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CSS 'aspect-ratio' Property Explained

Est. Reading: 2 minutes
Updated: April 1, 2024

The CSS 'aspect-ratio' property sets a preferred aspect ratio for the box, which is the ratio between its width and height. This property ensures that as an element's dimensions change (either through resizing or content changes), it maintains a set shape defined by this ratio, making it invaluable for designing responsive layouts that look consistent across different screen sizes and resolutions.

CSS 'aspect-ratio' Property Example

See the Pen CSS 'aspect-ratio' Property by Webzstore (@webzstore) on CodePen.

The 'aspect-ratio' property offers a simple yet powerful way to control the scaling of elements, ensuring content maintains its intended proportion across different viewing contexts. This is especially useful in responsive design, where maintaining the correct aspect ratios of elements can significantly enhance a website or application's visual integrity and user experience.

Browser Support For 'aspect-ratio' Property

FirefoxSafariChromeMicrosoft EdgeOpera
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CSS Syntax of the 'aspect-ratio' Property

aspect-ratio: auto | <width> / <height>;

Usage of the 'aspect-ratio' Property

Use the 'aspect-ratio' property when you need an element to maintain a specific width-to-height ratio regardless of its actual size. This is particularly useful for images, videos, and other media content that should retain their proportions to avoid distortion. It's also helpful in responsive design, where you want elements to scale correctly on different devices.

Property Values of the 'aspect-ratio' Property

  • Auto: This is the default value. The box's aspect ratio is determined by the element's dimensions or by the intrinsic aspect ratio of the content.
  • <width> / <height>: Defines the preferred aspect ratio with a width-to-height ratio. '<width>' and '<height>' can be any non-negative number representing the width ratio relative to height.

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