place-self CSS property

Baseline Widely available *

This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since January 2020.

* Some parts of this feature may have varying levels of support.

The place-self CSS shorthand property allows you to align an individual item in both the block and inline directions at once (i.e., the align-self and justify-self properties). This property applies to block-level boxes, absolutely-positioned boxes, and grid items. If the second value is not present, the first value is also used for it.

Try it

place-self: stretch center;
place-self: center start;
place-self: start end;
place-self: end center;
<section class="default-example" id="default-example">
  <div class="example-container">
    <div class="transition-all" id="example-element">One</div>
    <div>Two</div>
    <div>Three</div>
  </div>
</section>
.example-container {
  border: 1px solid #c5c5c5;
  display: grid;
  width: 220px;
  grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
  grid-auto-rows: 80px;
  grid-gap: 10px;
}

.example-container > div {
  background-color: rgb(0 0 255 / 0.2);
  border: 3px solid blue;
}

Constituent properties

This property is a shorthand for the following CSS properties:

Syntax

css
/* Positional alignment */
place-self: auto center;
place-self: normal start;
place-self: center normal;
place-self: start auto;
place-self: end normal;
place-self: self-start auto;
place-self: self-end normal;
place-self: flex-start auto;
place-self: flex-end normal;
place-self: anchor-center;

/* Baseline alignment */
place-self: baseline normal;
place-self: first baseline auto;
place-self: last baseline normal;
place-self: stretch auto;

/* Global values */
place-self: inherit;
place-self: initial;
place-self: revert;
place-self: revert-layer;
place-self: unset;

Values

auto

Computes to the parent's align-items value.

normal

The effect of this keyword is dependent of the layout mode we are in:

  • In absolutely-positioned layouts, the keyword behaves like start on replaced absolutely-positioned boxes, and as stretch on all other absolutely-positioned boxes.
  • In static position of absolutely-positioned layouts, the keyword behaves as stretch.
  • For flex items, the keyword behaves as stretch.
  • For grid items, this keyword leads to a behavior similar to the one of stretch, except for boxes with an aspect ratio or an intrinsic size where it behaves like start.
  • The property doesn't apply to block-level boxes, and to table cells.
self-start

Aligns the items to be flush with the edge of the alignment container corresponding to the item's start side in the cross axis.

self-end

Aligns the items to be flush with the edge of the alignment container corresponding to the item's end side in the cross axis.

flex-start

The cross-start margin edge of the flex item is flushed with the cross-start edge of the line.

flex-end

The cross-end margin edge of the flex item is flushed with the cross-end edge of the line.

center

The flex item's margin box is centered within the line on the cross-axis. If the cross-size of the item is larger than the flex container, it will overflow equally in both directions.

baseline, first baseline. last baseline

Specifies participation in first- or last-baseline alignment: aligns the alignment baseline of the box's first or last baseline set with the corresponding baseline in the shared first or last baseline set of all the boxes in its baseline-sharing group. The fallback alignment for first baseline is start, the one for last baseline is end.

stretch

If the combined size of the items along the cross axis is less than the size of the alignment container and the item is auto-sized, its size is increased equally (not proportionally), while still respecting the constraints imposed by max-height/max-width (or equivalent functionality), so that the combined size of all auto-sized items exactly fills the alignment container along the cross axis.

anchor-center

In the case of anchor-positioned elements, aligns the item to the center of the associated anchor element in the block and inline direction. See Centering on the anchor using anchor-center.

Formal definition

Initial valueas each of the properties of the shorthand:
Applies toblock-level boxes, absolutely-positioned boxes, and grid items
Inheritedno
Computed valueas each of the properties of the shorthand:
  • align-self: auto computes to itself on absolutely-positioned elements, and to the computed value of align-items on the parent (minus any legacy keywords) on all other boxes, or start if the box has no parent. Its behavior depends on the layout model, as described for justify-self. Otherwise the specified value.
  • justify-self: as specified
Animation typediscrete

Formal syntax

place-self = 
<'align-self'> <'justify-self'>?

