Web/CSS/column-count

The column-count CSS property breaks an element's content into the specified number of columns.

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Syntax

/* Keyword value */
column-count: auto;

/* <integer> value */
column-count: 3;

/* Global values */
column-count: inherit;
column-count: initial;
column-count: unset;

Values

auto: The number of columns is determined by other CSS properties, such as column-width.
<integer>: Is a strictly positive <integer> describing the ideal number of columns into which the content of the element will be flowed. If the column-width is also set to a non-auto value, it merely indicates the maximum allowed number of columns.

Formal definition

Initial value	`auto`
Applies to	Block containers except table wrapper boxes
Inherited	no
Computed value	as specified
Animation type	an integer

Formal syntax

<integer> | auto

Examples

Splitting a paragraph across three columns

HTML

<p class="content-box">
  This is a bunch of text split into three columns
  using the CSS `column-count` property. The text
  is equally distributed over the columns.
</p>

CSS

.content-box {
  column-count: 3;
}

Result

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
CSS Multi-column Layout ModuleThe definition of 'column-count' in that specification.	Working Draft	Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet
`column-count`	Chrome Full support 50 Full support 50 Full support 1 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Edge Full support 12 Full support 12 Full support 12 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Firefox Full support 52 Full support 52 No support 1.5 — 74 Prefixed' Notes' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz- Notes' Prior to version 37, multiple columns didn't work with `display: table-caption` elements.	IE Full support 10	Opera Full support 11.1 Full support 11.1 Full support 15 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Safari Full support 9 Full support 9 Full support 3 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	WebView Android Full support 50 Full support 50 Full support ≤37 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Chrome Android Full support 50 Full support 50 Full support 18 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Firefox Android Full support 52 Full support 52 Full support 4 Prefixed' Notes' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -moz- Notes' Prior to version 37, multiple columns didn't work with `display: table-caption` elements.	Opera Android Full support 11.1 Full support 11.1 Full support 14 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Safari iOS Full support 9 Full support 9 Full support 1 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-	Samsung Internet Android Full support 5.0 Full support 5.0 Full support 1.0 Prefixed' Prefixed' Implemented with the vendor prefix: -webkit-

Legend

Full support: Full support
See implementation notes.': See implementation notes.
Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.': Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.