writing-mode

Baseline Widely available *

This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since March 2017.

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

The writing-mode CSS property sets whether lines of text are laid out horizontally or vertically, as well as the direction in which blocks progress. When set for an entire document, it should be set on the root element (html element for HTML documents).

Try it

writing-mode: horizontal-tb;

writing-mode: vertical-lr;

writing-mode: vertical-rl;

writing-mode: sideways-rl;

writing-mode: sideways-lr;

<section class="default-example" id="default-example">
  <div class="transition-all" id="example-element">
    <div>1</div>
    <div>2</div>
    <div>3</div>
    <div>4</div>
  </div>
</section>

#example-element {
  border: 1px solid #c5c5c5;
  padding: 0.75em;
  width: 80%;
  max-height: 300px;
  display: flex;
}

#example-element > div {
  background-color: rgba(0, 0, 255, 0.2);
  border: 3px solid blue;
  margin: 10px;
  flex: 1;
}

This property specifies the block flow direction, which is the direction in which block-level containers are stacked, and the direction in which inline-level content flows within a block container. Thus, it also determines the ordering of block-level content.

Syntax

/* Keyword values */
writing-mode: horizontal-tb;
writing-mode: vertical-rl;
writing-mode: vertical-lr;
writing-mode: sideways-rl;
writing-mode: sideways-lr;

/* Global values */
writing-mode: inherit;
writing-mode: initial;
writing-mode: revert;
writing-mode: revert-layer;
writing-mode: unset;

The writing-mode property is specified as one of the values listed below. The flow direction in horizontal scripts is also affected by the directionality of that script, either left-to-right (ltr, like English and most other languages) or right-to-left (rtl, like Hebrew or Arabic).

Values

horizontal-tb

For ltr scripts, content flows horizontally from left to right. For rtl scripts, content flows horizontally from right to left. The next horizontal line is positioned below the previous line.

vertical-rl

For ltr scripts, content flows vertically from top to bottom, and the next vertical line is positioned to the left of the previous line. For rtl scripts, content flows vertically from bottom to top, and the next vertical line is positioned to the right of the previous line.

vertical-lr

For ltr scripts, content flows vertically from top to bottom, and the next vertical line is positioned to the right of the previous line. For rtl scripts, content flows vertically from bottom to top, and the next vertical line is positioned to the left of the previous line.

sideways-rl

For ltr scripts, content flows vertically from top to bottom. For rtl scripts, content flows vertically from bottom to top. All the glyphs, even those in vertical scripts, are set sideways toward the right.

sideways-lr

For ltr scripts, content flows vertically from bottom to top. For rtl scripts, content flows vertically from top to bottom. All the glyphs, even those in vertical scripts, are set sideways toward the left.

lr

Deprecated except for SVG1 documents. For CSS, use horizontal-tb instead.

lr-tb

Deprecated except for SVG1 documents. For CSS, use horizontal-tb instead.

rl

Deprecated except for SVG1 documents. For CSS, use horizontal-tb instead.

tb

Deprecated except for SVG1 documents. For CSS, use vertical-lr instead.

tb-lr

Deprecated except for SVG1 documents. For CSS, use vertical-lr instead.

tb-rl

Deprecated except for SVG1 documents. For CSS, use vertical-rl instead.

Formal definition

Initial value horizontal-tb
Applies to all elements except table row groups, table column groups, table rows, and table columns
Inherited yes
Computed value as specified
Animation type Not animatable

Formal syntax

writing-mode = 
  horizontal-tb  |
  vertical-rl    |
  vertical-lr    |
  sideways-rl    |
  sideways-lr

Examples

Using multiple writing modes

This example demonstrates all of the writing modes, showing each with text in various languages.

HTML

The HTML is a <table> with each writing mode in a row with a column showing text in various scripts using that writing mode.

<table>
  <caption>
    Using multiple writing modes
  </caption>
  <tr>
    <th>Value</th>
    <th>Vertical script</th>
    <th>Horizontal (LTR) script</th>
    <th>Horizontal (RTL) script</th>
    <th>Mixed script</th>
  </tr>
  <tr class="text1">
    <th>horizontal-tb</th>
    <td>我家没有电脑。</td>
    <td>Example text</td>
    <td>מלל ארוך לדוגמא</td>
    <td>1994年に至っては</td>
  </tr>
  <tr class="text2">
    <th>vertical-lr</th>
    <td>我家没有电脑。</td>
    <td>Example text</td>
    <td>מלל ארוך לדוגמא</td>
    <td>1994年に至っては</td>
  </tr>
  <tr class="text3">
    <th>vertical-rl</th>
    <td>我家没有电脑。</td>
    <td>Example text</td>
    <td>מלל ארוך לדוגמא</td>
    <td>1994年に至っては</td>
  </tr>
  <tr class="experimental text4">
    <th>sideways-lr</th>
    <td>我家没有电脑。</td>
    <td>Example text</td>
    <td>מלל ארוך לדוגמא</td>
    <td>1994年に至っては</td>
  </tr>
  <tr class="experimental text5">
    <th>sideways-rl</th>
    <td>我家没有电脑。</td>
    <td>Example text</td>
    <td>מלל ארוך לדוגמא</td>
    <td>1994年に至っては</td>
  </tr>
</table>
<p class="notice">
  Your browser does not support the <code>sideways-lr</code> or
  <code>sideways-rl</code> values.
</p>

