CSS margin style attribute

Definition and Usage

margin This attribute sets or returns the outer margin of the element.

This property can take one to four values:

  • One value, for example: div {margin: 50px} - All four outer margins are 50px
  • Two values, for example: div {margin: 50px 10px} - The top and bottom outer margins are 50px, and the left and right outer margins are 10px
  • Three values, for example: div {margin: 50px 10px 20px} - The top outer margin is 50px, the left and right outer margins are 10px, and the bottom outer margin is 20px
  • Four values, for example: div {margin: 50px 10px 20px 30px} - The top outer margin is 50px, the right outer margin is 10px, the bottom outer margin is 20px, and the left outer margin is 30px.

Both margin property and padding property insert space around the element. However, the difference is that margin inserts space around the border, while padding inserts space inside the element's border.

See also:

CSS Tutorial:CSS Margin

CSS Reference Manual:Margin property

Example

Example 1

Sets all four margins of the <div> element:

document.getElementById("myDiv").style.margin = "50px 10px 20px 30px";

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Example 2

Changes all four margins of the <div> element to "25px":

document.getElementById("myDiv").style.margin = "25px";

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Example 3

Returns the margin of the <div> element:

alert(document.getElementById("myDiv").style.margin);

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Example 4

Difference between margin property and padding property:

function changeMargin() {
  document.getElementById("myDiv").style.margin = "100px";
}
function changePadding() {
  document.getElementById("myDiv2").style.padding = "100px";
}

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Syntax

Return margin property:

object.style.margin

Set margin property:

object.style.margin = "%|length|auto|initial|inherit"

Attribute value

Value Description
% Define the margin as a percentage of the parent element's width.
length Define the margin with a length unit.
auto Browser sets the margin (all four margins will be equal).
initial Sets this property to its default value. See initial.
inherit Inherits this property from its parent element. See inherit.

Technical details

Default value: 0
Return value: A string representing the element's outer margin.
CSS Version: CSS1

Browser Support

Chrome Edge Firefox Safari Opera
Chrome Edge Firefox Safari Opera
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