Is there a way to keep left-aligned text centered even when it wraps around?

Question

Is there a way to keep left-aligned text centered even when it wraps around?

I would like to center a block of left-aligned text within a div, ensuring that the visual width of the text block is centered rather than the block itself.

In situations where the div is narrow and the text is too long to fit on one line, causing it to overflow, this discrepancy becomes apparent.

Although I have displayed the text block as light blue for demonstration purposes in the examples below, in reality they will match the color of the parent div (white) with no line breaks.

In scenario 1a, the text fits within one line and is smaller than the maximum width of the text block, allowing me to set the width of the text block accordingly without any issues.

In case 2a, however, the text exceeds the maximum width and wraps onto the next line. This results in the visible text block appearing off-center.

How can I achieve both scenarios shown as 1b and 2b only using HTML and CSS?

Edit 1: Despite several suggestions on how to replicate the situation in 1a and 2a, my focus lies on accomplishing the layout seen in 1b and 2b.

Edit 2: The code I'm utilizing closely resembles David's example link (http://jsfiddle.net/davidThomas/28aef/). The use of text area colors is purely illustrative; changing it to white (http://jsfiddle.net/28aef/2/) highlights the issue where the margins are unequal.

html css alignment text-alignment

Answer 1

Answer №1

Although this solution may be considered outdated, I recently encountered the same issue and found that none of the existing solutions were effective. While I cannot guarantee its compatibility across all browsers (as I have not conducted extensive testing), it did work for me!

The downside is that you will need to manually insert line breaks, but it appears to be a necessary step in resolving this particular type of problem.

Click here to view the solution

div.textContainer {
    text-align: center;
    border: 1px solid #000;
    height: 100px;
    padding: 10px 0;
}

div.textContainer p {
    display: inline-block;
    text-align: left;
}

Answer 2

Although this solution may be considered outdated, I recently encountered the same issue and found that none of the existing solutions were effective. While I cannot guarantee its compatibility across all browsers (as I have not conducted extensive testing), it did work for me!

The downside is that you will need to manually insert line breaks, but it appears to be a necessary step in resolving this particular type of problem.

Click here to view the solution

div.textContainer {
    text-align: center;
    border: 1px solid #000;
    height: 100px;
    padding: 10px 0;
}

div.textContainer p {
    display: inline-block;
    text-align: left;
}

Answer 3

Answer №2

It's possible that the original poster no longer has this issue, but I also had the same question and went searching for an answer. Below is what I discovered.

Please note: I am not an expert in this area, and there may be better ways to handle this situation. However, the solution I found worked for my application and may help others as well.

<div style = "text-align: center; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%">
    <div style = "display: inline-block; text-align: left;">
        Insert desired text here.
    </div>
</div>

Keep in mind that the first div may not be necessary, and you can adjust the margins within the second div with minimal changes. Customize the percentages or specify a pixel width as needed. Hopefully, this saves someone time in the future without causing any new issues. Good luck!

Answer 4

It's possible that the original poster no longer has this issue, but I also had the same question and went searching for an answer. Below is what I discovered.

Please note: I am not an expert in this area, and there may be better ways to handle this situation. However, the solution I found worked for my application and may help others as well.

<div style = "text-align: center; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%">
    <div style = "display: inline-block; text-align: left;">
        Insert desired text here.
    </div>
</div>

Keep in mind that the first div may not be necessary, and you can adjust the margins within the second div with minimal changes. Customize the percentages or specify a pixel width as needed. Hopefully, this saves someone time in the future without causing any new issues. Good luck!

Answer 5

Answer №3

Although this may be an older solution, it remains unanswered. By utilizing the calc() function and viewport units (vh and vw), along with some mathematical calculations, achieving centering can be done effectively. The key is to manually adjust the left and top positions to center the content. In my approach, I opted for viewport units due to their precision and dynamic nature.

