max-height

The max-height CSS property sets the maximum height of an element. It prevents the used value of the height property from becoming larger than the value specified for max-height.

Try it

max-height overrides height, but min-height overrides max-height.

Syntax

css

/* <length> value */
max-height: 3.5em;

/* <percentage> value */
max-height: 75%;

/* Keyword values */
max-height: none;
max-height: max-content;
max-height: min-content;
max-height: fit-content(20em);

/* Global values */
max-height: inherit;
max-height: initial;
max-height: revert;
max-height: revert-layer;
max-height: unset;

Values

<length>

Defines the max-height as an absolute value.

<percentage>

Defines the max-height as a percentage of the containing block's height.

none

No limit on the size of the box.

max-content

The intrinsic preferred max-height.

min-content

The intrinsic minimum max-height.

fit-content(<length-percentage>)

Uses the fit-content formula with the available space replaced by the specified argument, i.e. min(max-content, max(min-content, argument)).

Accessibility concerns

Ensure that elements set with a max-height are not truncated and/or do not obscure other content when the page is zoomed to increase text size.

Formal definition

Initial valuenone
Applies toall elements but non-replaced inline elements, table columns, and column groups
Inheritedno
PercentagesThe percentage is calculated with respect to the height of the generated box's containing block. If the height of the containing block is not specified explicitly (i.e., it depends on content height), and this element is not absolutely positioned, the percentage value is treated as none.
Computed valuethe percentage as specified or the absolute length or none
Animation typea length, percentage or calc();

Formal syntax

max-height = 
  none                                      |
  <length-percentage [0,∞]>                 |
  min-content                               |
  max-content                               |
  fit-content( <length-percentage [0,∞]> )  

<length-percentage> = 
  <length>      |
  <percentage>

Examples

Setting max-height using percentage and keyword values

css

table {
  max-height: 75%;
}

form {
  max-height: none;
}

Specifications

Specification
CSS Box Sizing Module Level 4
# width-height-keywords

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser

See also