CSS - text-orientation

The text-orientation CSS property defines the orientation of the text in a line. This property only has an effect in vertical mode, that is when writing-mode is not horizontal-tb. It is useful to control the display of writing in languages using vertical script, but also to deal with vertical table headers.

Example

 

CSS
.myText {
  writing-mode: vertical-rl;
  text-orientation: sideways-right;
}  

Syntax  

CSS
/* Keyword values */
text-orientation: mixed;
text-orientation: upright;
text-orientation: sideways-right;
text-orientation: sideways-left;
text-orientation: sideways;
text-orientation: use-glyph-orientation;

/* Global values */
text-orientation: inherit;
text-orientation: initial;
text-orientation: unset;

Values

mixed
This keyword leads to have characters for horizontal-only scripts being turned 90°, while the glyphs for vertical scripts are laid out naturally.
upright
This keyword leads to have characters for horizontal-only scripts to be laid out naturally (upright), as well as the glyphs for vertical scripts. Note that this keyword lead all characters to be considered as ltr: the used value of direction is ltr, whatever the user could try to set it to.
sideways
This keyword leads to have characters laid out like if they were laid out horizontally, but with the whole line rotated 90° to the right if writing-mode is vertical-rl or to the left, if it is vertical-lr.
sideways-right
An alias to sideways that is kept for compatibility purpose.
use-glyph-orientation
On SVG elements, this keyword leads to use the value of the deprecated SVG properties glyph-orientation-vertical and glyph-orientation-horizontal.

Formal syntax

CSS
mixed <a href="css/value_definition_syntax#single_bar" title="Single bar">|</a> upright <a href="css/value_definition_syntax#single_bar" title="Single bar">|</a> sideways

Description  

The text-orientation CSS property defines the orientation of the text in a line. This property only has an effect in vertical mode, that is when writing-mode is not horizontal-tb. It is useful to control the display of writing in languages using vertical script, but also to deal with vertical table headers.

Initial valuemixed
Applies toall elements, except table row groups, rows, column groups, and columns
Inheritedyes
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 (Yes) -webkit
48.0 (unprefixed)
41 (41) Not supported (Yes) -webkit Not supported
sideways Not supported 44 (44)[1] Not supported Not supported Not supported
Feature Android Android Webview Chrome for Android Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Phone Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support Not supported 48.0 (unprefixed) 48.0 (unprefixed) 41.0 (41) Not supported Not supported Not supported
sideways Not supported Not supported Not supported 44.0 (44)[1] Not supported Not supported Not supported

[1] sideways-right has been made an alias of sideways.

See Also  

 

Specification Status Comment
CSS Writing Modes Module Level 3
The definition of 'text-orientation' 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/text-orientation

CSS CSS Property CSS Writing Modes Experimental Reference