CSS grid-auto-columns Property

The grid-auto-columns property specifies the size for the columns in a grid container.

Initial Value auto
Applies to Grid containers.
Inherited No.
Animatable Yes. Size of the columns are animatable.
Version CSS Grid Layout Module Level 1
DOM Syntax object.style.gridAutoColumns = "100px";

Syntax

grid-auto-columns: auto | max-content | min-content | length | initial | inherit;

Example of the grid-auto-columns:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
    <style>
      .box1 {
        grid-area: 1 / 1 / 2 / 2;
      }
      .box2 {
        grid-area: 1 / 2 / 2 / 3;
      }
      .box3 {
        grid-area: 1 / 3 / 2 / 4;
      }
      .box4 {
        grid-area: 2 / 1 / 3 / 2;
      }
      .box5 {
        grid-area: 2 / 2 / 3 / 3;
      }
      .box6 {
        grid-area: 2 / 3 / 3 / 4;
      }
      .black-box1 {
        grid-area: 1 / 1 / 2 / 2;
      }
      .black-box2 {
        grid-area: 1 / 2 / 2 / 3;
      }
      .black-box3 {
        grid-area: 1 / 3 / 2 / 4;
      }
      .black-box4 {
        grid-area: 2 / 1 / 3 / 2;
      }
      .black-box5 {
        grid-area: 2 / 2 / 3 / 3;
      }
      .black-box6 {
        grid-area: 2 / 3 / 3 / 4;
      }
      .auto-box1 {
        grid-area: 1 / 1 / 2 / 2;
      }
      .auto-box2 {
        grid-area: 1 / 2 / 2 / 3;
      }
      .auto-box3 {
        grid-area: 1 / 3 / 2 / 4;
      }
      .auto-box4 {
        grid-area: 2 / 1 / 3 / 2;
      }
      .auto-box5 {
        grid-area: 2 / 2 / 3 / 3;
      }
      .auto-box6 {
        grid-area: 2 / 3 / 3 / 4;
      }
      .grid-container {
        display: grid;
        grid-auto-columns: 50px;
        grid-gap: 10px;
        background-color: #555;
        padding: 10px;
      }
      .grid-container > div {
        background-color: #ccc;
        text-align: center;
        padding: 20px 0;
        font-size: 30px;
      }
      .black-container {
        display: grid;
        grid-auto-columns: 100px;
        grid-gap: 10px;
        background-color: #000;
        padding: 10px;
      }
      .black-container > div {
        background-color: #ccc;
        text-align: center;
        padding: 20px 0;
        font-size: 30px;
      }
      .auto-container {
        display: grid;
        grid-auto-columns: auto;
        grid-gap: 10px;
        background-color: #ccc;
        padding: 10px;
      }
      .auto-container > div {
        background-color: #999;
        text-align: center;
        padding: 20px 0;
        font-size: 30px;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h2>Grid-auto-columns property example</h2>
    <h3>50 pixels</h3>
    <div class="grid-container">
      <div class="box1">1</div>
      <div class="box2">2</div>
      <div class="box3">3</div>
      <div class="box4">4</div>
      <div class="box5">5</div>
      <div class="box6">6</div>
    </div>
    <h3>100 pixels</h3>
    <div class="black-container">
      <div class="black-box1">1</div>
      <div class="black-box2">2</div>
      <div class="black-box3">3</div>
      <div class="black-box4">4</div>
      <div class="black-box5">5</div>
      <div class="black-box6">6</div>
    </div>
    <h3>auto</h3>
    <div class="auto-container">
      <div class="auto-box1">1</div>
      <div class="auto-box2">2</div>
      <div class="auto-box3">3</div>
      <div class="auto-box4">4</div>
      <div class="auto-box5">5</div>
      <div class="auto-box6">6</div>
    </div>
  </body>
</html>

Result

CSS grid-auto-columns Property

In the following example, the grid-auto-columns property is used to set a default size (width) for all columns.