CSS

The CSS that adjusts the directionality of the content looks like this:

.text1 td {
  writing-mode: horizontal-tb;
}

.text2 td {
  writing-mode: vertical-lr;
}

.text3 td {
  writing-mode: vertical-rl;
}

.text4 td {
  writing-mode: sideways-lr;
}

.text5 td {
  writing-mode: sideways-rl;
}

Result

Using writing-mode with transforms

If your browser doesn't support sideways-lr, a workaround is to use transform to achieve a similar effect depending on the script direction. The effect of vertical-rl is the same as with sideways-lr, so no transformation is required for left-to-right scripts. In some cases, rotating the text 180 degrees is sufficient to achieve the effect of sideways-lr, but font glyphs may not be designed to be rotated, so this may produce unexpected positioning or rendering.

HTML

<table>
  <caption>
    Using writing-mode with transforms
  </caption>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Vertical LR</th>
      <th>Vertical LR with transform</th>
      <th>Sideways LR</th>
      <th>Only rotate</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>
        <span class="vertical-lr">我家没有电脑。</span>
        <span class="vertical-lr">Example text</span>
      </td>
      <td>
        <span class="vertical-lr rotated">我家没有电脑。</span>
        <span class="vertical-lr rotated">Example text</span>
      </td>
      <td>
        <span class="sideways-lr">我家没有电脑。</span>
        <span class="sideways-lr">Example text</span>
      </td>
      <td>
        <span class="only-rotate">我家没有电脑。</span>
        <span class="only-rotate">Example text</span>
      </td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

CSS

.vertical-lr {
  writing-mode: vertical-lr;
}

.rotated {
  transform: rotate(180deg);
}

.sideways-lr {
  writing-mode: sideways-lr;
}

.only-rotate {
  inline-size: fit-content;
  transform: rotate(-90deg);
}

Result

Specifications

Specification
CSS Writing Modes Level 4
# block-flow
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) 2
# WritingModeProperty

Browser compatibility

Desktop Mobile
Chrome Edge Firefox Opera Safari Chrome Android Firefox for Android Opera Android Safari on IOS Samsung Internet WebView Android
writing-mode 488 1212
41Firefox 42 added support for bidirectional and RTL scripts in vertical modes.
 3515 10.15.1 4818
41Firefox for Android 42 added support for bidirectional and RTL scripts in vertical modes.
 3514 10.35 5.01.0 483
horizontal-tb 48 12 43 35 9 48 43 35 9 5.0 48
lr 48 12 43 35 10.1 48 43 35 10.3 5.0 48
lr-tb 48 12 43 35 10.1 48 43 35 10.3 5.0 48
rl 48 12 43 35 10.1 48 43 35 10.3 5.0 48
rl-tb 48 12 43 35 10.1 48 43 35 10.3 5.0 48
sideways-lr 132 132 43 117 18.4 132 43 87 18.4 No 132
sideways-rl 132 132 43 117 18.4 132 43 87 18.4 No 132
tb 48 12 43 35 10.1 48 43 35 10.3 5.0 48
tb-rl 48 12 43 35 10.1 48 43 35 10.3 5.0 48
vertical-lr 48 12 43 35 9 48 43 35 9 5.0 48
vertical-rl 48 12 43 35 9 48 43 35 9 5.0 48
vertical_oriented_form_controls
124Supported for select, button, textarea, textual input, range slider, meter, and progress elements.
121–124Supported for select, button, textarea and textual input elements.
119–121Only supported for select and button elements.
124Supported for select, button, textarea, textual input, range slider, meter, and progress elements.
121–124Supported for select, button, textarea and textual input elements.
119–121Only supported for select and button elements.
 120
110Supported for select, button, textarea, textual input, range slider, meter, and progress elements.
107–110Supported for select, button, textarea and textual input elements.
105–107Only supported for select and button elements.
 17.4
16.5–17.4Support for range sliders, textual inputs, and textareas only
124Supported for select, button, textarea, textual input, range slider, meter, and progress elements.
121–124Supported for select, button, textarea and textual input elements.
119–121Only supported for select and button elements.
 120
82Supported for select, button, textarea, textual input, range slider, meter, and progress elements.
81–82Supported for select, button, textarea and textual input elements.
79–81Only supported for select and button elements.
 17.4
16.5–17.4Support for range sliders, textual inputs, and textareas only
27.0Supported for select, button, textarea, textual input, range slider, meter, and progress elements.
25.0–27.0Supported for select, button, textarea and textual input elements.
124Supported for select, button, textarea, textual input, range slider, meter, and progress elements.
121–124Supported for select, button, textarea and textual input elements.
119–121Only supported for select and button elements.

See also

© 2005–2024 MDN contributors.
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/CSS/writing-mode