CSS - resize

The resize CSS property lets you control the resizability of an element.

Examples

Disabling resizability of textareas

CSS

By default, <textarea> elements are resizable in Gecko 2.0 (Firefox 4). You may override this behavior with the CSS shown below:

CSS
textarea.example {
  resize: none; /* disables resizability */
}

HTML

HTML
<textarea class="example">Type some text here.</textarea>

Result

Using resize with arbitrary elements

You can use the resize property to make any element resizable. In the example below, a resizable <div> box contains a resizable paragraph (<p> element):

CSS

CSS
.resizable {
  resize: both;
  overflow: scroll;
  border: 1px solid black;
}

div {
  height: 300px;
  width: 300px;
}

p {
  height: 200px;
  width: 200px;
}

HTML

HTML
<div class="resizable">
  <p class="resizable">
    This paragraph is resizable, because the CSS resize property is set to 'both' on this
    element.
  </p>
</div>

Result

Syntax  

CSS
/* Keyword values */
resize: none;
resize: both;
resize: horizontal;
resize: vertical;
resize: block;
resize: inline;

/* Global values */
resize: inherit;
resize: initial;
resize: unset;

Values

none
The element offers no user-controllable method for resizing the element.
both
The element displays a mechanism for allowing the user to resize the element, which may be resized both horizontally and vertically.
horizontal
The element displays a mechanism for allowing the user to resize the element, which may only be resized horizontally.
vertical
The element displays a mechanism for allowing the user to resize the element, which may only be resized vertically.
block
Depending on the writing-mode and direction value, the element displays a mechanism for allowing the user to resize the element either horizontally or vertically in block direction.
inline
Depending on the writing-mode and direction value, the element displays a mechanism for allowing the user to resize the element either horizontally or vertically in inline direction.
Note: resize does not apply to blocks for which the overflow property is set to visible.

Formal syntax

CSS
none <a title="Single bar" href="css/value_definition_syntax#single_bar">|</a> both <a title="Single bar" href="css/value_definition_syntax#single_bar">|</a> horizontal <a title="Single bar" href="css/value_definition_syntax#single_bar">|</a> vertical

Description  

The resize CSS property lets you control the resizability of an element.

Initial valuenone
Applies toelements with overflow other than visible, and optionally replaced elements representing images or videos, and iframes
Inheritedno
Mediavisual
Computed valueas specified
Animatableno
Canonical orderthe unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar

Browser Compatibility  

Feature Chrome Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Opera Safari (WebKit)
Basic support (on <textarea>) 1.0 4.0 (2.0)-moz No support 12.1 3.0 (522)
On any block-level and replaced element, table cell, and inline block element (unless overflow is visible) 4.0 5.0 (5.0)[1] No support 15 4.0
Feature Android Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Phone Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support (on <textarea>) ? ? ? ? ?
On any block-level and replaced element, table cell, and inline block element (unless overflow is visible) ? ? ? ? ?

[1] resize doesn't have any effect on <iframe> (cf. bug 680823)

See Also  

Specifications  

Specification Status Comment
CSS Logical Properties Level 1
The definition of 'resize' in that specification.		 Editor's Draft Adds the values block and inline.
CSS Basic User Interface Module Level 3
The definition of 'resize' in that specification.		 Candidate Recommendation Initial definition

License

© 2016 Mozilla Contributors
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-us/docs/web/css/resize

CSS CSS Property Reference