.clr{ clear:both; }
.bg666{ background:#666;}  
.bgf4{ background: #f4f4f4; }
.hv60{ height: 60vh; }
.hv50{ height: 50vh; }
.wv60{ width: 60vw; }
.wv50{ width: 50vw; }
.tlset{ position:relative; left: 30px; top: 30px; }
.true_cntr_inner { position:relative; left: calc(60vw - 50vw - 5vw); top: calc(60vh - 50vh - 5vh); }

<div class='clr wv60 hv60 bg666 tlset'>
<div class='clr wv50 hv50 true_cntr_inner bgf4'>
this text spans across 50% of the viewport. It may seem obvious, but clarity is essential. 
Mistakes happen, just like bad spelling, so a little forgiveness goes a long way.
</div>
</div>

In my search for a way to center and resize a text-containing DIV on window resize, I stumbled upon this post. After encountering challenges with the standard CENTER method, I found a workaround that suited my needs. Hopefully, this solution proves helpful to others facing similar obstacles.

Answer 6

Although this may be an older solution, it remains unanswered. By utilizing the calc() function and viewport units (vh and vw), along with some mathematical calculations, achieving centering can be done effectively. The key is to manually adjust the left and top positions to center the content. In my approach, I opted for viewport units due to their precision and dynamic nature.

.clr{ clear:both; }
.bg666{ background:#666;}  
.bgf4{ background: #f4f4f4; }
.hv60{ height: 60vh; }
.hv50{ height: 50vh; }
.wv60{ width: 60vw; }
.wv50{ width: 50vw; }
.tlset{ position:relative; left: 30px; top: 30px; }
.true_cntr_inner { position:relative; left: calc(60vw - 50vw - 5vw); top: calc(60vh - 50vh - 5vh); }

<div class='clr wv60 hv60 bg666 tlset'>
<div class='clr wv50 hv50 true_cntr_inner bgf4'>
this text spans across 50% of the viewport. It may seem obvious, but clarity is essential. 
Mistakes happen, just like bad spelling, so a little forgiveness goes a long way.
</div>
</div>

In my search for a way to center and resize a text-containing DIV on window resize, I stumbled upon this post. After encountering challenges with the standard CENTER method, I found a workaround that suited my needs. Hopefully, this solution proves helpful to others facing similar obstacles.

Answer 7

Answer №4

After exploring additional workarounds to the initial solution mentioned in the question, I came across two more alternatives that are somewhat suboptimal. To provide further assistance, I have compiled them along with a visual comparison for reference. One advantage of these alternatives is their compatibility with wrapped text and they do not rely on JavaScript.

text-align: text-align: justify; — although effective, it may result in unsightly gaps between words, especially noticeable in short texts containing long words.
hyphens:
```
-webkit-hyphens: auto; -moz-hyphens: auto; -ms-hyphens: auto; hyphens: auto;
```
— this option falls short in fully addressing the pseudo-right-margin issue.
word-break: word-break: break-all; — while centered, it breaks words immediately upon reaching the edge.
A combination of the above options can be considered for a more tailored approach.

To handle words exceeding the container's limits, adding overflow-wrap: break-word; becomes necessary. The reason why this was left as a comment was to demonstrate how each method handles lengthy "syllables" differently. It's important to note that no hyphen is included, similar to word-break: break-all;.

The inspiration for some of these solutions was drawn from the website justmarkup.com.
If manual <br> insertion is acceptable, then John's response may be more suitable.
If utilizing JavaScript is an option, refer back to my previous comment or explore the provided link, if desired.
I had also mentioned CSS media queries as a potential solution alongside JavaScript. However, after reviewing them, it seems unlikely that they would be effective in this scenario. They depend on predictable content sizes to calculate the container's dimensions in advance. Essentially, they monitor the viewport's size to adjust the container based on preset criteria, which isn't applicable when dealing with unpredictable text lengths.
Container queries offer no resolution as they lack the ability to assess text width directly, only the box housing it. Setting display: contents to prevent the creation of said box results in a width of 0px.
An ongoing challenge has been highlighted in a recent Chrome blog post concerning text balance. The acknowledgement of this issue by Google Chrome showcases awareness, indicating that similar techniques could potentially address the problem:

. . .