Example of the grid-auto-columns with all the values:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
    <style>
      .box1 {
        grid-area: 1 / 1 / 2 / 2;
      }
      .box2 {
        grid-area: 1 / 2 / 2 / 3;
      }
      .box3 {
        grid-area: 1 / 3 / 2 / 4;
      }
      .box4 {
        grid-area: 2 / 1 / 3 / 2;
      }
      .box5 {
        grid-area: 2 / 2 / 3 / 3;
      }
      .box6 {
        grid-area: 2 / 3 / 3 / 4;
      }
      .black-box1 {
        grid-area: 1 / 1 / 2 / 2;
      }
      .black-box2 {
        grid-area: 1 / 2 / 2 / 3;
      }
      .black-box3 {
        grid-area: 1 / 3 / 2 / 4;
      }
      .black-box4 {
        grid-area: 2 / 1 / 3 / 2;
      }
      .black-box5 {
        grid-area: 2 / 2 / 3 / 3;
      }
      .black-box6 {
        grid-area: 2 / 3 / 3 / 4;
      }
      .grey-box1 {
        grid-area: 1 / 1 / 2 / 2;
      }
      .grey-box2 {
        grid-area: 1 / 2 / 2 / 3;
      }
      .grey-box3 {
        grid-area: 1 / 3 / 2 / 4;
      }
      .grey-box4 {
        grid-area: 2 / 1 / 3 / 2;
      }
      .grey-box5 {
        grid-area: 2 / 2 / 3 / 3;
      }
      .grey-box6 {
        grid-area: 2 / 3 / 3 / 4;
      }
      .white-box1 {
        grid-area: 1 / 1 / 2 / 2;
      }
      .white-box2 {
        grid-area: 1 / 2 / 2 / 3;
      }
      .white-box3 {
        grid-area: 1 / 3 / 2 / 4;
      }
      .white-box4 {
        grid-area: 2 / 1 / 3 / 2;
      }
      .white-box5 {
        grid-area: 2 / 2 / 3 / 3;
      }
      .white-box6 {
        grid-area: 2 / 3 / 3 / 4;
      }
      .auto-box1 {
        grid-area: 1 / 1 / 2 / 2;
      }
      .auto-box2 {
        grid-area: 1 / 2 / 2 / 3;
      }
      .auto-box3 {
        grid-area: 1 / 3 / 2 / 4;
      }
      .auto-box4 {
        grid-area: 2 / 1 / 3 / 2;
      }
      .auto-box5 {
        grid-area: 2 / 2 / 3 / 3;
      }
      .auto-box6 {
        grid-area: 2 / 3 / 3 / 4;
      }
      .grid-container {
        display: grid;
        grid-auto-columns: 50px;
        grid-gap: 10px;
        background-color: #555;
        padding: 10px;
      }
      .grid-container > div {
        background-color: #ccc;
        text-align: center;
        padding: 20px 0;
        font-size: 30px;
      }
      .black-container {
        display: grid;
        grid-auto-columns: 100px;
        grid-gap: 10px;
        background-color: #000;
        padding: 10px;
      }
      .black-container > div {
        background-color: #ccc;
        text-align: center;
        padding: 20px 0;
        font-size: 30px;
      }
      .grey-container {
        display: grid;
        grid-auto-columns: max-content;
        grid-gap: 10px;
        background-color: #ccc;
        padding: 10px;
      }
      .grey-container > div {
        background-color: #555;
        text-align: center;
        padding: 20px 0;
        font-size: 30px;
      }
      .white-container {
        display: grid;
        grid-auto-columns: min-content;
        grid-gap: 10px;
        background-color: #ccc;
        padding: 10px;
      }
      .white-container > div {
        background-color: #fff;
        text-align: center;
        padding: 20px 0;
        font-size: 30px;
      }
      .auto-container {
        display: grid;
        grid-auto-columns: auto;
        grid-gap: 10px;
        background-color: #ccc;
        padding: 10px;
      }
      .auto-container > div {
        background-color: #999;
        text-align: center;
        padding: 20px 0;
        font-size: 30px;
      }
    </style>
  </head>
  <body>
    <h2>Grid-auto-columns property example</h2>
    <p>Use the grid-auto-columns property to set a default size (width) for all columns.</p>
    <h3>50 pixels</h3>
    <div class="grid-container">
      <div class="box1">1</div>
      <div class="box2">2</div>
      <div class="box3">3</div>
      <div class="box4">4</div>
      <div class="box5">5</div>
      <div class="box6">6</div>
    </div>
    <h3>100 pixels</h3>
    <div class="black-container">
      <div class="black-box1">1</div>
      <div class="black-box2">2</div>
      <div class="black-box3">3</div>
      <div class="black-box4">4</div>
      <div class="black-box5">5</div>
      <div class="black-box6">6</div>
    </div>
    <h3>max-content</h3>
    <div class="grey-container">
      <div class="grey-box1">1</div>
      <div class="grey-box2">2</div>
      <div class="grey-box3">3</div>
      <div class="grey-box4">4</div>
      <div class="grey-box5">5</div>
      <div class="grey-box6">6</div>
    </div>
    <h3>min-content</h3>
    <div class="white-container">
      <div class="white-box1">1</div>
      <div class="white-box2">2</div>
      <div class="white-box3">3</div>
      <div class="white-box4">4</div>
      <div class="white-box5">5</div>
      <div class="white-box6">6</div>
    </div>
    <h3>auto</h3>
    <div class="auto-container">
      <div class="auto-box1">1</div>
      <div class="auto-box2">2</div>
      <div class="auto-box3">3</div>
      <div class="auto-box4">4</div>
      <div class="auto-box5">5</div>
      <div class="auto-box6">6</div>
    </div>
  </body>
</html>

Values

Value Description Play it
auto The size of the columns takes up the size of the container. This is the default value of the property. Play it »
max-content The size of each column depends on the largest item in the column. Play it »
min-content The size of each column depends on the smallest item in the column. Play it »
minmax(min.max) The size range is greater than or equal to "min" and less than or equal to "max".
length The size of the columns is specified by length value. Play it »
% The size of the columns is specified by percentages. Play it »

Browser support

chrome edge firefox safari opera
57+ 16+ 70+ 10.1+ 44+

Practice Your Knowledge

What does the 'grid-auto-columns' property in CSS do?

Quiz Time: Test Your Skills!

Ready to challenge what you've learned? Dive into our interactive quizzes for a deeper understanding and a fun way to reinforce your knowledge.

Do you find this helpful?