overflow-block CSS property
Baseline
2025
*
Newly available
Since September 2025, this feature works across the latest devices and browser versions. This feature might not work in older devices or browsers.
* Some parts of this feature may have varying levels of support.
The overflow-block CSS property sets what shows when content overflows the block start and block end edges of a box. This may be nothing, a scroll bar, or the overflow content.
Note:
The overflow-block property maps to overflow-y or overflow-x depending on the writing mode of the document.
Syntax
css
/* Keyword values */
overflow-block: visible;
overflow-block: hidden;
overflow-block: clip;
overflow-block: scroll;
overflow-block: auto;
/* Global values */
overflow-block: inherit;
overflow-block: initial;
overflow-block: revert;
overflow-block: revert-layer;
overflow-block: unset;
The overflow-block property is specified as a single <overflow> keyword value:
Values
visible-
Content is not clipped and may be rendered outside the padding box's block start and block end edges.
-
Content is clipped if necessary to fit the block dimension in the padding box. No scrollbars are provided.
clip-
Overflow content is clipped at the element's overflow clip edge that is defined using the
overflow-clip-marginproperty. scroll-
Content is clipped if necessary to fit in the block dimension in the padding box. Browsers display scrollbars whether or not any content is actually clipped. (This prevents scrollbars from appearing or disappearing when the content changes.) Printers may still print overflowing content.
auto-
Depends on the user agent. If content fits inside the padding box, it looks the same as
visible, but still establishes a new block-formatting context.
Formal definition
| Initial value | auto |
|---|---|
| Applies to | Block-containers, flex containers, and grid containers |
| Inherited | no |
| Computed value | as specified, except with visible/clip computing to auto/hidden respectively if one of overflow-x or overflow-y is neither visible nor clip |
| Animation type | discrete |
Formal syntax
overflow-block =
visible |
hidden |
clip |
scroll |
auto
Examples
HTML
html
<ul>
<li>
<code>overflow-block: hidden</code> (hides the text outside the box)
<div id="hidden">
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim
veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate
velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
</div>
</li>
<li>
<code>overflow-block: scroll</code> (always adds a scrollbar)
<div id="scroll">
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim
veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate
velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
</div>
</li>
<li>
<code>overflow-block: clip</code> (hides the text outside the box beyond the
overflow clip edge)
<div id="clip">
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim
veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate
velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
</div>
</li>
<li>
<code>overflow-block: visible</code> (displays the text outside the box if
needed)
<div id="visible">
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim
veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate
velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
</div>
</li>
<li>
<code>overflow-block: auto</code> (on most browsers, equivalent to
<code>scroll</code>)
<div id="auto">
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim
veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea
commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate
velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur.
</div>
</li>
</ul>
CSS
css
div {
border: 1px solid black;
width: 250px;
height: 100px;
margin-bottom: 120px;
}
#hidden {
overflow-block: hidden;
}
#scroll {
overflow-block: scroll;
}
#clip {
overflow-block: clip;
}
#visible {
overflow-block: visible;
}
#auto {
overflow-block: auto;
}
Result
Specifications
| Specification |
|---|
| CSS Overflow Module Level 3 # overflow-control |
Browser compatibility
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overflow-block
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auto
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clip
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hidden
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overlay
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scroll
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visible
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Legend
Tip: you can click/tap on a cell for more information.
- Full support
- Full support
- No support
- No support
- See implementation notes.