:only-child CSS pseudo-class

Baseline Widely available

This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since July 2015.

The :only-child CSS pseudo-class represents an element without any siblings. This is the same as :first-child:last-child or :nth-child(1):nth-last-child(1), but with a lower specificity.

Try it

li:only-child {
  color: fuchsia;
}

b:only-child {
  text-decoration: underline;
}
<p>Stars expected to attend:</p>
<ol>
  <li>Robert Downey, Jr.</li>
</ol>

<p>Stars yet to confirm:</p>
<ol>
  <li>Scarlett Johansson</li>
  <li>Samuel L. Jackson</li>
  <li>Chris Pratt</li>
</ol>

<p>The ceremony is going to be held in <b>The Dolby Theatre</b>.</p>

Syntax

css
:only-child {
  /* ... */
}

Examples

Basic example

HTML

html
<div>
  <div>I am an only child.</div>
</div>

<div>
  <div>I am the 1st sibling.</div>
  <div>I am the 2nd sibling.</div>
  <div>
    I am the 3rd sibling,
    <div>but this is an only child.</div>
  </div>
</div>

CSS

css
div:only-child {
  color: red;
}

div {
  display: inline-block;
  margin: 6px;
  outline: 1px solid;
}

Result

A list example

HTML

html
<ol>
  <li>
    First
    <ul>
      <li>This list has just one element.</li>
    </ul>
  </li>
  <li>
    Second
    <ul>
      <li>This list has three elements.</li>
      <li>This list has three elements.</li>
      <li>This list has three elements.</li>
    </ul>
  </li>
</ol>

CSS

css
li li {
  list-style-type: disc;
}

li:only-child {
  color: red;
  list-style-type: square;
}

Result

Specifications

Specification
Selectors Level 4
# only-child-pseudo

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
:only-child
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 2 (Release date: 2009-05-21)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 12 (Release date: 2015-07-29)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 1.5 (Release date: 2005-11-29)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 9.5 (Release date: 2008-06-12)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 3.1 (Release date: 2008-03-18)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 18 (Release date: 2012-06-27)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 4 (Release date: 2011-03-29)
footnote Full support
Opera Android – Full support
Opera Android 10.1 (Release date: 2010-11-09)
footnote Full support
Safari on iOS – Full support
Safari on iOS 2 (Release date: 2008-07-11)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 1 (Release date: 2013-04-27)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 4.4 (Release date: 2013-12-09)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 2 (Release date: 2008-07-11)
footnote Full support
Matches elements with no parent
Chrome – Full support
Chrome 57 (Release date: 2017-03-09)
footnote Full support
Edge – Full support
Edge 79 (Release date: 2020-01-15)
footnote Full support
Firefox – Full support
Firefox 52 (Release date: 2017-03-07)
footnote Full support
Opera – Full support
Opera 44 (Release date: 2017-03-21)
footnote Full support
Safari – Full support
Safari 17 (Release date: 2023-09-18)
footnote Full support
Chrome Android – Full support
Chrome Android 57 (Release date: 2017-03-16)
footnote Full support
Firefox for Android – Full support
Firefox for Android 52 (Release date: 2017-03-07)
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 17 (Release date: 2023-09-18)
footnote Full support
Samsung Internet – Full support
Samsung Internet 7 (Release date: 2018-03-16)
footnote Full support
WebView Android – Full support
WebView Android 57 (Release date: 2017-03-16)
footnote Full support
WebView on iOS – Full support
WebView on iOS 17 (Release date: 2023-09-18)
footnote Full support

Legend

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

Full support
Full support

See also