Vertically centering a div inside another div

Question

I want to center a div which is added inside another div.

<div id="outerDiv">
    <div id="innerDiv">
    </div>
</div>

This is the CSS I am currently using.

    #outerDiv{
        width: 500px;
        height: 500px;
        position:relative;
    }

    #innerDiv{
        width: 284px;
        height: 290px;
        position:absolute;
        top: 50%;
        left:50%;
        margin-top: -147px;
        margin-left: -144px;
    }

As you can see,the approach I use now depends on values for width and height of innerDiv.If the width/height changes, I will have to modify the margin-top and margin-left values.Is there any generic solution that I can use to center the innerDiv always irrespective of its size?

I figured out that using margin:auto can horizontally allign the innerDiv to the middle.But what about vertical allign middle?

Answer 1

Fiddle Link < http://jsfiddle.net/dGHFV/2515/>

Try this

   #outerDiv{
        width: 500px;
        height: 500px;
        position:relative;
        border:1px solid red;
    }

    #innerDiv{
        width: 284px;
        height: 290px;
        position:absolute;
        top: 0px;
        left:0px;
        right:0px;
        bottom:0px;
        margin:auto;
        border:1px solid green;
    }

Answer 2

You can do this with a simple javascript (jQuery) block.

CSS:

#outerDiv{
    height:100%;
}

Javascript:

<script type="text/javascript">
    $(document).ready(function () {
        $("#innerDiv").css('top', ($(window).height() - $("#content").height()) / 2);
    });
</script>

Answer 3

Another way is using Transform Translate

Outer Div must set its position to relative or fixed, and the Inner Div must set its position to absolute, top and left to 50% and apply a transform: translate(-50%, -50%).

div.cn {
    position: relative;
    width: 200px;
    height: 200px;
    background: gray;
    text-align: center;
}

div.inner {
    position: absolute;
    top: 50%;
    left: 50%;
    width: 100px;
    height: 100px;
    -webkit-transform: translate(-50%, -50%);  
    transform: translate(-50%, -50%);   
    background: red;
  
}

<div class="cn">
    <div class="inner">
        test
    </div>
</div>

Tested in:

• Opera 24.0 (minimum 12.1)
• Safari 5.1.7 (minimum 4 with -webkit- prefix)
• Firefox 31.0 (minimum 3.6 with -moz- prefix, from 16 without prefix)
• Chrome 36 (minimum 11 with -webkit- prefix, from 36 without prefix)
• IE 11, 10 (minimum 9 with -ms- prefix, from 10 without prefix)
• More browsers, Can I Use?

Answer 4

Vertically centering div items inside another div

Just set the container to display:table and then the inner items to display:table-cell. Set a height on the container, and then set vertical-align:middle on the inner items. This has broad compatibility back as far as the days of IE9.

Just note that the vertical alignment will depend on the height of the parent container.

.cn
{
display:table;
height:80px;
background-color:#555;
}

.inner
{
display:table-cell;
vertical-align:middle;
color:#FFF;
padding-left:10px;
padding-right:10px;
}

<div class="cn">
  <div class="inner">Item 1</div>
  <div class="inner">Item 2</div>
</div>

Answer 5

for innerdiv which do not specify it's height value,there is no pure css solution to make it vertically centered.a javascript solution could be get the innerdiv's offsetHeight,then calculate the style.marginTop.

Answer 6

I have been using the following solution since over a year, it works with IE 7 and 8 as well.

<style>
.outer {
    font-size: 0;
    width: 400px;
    height: 400px;
    background: orange;
    text-align: center;
    display: inline-block;
}

.outer .emptyDiv {
    height: 100%;
    background: orange;
    visibility: collapse;
}

.outer .inner {
    padding: 10px;
    background: red;
    font: bold 12px Arial;
}

.verticalCenter {
    display: inline-block;
    *display: inline;
    zoom: 1;
    vertical-align: middle;
}
</style>

<div class="outer">
    <div class="emptyDiv verticalCenter"></div>
    <div class="inner verticalCenter">
        <p>Line 1</p>
        <p>Line 2</p>
    </div>
</div>