<align-self> =
auto |
<overflow-position>? [ normal | <self-position> ] |
stretch |
<baseline-position> |
anchor-center

<justify-self> =
auto |
<overflow-position>? [ normal | <self-position> | left | right ] |
stretch |
<baseline-position> |
anchor-center

<overflow-position> =
unsafe |
safe

<self-position> =
center |
start |
end |
self-start |
self-end |
flex-start |
flex-end

<baseline-position> =
[ first | last ]? &&
baseline

Examples

Basic demonstration

In the following example we have a 2 x 2 grid layout. Initially the grid container has justify-items and align-items values of stretch — the defaults — which causes the grid items to stretch across the entire width of their cells.

The second, third, and fourth grid items are then given different values of place-self, to show how these override the default placements. These values cause the grid items to span only as wide/tall as their content width/height, and align in different positions across their cells, in the block and inline directions.

HTML

html
<article class="container">
  <span>First</span>
  <span>Second</span>
  <span>Third</span>
  <span>Fourth</span>
</article>

CSS

css
html {
  font-family: "Helvetica", "Arial", sans-serif;
  letter-spacing: 1px;
}

article {
  background-color: red;
  display: grid;
  grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr;
  grid-auto-rows: 80px;
  grid-gap: 10px;
  margin: 20px;
  width: 300px;
}

span:nth-child(2) {
  place-self: start center;
}

span:nth-child(3) {
  place-self: center start;
}

span:nth-child(4) {
  place-self: end;
}

article span {
  background-color: black;
  color: white;
  margin: 1px;
  text-align: center;
}

article,
span {
  padding: 10px;
  border-radius: 7px;
}

Result

Specifications

Specification
CSS Box Alignment Module Level 3
# place-self-property

Browser compatibility

desktop mobile
Chrome
Edge
Firefox
Opera
Safari
Chrome Android
Firefox for Android
Opera Android
Safari on iOS
Samsung Internet
WebView Android
WebView on iOS
place-self
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 59 (Release date: 2017-06-05)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 45 (Release date: 2016-03-08)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 46 (Release date: 2017-06-22)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 11 (Release date: 2017-09-19)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 59 (Release date: 2017-06-06)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 45 (Release date: 2016-03-08)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 43 (Release date: 2017-09-27)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 11 (Release date: 2017-09-19)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 7 (Release date: 2018-03-16)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 59 (Release date: 2017-06-06)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 11 (Release date: 2017-09-19)
footnote Full support
anchor-center
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 125 (Release date: 2024-05-14)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 125 (Release date: 2024-05-17)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 147 (Release date: 2026-01-13)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 111 (Release date: 2024-06-12)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 26 (Release date: 2025-09-15)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 125 (Release date: 2024-05-14)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 147 (Release date: 2026-01-13)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 83 (Release date: 2024-06-25)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 26 (Release date: 2025-09-15)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 27 (Release date: 2024-11-06)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 125 (Release date: 2024-05-14)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 26 (Release date: 2025-09-15)
footnote Full support
Supported in Flex Layout
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 59 (Release date: 2017-06-05)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 45 (Release date: 2016-03-08)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 46 (Release date: 2017-06-22)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 11 (Release date: 2017-09-19)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 59 (Release date: 2017-06-06)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 45 (Release date: 2016-03-08)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 43 (Release date: 2017-09-27)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 11 (Release date: 2017-09-19)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 7 (Release date: 2018-03-16)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 59 (Release date: 2017-06-06)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 11 (Release date: 2017-09-19)
footnote Full support
Supported in Grid Layout
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 59 (Release date: 2017-06-05)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 45 (Release date: 2016-03-08)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 46 (Release date: 2017-06-22)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 11 (Release date: 2017-09-19)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 59 (Release date: 2017-06-06)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 45 (Release date: 2016-03-08)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 43 (Release date: 2017-09-27)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 11 (Release date: 2017-09-19)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 7 (Release date: 2018-03-16)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 59 (Release date: 2017-06-06)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 11 (Release date: 2017-09-19)
footnote Full support
Supported for absolutely-positioned boxes
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 122 (Release date: 2024-02-20)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 122 (Release date: 2024-02-23)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 134 (Release date: 2025-01-07)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 108 (Release date: 2024-03-05)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 26 (Release date: 2025-09-15)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 122 (Release date: 2024-02-20)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 134 (Release date: 2025-01-07)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 81 (Release date: 2024-03-14)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 26 (Release date: 2025-09-15)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 26 (Release date: 2024-06-07)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 122 (Release date: 2024-02-20)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 26 (Release date: 2025-09-15)
footnote Full support

Legend

Tip: you can click/tap on a cell for more information.

Full support
Full support

See also