column-fill 191j2l
The column-fill property specifies how content is distributed and filled into columns in a multi-column layout. 484t5d
Using this property, you can control whether columns should be balanced, or not.
If the columns are not set to be balanced, they are filled sequentially; some columns may end up partially filled, or with no content at all. If they are balanced, the browser (or any other use agent) will do its best so that their heights are as close to equal as possible. It should try to minimize variations in column height, while honoring forced breaks, orphans
, and other properties that may affect column heights.
The effect of column-fill
is mostly obvious when the height of the multi-column element is specified. The following image shows the difference between a multi-column layout whose columns are not balanced, and one whose columns are balanced using column-fill
.

Notice how the first two columns are filled and the third one is half-full in the first layout, while they are equal-height in the balanced layout.
Official Syntax 52n3v
- Syntax:
column-fill: auto | balance
- Initial: balance
- Applies To: multi-column elements
- Animatable: no
Notes 3g6b1p
A third value balance-all
also exists, which relates to paged media. See the Values section below for information.
Values 6u6u2p
- auto
- Fill columns sequentially. Equal heights are not a goal or a requirements.
- balance
- Balance content equally between columns, as far as possible. In paged media, only the last page is balanced.
- balance-all
- Balance content equally between columns, as far as possible. In paged media, all pages are balanced.
Examples 2w2wp
.element { /* create multi-column layout in the element */ column-width: 12em; /* increase the gap between columns. See column-gap for more information */ column-gap: 2em; column-fill: balance; /* OR */ column-fill: auto; }
Live Demo 163835
The following demo will show three equal-height columns (currently it’s only ed in Firefox):
View this demo on the Codrops PlaygroundThe following screenshot shows how the result looks in a ing browser:
Browser 3n3564
The column-fill
is currently ed only in Firefox.