The irony of balanced text wrapping leading to imbalance within the enclosed element.

A brief overview of the browser's methodology

By employing a binary search strategy, the browser seeks the narrowest width without causing line breaks, refining to one CSS pixel (not display pixel). To expedite the process, the initial step corresponds to 80% of the average line width.

div {
  width: 10em;
  margin: 0 auto 1em auto;
  border: 1px solid #000;
  padding: 1em;
  background-color: lightgreen;
  /* overwritten in case 0 */
  
}

.text0 {
  text-align: justify;
}

.text1 {
  -webkit-hyphens: auto;
  -moz-hyphens: auto;
  -ms-hyphens: auto;
  hyphens: auto;
}

.text2 {
  word-break: break-all;
}

h1 {
  text-align: center;
}

p {
  background-color: aqua;
  /*overflow-wrap: break-word;*/
}

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<!-- !DOCTYPE and html tags are required for the hyphens to work in this example -->

<body>
  <h1>Justify</h1>
  <div class="text0">
    <p>This is a bit of text displaying on more than two lines. Try to bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbreak this word.</p>
  </div>

  <h1>Hyphens</h1>
  <div class="text1">
    <p>This is a bit of text displaying on more than two lines. Try to bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbreak this word.</p>
  </div>

  <h1>break-all</h1>
  <div class="text2">
    <p>This is a bit of text displaying on more than two lines. Try to bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbreak this word.</p>
  </div>
  
  <h1>Justify and break-all</h1>
  <div class="text0 text2">
    <p>This is a bit of text displaying on more than two lines. Try to bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbreak this word.</p>
  </div>
  
  <h1>Justify and hyphens</h1>
  <div class="text0 text1">
    <p>This is a bit of text displaying on more than two lines. Try to bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbreak this word.</p>
  </div>
</body>

</html>

Answer 8

After exploring additional workarounds to the initial solution mentioned in the question, I came across two more alternatives that are somewhat suboptimal. To provide further assistance, I have compiled them along with a visual comparison for reference. One advantage of these alternatives is their compatibility with wrapped text and they do not rely on JavaScript.

text-align: text-align: justify; — although effective, it may result in unsightly gaps between words, especially noticeable in short texts containing long words.
hyphens:
```
-webkit-hyphens: auto; -moz-hyphens: auto; -ms-hyphens: auto; hyphens: auto;
```
— this option falls short in fully addressing the pseudo-right-margin issue.
word-break: word-break: break-all; — while centered, it breaks words immediately upon reaching the edge.
A combination of the above options can be considered for a more tailored approach.

To handle words exceeding the container's limits, adding overflow-wrap: break-word; becomes necessary. The reason why this was left as a comment was to demonstrate how each method handles lengthy "syllables" differently. It's important to note that no hyphen is included, similar to word-break: break-all;.

The inspiration for some of these solutions was drawn from the website justmarkup.com.
If manual <br> insertion is acceptable, then John's response may be more suitable.
If utilizing JavaScript is an option, refer back to my previous comment or explore the provided link, if desired.
I had also mentioned CSS media queries as a potential solution alongside JavaScript. However, after reviewing them, it seems unlikely that they would be effective in this scenario. They depend on predictable content sizes to calculate the container's dimensions in advance. Essentially, they monitor the viewport's size to adjust the container based on preset criteria, which isn't applicable when dealing with unpredictable text lengths.
Container queries offer no resolution as they lack the ability to assess text width directly, only the box housing it. Setting display: contents to prevent the creation of said box results in a width of 0px.
An ongoing challenge has been highlighted in a recent Chrome blog post concerning text balance. The acknowledgement of this issue by Google Chrome showcases awareness, indicating that similar techniques could potentially address the problem:

. . .

The irony of balanced text wrapping leading to imbalance within the enclosed element.

A brief overview of the browser's methodology

By employing a binary search strategy, the browser seeks the narrowest width without causing line breaks, refining to one CSS pixel (not display pixel). To expedite the process, the initial step corresponds to 80% of the average line width.

div {
  width: 10em;
  margin: 0 auto 1em auto;
  border: 1px solid #000;
  padding: 1em;
  background-color: lightgreen;
  /* overwritten in case 0 */
  
}

.text0 {
  text-align: justify;
}

.text1 {
  -webkit-hyphens: auto;
  -moz-hyphens: auto;
  -ms-hyphens: auto;
  hyphens: auto;
}

.text2 {
  word-break: break-all;
}

h1 {
  text-align: center;
}

p {
  background-color: aqua;
  /*overflow-wrap: break-word;*/
}

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<!-- !DOCTYPE and html tags are required for the hyphens to work in this example -->

<body>
  <h1>Justify</h1>
  <div class="text0">
    <p>This is a bit of text displaying on more than two lines. Try to bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbreak this word.</p>
  </div>

  <h1>Hyphens</h1>
  <div class="text1">
    <p>This is a bit of text displaying on more than two lines. Try to bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbreak this word.</p>
  </div>

  <h1>break-all</h1>
  <div class="text2">
    <p>This is a bit of text displaying on more than two lines. Try to bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbreak this word.</p>
  </div>
  
  <h1>Justify and break-all</h1>
  <div class="text0 text2">
    <p>This is a bit of text displaying on more than two lines. Try to bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbreak this word.</p>
  </div>
  
  <h1>Justify and hyphens</h1>
  <div class="text0 text1">
    <p>This is a bit of text displaying on more than two lines. Try to bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbreak this word.</p>
  </div>
</body>

</html>

Answer 9

Answer №5

Consider using Flexbox for layout:

  .d-flex {
      display: -ms-flexbox;
      display: flex;
  }
  .flex-column {
      -ms-flex-direction: column;
      flex-direction: column;
  }
  .ml-auto, .mx-auto {
      margin-left: auto;
  }
  mr-auto, .mx-auto {
      margin-right: auto;
  }
  .w-50 {
      width: 50%;
  }

<div class="d-flex flex-column mx-auto w-50">
  <p>Left aligned text</p>
  <p><em>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus volutpat justo et vehicula tristique. Vestibulum nec mi turpis. Fusce ultrices velit at odio malesuada sagittis.</em></p>
  <p>Using <a href="https://getbootstrap.com/docs/4.1/utilities/flex/">Bootstrap 4</a> classes.</p>
</div>

Answer 10

Consider using Flexbox for layout:

  .d-flex {
      display: -ms-flexbox;
      display: flex;
  }
  .flex-column {
      -ms-flex-direction: column;
      flex-direction: column;
  }
  .ml-auto, .mx-auto {
      margin-left: auto;
  }
  mr-auto, .mx-auto {
      margin-right: auto;
  }
  .w-50 {
      width: 50%;
  }

<div class="d-flex flex-column mx-auto w-50">
  <p>Left aligned text</p>
  <p><em>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Phasellus volutpat justo et vehicula tristique. Vestibulum nec mi turpis. Fusce ultrices velit at odio malesuada sagittis.</em></p>
  <p>Using <a href="https://getbootstrap.com/docs/4.1/utilities/flex/">Bootstrap 4</a> classes.</p>
</div>

Answer 11

Answer №6

<div style="text-align:center;">
    <div style="display:inline; text-align:left; margin:20px;"> <!-- Custom width can be specified here for the block -->
          Your content goes here
     </div>
</div>

In this code snippet, the first div acts as a container with center alignment applied.

Within the inner div (blue area), we maintain inline display, left text alignment, and add a specific margin to control white space around the text when wrapping occurs.

Answer 12

<div style="text-align:center;">
    <div style="display:inline; text-align:left; margin:20px;"> <!-- Custom width can be specified here for the block -->
          Your content goes here
     </div>
</div>

In this code snippet, the first div acts as a container with center alignment applied.

Within the inner div (blue area), we maintain inline display, left text alignment, and add a specific margin to control white space around the text when wrapping occurs.

Is there a way to keep left-aligned text centered even when it wraps around?

Answer №1

Answer №2

Answer №3

Answer №4

Answer №5

Answer №6

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