The columns CSS shorthand property sets the maximum number of columns to use when drawing an element's contents, along with the minimum width and maximum height of the element's columns.

Try it

columns: 2;

columns: 6rem auto;

columns: 12em;

columns: 2 / 5em;

<section id="default-example">
  <p id="example-element">
    London. Michaelmas term lately over, and the Lord Chancellor sitting in
    Lincoln's Inn Hall. Implacable November weather. As much mud in the streets
    as if the waters had but newly retired from the face of the earth, and it
    would not be wonderful to meet a Megalosaurus, forty feet long or so,
    waddling like an elephantine lizard up Holborn Hill.
  </p>
</section>

#example-element {
  min-width: 21rem;
  text-align: left;
}

Constituent properties

This property is a shorthand for the following CSS properties:

• column-count
• column-width
• column-height

Syntax

/* Column width */
columns: 18em;

/* Column count */
columns: auto;
columns: 2;

/* Column width and count */
columns: 2 auto;
columns: auto 12em;
columns: auto auto;

/* Column width and/or count, and column height */
columns: 18em / 10em;
columns: 2 / 90vh;
columns: 2 auto / 300px;

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

The columns property value may be specified as a <column-count> and/or a <column-width> value, in any order, optionally followed by a <column-height> value preceded by a forward slash (/).

Values

<'column-width'>

The ideal column width, defined as a <length> or the keyword auto. The actual width may be wider or narrower to fit the available space. See column-width.

<'column-count'>

The ideal number of columns into which the element's content should be flowed, defined as an <integer> or the keyword auto. If specified as an <integer>, it defines the maximum allowable number of columns. See column-count.

<'column-height'>

The height of the columns defined as a <length> or the keyword auto. See column-height.

Formal definition

Formal syntax

columns = 
  [ <'column-width'> || <'column-count'> ] [ / <'column-height'> ]?  

<column-width> = 
  auto        |
  <box-size>  |
  auto        |
  <box-size>  

<column-count> = 
  auto             |
  <integer [1,∞]>  

<column-height> = 
  auto            |
  <length [0,∞]>  

<box-size> = 
  <length-percentage [0,∞]>                 |
  stretch                                   |
  contain                                   |
  min-content                               |
  max-content                               |
  fit-content                               |
  stretch( <length-percentage [0,∞]> )      |
  fit-content( <length-percentage [0,∞]> )  |
  <calc-size()>                             

<integer> = 
  <number-token>  

<length-percentage> = 
  <length>      |
  <percentage>  

<calc-size()> = 
  calc-size( <calc-size-basis> , <calc-sum> )  

<calc-size-basis> = 
  <size-keyword>  |
  <calc-sum>      |
  <calc-size()>   |
  any             

<calc-sum> = 
  <calc-product> [ [ '+' | '-' ] <calc-product> ]*  

<calc-product> = 
  <calc-value> [ [ '*' | / ] <calc-value> ]*  

<calc-value> = 
  <number>        |
  <dimension>     |
  <percentage>    |
  <calc-keyword>  |
  ( <calc-sum> )  

<calc-keyword> = 
  e          |
  pi         |
  infinity   |
  -infinity  |
  NaN        

Examples

Setting three equal columns

This example shows how to split a text container into three equal columns.

HTML

We include a basic <p> element containing text content.

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

CSS

We set a columns property value on the paragraph that includes a <column-count> value of 3 and a <column-width> value of auto.

body {
  width: 60%;
  margin: 0 auto;
}

.content-box {
  columns: 3 auto;
}

Result

Note how the text is split up into three columns.

Creating wrapping, fixed height columns

This example demonstrates including a <column-height> value with the columns shorthand property to split a text container into fixed-height columns that wrap onto new lines when the container inline edge is reached.

HTML

We include a basic <p> element with some text.

<p class="content-box">
  This is a bunch of text split into three columns using the CSS
  <code>columns</code> property. This includes a <code>column-count</code> value
  of <code>3</code>, a <code>column-width</code> value of <code>auto</code>, and
  a <code>column-height</code> value of <code>5em</code>. The
  <code>column-wrap</code> value is set to its initial value, <code>auto</code>;
  when a <code>column-height</code> value is included,
  <code>column-wrap: auto</code> resolves to <code>wrap</code>, which allows the
  columns to wrap onto multiple rows. The text is equally distributed over the
  columns, and placed into multiple rows.
</p>

CSS

We set a columns property value on the paragraph that includes a <column-count> value of 3, a <column-width> value of auto, and a <column-height> value of 5em. Because the <column-height> is set to a <length>, the paragraph's column-wrap value computes to wrap, which allows the columns to wrap onto multiple rows.

.content-box {
  columns: 3 auto / 5em;
}

body {
  width: 60%;
  margin: 0 auto;
}

@supports not (columns: 3 auto / 5em) {
  body::before {
    content: "Your browser does not support the 'column-height' property.";
    background-color: wheat;
    position: fixed;
    inset: 40% 0;
    height: fit-content;
    text-align: center;
    padding: 1rem 0;
  }
}

Result

Note how the text is split up into three columns. Each column is 5em high. After every third column, the columns wrap onto a new line in the block direction.

Specifications

Browser compatibility

See also

• widows
• orphans
• Paged media
• Learn: Multiple-column Layout