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-style-normal">normal</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-style-italic"
        name="font_style"
        value="italic"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-style-italic">italic</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-style-oblique"
        name="font_style"
        value="oblique"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-style-oblique">oblique</label>
    </div>

    <div class="setPropCont">
      font-variant<br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-variant-none"
        name="font_variant"
        checked=""
        value=" "
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-variant-none">none</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-variant-normal"
        name="font_variant"
        value="normal"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-variant-normal">normal</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-variant-small-caps"
        name="font_variant"
        value="small-caps"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-variant-small-caps">small-caps</label>
    </div>

    <div class="setPropCont">
      font-weight<br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-weight-none"
        name="font_weight"
        value=""
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-weight-none">none</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-weight-normal"
        checked=""
        name="font_weight"
        value="400"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-weight-normal">normal</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-weight-bold"
        name="font_weight"
        value="700"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-weight-bold">bold</label>
    </div>

    <div class="setPropCont">
      font-size<br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-size-12px"
        name="font_size"
        value="12px"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-size-12px">12px</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-size-16px"
        name="font_size"
        value="16px"
        checked=""
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-size-16px">16px</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-size-24px"
        name="font_size"
        value="24px"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-size-24px">24px</label>
    </div>

    <div class="setPropCont">
      line-height<br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="line-height-none"
        name="line_height"
        checked=""
        value=""
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="line-height-none">none</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="line-height-1.2"
        name="line_height"
        value="/1.2"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="line-height-1.2">1.2</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="line-height-3"
        name="line_height"
        value="/3"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="line-height-3">3</label>
    </div>
    <br />

    <div class="setPropCont fontfamily">
      font-family<br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-family-courier"
        name="font_family"
        checked=""
        value="courier"
        onchange="setCss(5,'courier')" />
      <label for="font-family-courier">courier</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-family-serif"
        name="font_family"
        value="serif"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-family-serif">serif</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-family-sans-serif"
        name="font_family"
        value="sans-serif"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-family-sans-serif">sans-serif</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-family-arial"
        name="font_family"
        value="arial"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-family-arial">Arial</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-family-monospace"
        name="font_family"
        value="monospace"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-family-monospace">monospace</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-family-cursive"
        name="font_family"
        value="cursive"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-family-cursive">cursive</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-family-fantasy"
        name="font_family"
        value="fantasy"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-family-fantasy">fantasy</label><br />
      <input
        type="radio"
        id="font-family-system-ui"
        name="font_family"
        value="system-ui"
        onchange="setCss()" />
      <label for="font-family-system-ui">system-ui</label><br />
    </div>
  </div>

  <div class="cf propInputs">
    <div class="propInputCont tar">font :</div>
    <div class="propInputCont">
      <input type="text" class="curCss" id="input_font_style" /><br />
      font-style <br />
      optional
    </div>
    <div class="propInputCont">
      <input type="text" class="curCss" id="input_font_variant" /> <br />
      font-variant <br />
      optional
    </div>
    <div class="propInputCont">
      <input type="text" class="curCss" id="input_font_weight" /> <br />
      font-weight <br />
      optional
    </div>
    <div class="propInputCont">
      <input type="text" class="curCss mandatory" id="input_font_size" /> <br />
      font-size <br />
      mandatory
    </div>
    <div class="propInputCont">
      <input type="text" class="curCss" id="input_line_height" /> <br />
      line-height <br />
      optional
    </div>
    <div class="propInputCont">
      <input type="text" class="curCss mandatory" id="input_font_family" />
      <br />
      font-family <br />
      mandatory
    </div>
  </div>
</form>

<div class="fontShortHand">This is some sample text.</div>
<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />

body,
input {
  font: 14px arial;
  overflow: hidden;
}

.propInputCont {
  float: left;
  text-align: center;
  margin-right: 5px;
  width: 80px;
}

.setPropCont {
  float: left;
  margin-right: 5px;
  width: 120px;
}

.propInputs,
.setPropCont {
  margin-bottom: 1em;
}

.curCss {
  border: none;
  border-bottom: 1px solid black;
  text-align: center;
  width: 80px;
}

.mandatory {
  border-bottom-color: red;
}

.cf::before,
.cf::after {
  content: " ";
  display: table;
}

.cf::after {
  clear: both;
}

.tar {
  width: 40px;
  text-align: right;
}
.fontfamily {
  display: inline-block;
}

const textAreas = document.getElementsByClassName("curCss");

function getProperties() {
  return (
    `${getCheckedValue("font_style")} ` +
    `${getCheckedValue("font_variant")} ` +
    `${getCheckedValue("font_weight")} ` +
    `${getCheckedValue("font_size")}` +
    `${getCheckedValue("line_height")} ` +
    `${getCheckedValue("font_family")}`
  );
}

function getCheckedValue(radioName) {
  const radios = document.forms[0].elements[radioName];
  for (let i = 0; i < radios.length; i++) {
    if (radios[i].checked) {
      const curElemName = `input_${radioName}`;
      const curElem = document.getElementById(curElemName);
      curElem.value = radios[i].value;

      return radios[i].value;
    }
  }
}

function setCss() {
  injectCss(getProperties());
}

function injectCss(cssFragment) {
  const old = document.body.getElementsByTagName("style");
  if (old.length > 1) {
    old[1].parentElement.removeChild(old[1]);
  }
  css = document.createElement("style");
  css.textContent = `.fontShortHand{font: ${cssFragment}}`;
  document.body.appendChild(css);
}

setCss();

Specifications

Specification
CSS Fonts Module Level 4 # font-prop

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser