CSS @media Rule

The @media at-rule specifies a set of styles that are applied only to certain media types.

Media queries are a popular technique for delivering a responsive web design to desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile phones.

Besides media types, there are media features which have names and accept certain values like properties. But there are differences between properties and media features:

  • Properties cannot display without values, and features do not require values.
  • Features accept only single value unlike properties.

Media queries are used to check the following:

  • width and height of the viewport
  • width and height of the device
  • orientation
  • resolution

In JavaScript, the CSSMediaRule interface which represents a single @media rule can access the rules created with @media.

Initial Value all
Applies to Certain media types.
Inherited No.
Animatable Yes.
Version Media Queries, CSS2
DOM Syntax object.style.@media = "screen and (min-width: 500px)";

Syntax

@media: media-type (and media-query-feature);

Example of the @media rule:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
    <style>
      body {
        background-color: #1c87c9;
      }
      @media screen and (max-width: 411px) {
        body {
          background-color: #cce5ff;
        }
      }
      @media screen and (min-width: 768px) {
        body {
          background-color: #eee;
        }
      }
      @media screen and (max-width: 962px) and (min-width: 450px),
      (min-width: 1366px) {
        background-color: #333;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h2>@media rule example</h2>
    <p>Resize the browser to see the effect.</p>
    <p>Media queries set the background-color to light gray if the viewport is 600 pixels wide or wider, to green if the viewport is between 200 and 599 pixels wide. If the viewport is smaller than 200 pixels, the background-color is blue.</p>
  </body>
</html>

Result

CSS @media multiple queries

In the following example, when the browser's width is between 500 and 800px or above 1000px, the appearance of <div> changes. Resize the browser window to see the effect.

Example of the @media rule with a changed appearance of <div>:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
    <style>
      body {
        background-color: #1c87c9;
      }
      @media screen and (min-width: 200px) {
        body {
          background-color: #8ebf42;
        }
      }
      @media screen and (min-width: 600px) {
        body {
          background-color: #ccc;
        }
      }
      @media screen and (max-width: 800px) and (min-width: 500px),
      (min-width: 1000px) {
        div.box {
          font-size: 50px;
          padding: 50px;
          border: 8px solid #000;
          background: #eee;
        }
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h2>@media rule example</h2>
    <p>Mediaqueries sets the background-color to grey if the viewport is 600 pixels wide or wider, to green if the viewport is between 200 and 599 pixels wide. If the viewport is smaller than 200 pixels, the background-color is blue.</p>
    <h3>Change the appearance of DIV on different screen sizes</h3>
    <div class="box">DIV</div>
  </body>
</html>

Media Types

Value Description
all This value is used for all devices. This is the default value of this property.
print Is used for printers.
screen Is used for color computer screens.
speech Is used for speakers.
initial Makes the property use its default value.
inherit Inherits the property from its parents element.

Example of using media for hiding an element on extra small devices:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1, user-scalable=no">
    <style>
      @media (max-width: 767px) {
        .hide-mobile {
          display: none;
        }
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h1>Hi</h1>
    <p>There is some text for example.</p>
    <p class="hide-mobile">This text will be hidden on large devices.</p>
    <p>There is some text for example.</p>
  </body>
</html>

Example of using media for changing the content background color on different devices.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
    <style>
      @media screen and (max-width: 767px) {
        .content {
          background-color: lightblue;
          padding: 30px;
        }
      }
      @media screen and (min-width: 768px) {
        .content {
          background-color: pink;
          padding: 10px;
        }
      }
      @media screen and (min-width: 800px) {
        .content {
          background-color: lightgreen;
          color: white;
          padding: 50px;
        }
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <div class="content">
      <h2>Resize the browser to see the effect.</h2>
      <p>
        CSS is a rule-based language, which means that you define
        rules specifying groups of styles applying to particular
        elements or groups of elements on the web page.
      </p>
    </div>
  </body>
</html>

Media Features

Value Description
width The width of the viewport. css2
height The height of the viewport.
orientation The orientation of the viewport.
scan The scanning of the viewport.
aspect-ratio The ratio of the value of the "width" media feature to the value of the "height" media feature.
grid Queries whether the output device is grid or bitmap.
color The number of bits per color component of the output device. If device is not a color one, the value is 0.
color-gamut The approximate range of colors that are supported by the user agent and output device.
color-index Defines the number of entries in the color lookup table of the output device. If the device does not use color lookup, the value is 0.
inverted-colors Queries whether the browser or underlying OS invert colors or not.
hover Queries whether the primary input mechanism allows the user to hover over elements or not.
any-hover Queries whether the available input mechanism allows the user to hover over elements or not.
any-pointer Queries whether the available input mechanism is a pointing device or not.
light-level The light level of surroundings.
max-aspect-ratio The maximum ratio between the width and the height of the display area.
max-color The maximum number of bits per color component for the output device.
max-color-index The maximum number of colors for displaying.
max-height The maximum height of the display area.
max-monochrome The maximum number of bits per color on a monochrome device.
max-resolution The maximum resolution of the device.
max-width The maximum width of the display area.
min-aspect-ratio The minimum ratio between the width and the height of the display area.
min-color The minimum number of bits per color component for the output device.
min-color-index The minimum number of colors for displaying.
min-height The minimum height of the display area.
min-monochrome The minimum number of bits per color on a monochrome device.
min-resolution The minimum resolution of the device.
min-width The minimum width of the display area.
monochrome Defines the number of bits per pixel in a monochrome frame buffer. If the device is not a monochrome one, the value is 0.
orientation The orientation of the viewport.
overflow-block Queries how the output device handles content that overflows the viewport along the block axis.
overflow-inline Queries whether the content that overflows the viewport along the inline axis can be scrolled or not.
pointer Queries whether the primary input mechanism is a pointing device or not.
resolution Describes the resolution of the output device.
scripting Queries whether the scripting available or not.
update Queries how quickly the output device can modify the appearance of the content.

Browser support

chrome edge firefox safari opera
1.0+ 1.0+ 1.3+ 9.2+

Practice Your Knowledge

What are the functions of media queries in CSS?

Quiz Time: Test Your Skills!

Ready to challenge what you've learned? Dive into our interactive quizzes for a deeper understanding and a fun way to reinforce your knowledge.

Do you find this helpful?