transform

The CSS transform property lets you modify the coordinate space of the CSS visual formatting model. Using it, elements can be translated, rotated, scaled, and skewed.

If the property has a value different than none, a stacking context will be created. In that case the object will act as a containing block for position: fixed elements that it contains.

Initial value	none
Applies to	transformable elements
Inherited	no
Percentages	refer to the size of bounding box
Media	visual
Computed value	as specified, but with relative lengths converted into absolute lengths
Animation type	a transform
Canonical order	the unique non-ambiguous order defined by the formal grammar
Creates stacking context	yes

Syntax

/* Keyword values */
transform: none;

/* Function values */
transform: matrix(1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0);
transform: translate(12px, 50%);
transform: translateX(2em);
transform: translateY(3in);
transform: scale(2, 0.5);
transform: scaleX(2);
transform: scaleY(0.5);
transform: rotate(0.5turn);
transform: skew(30deg, 20deg);
transform: skewX(30deg);
transform: skewY(1.07rad);
transform: matrix3d(1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 6.0, 7.0, 8.0, 9.0, 10.0, 11.0, 12.0, 13.0, 14.0, 15.0, 16.0);
transform: translate3d(12px, 50%, 3em);
transform: translateZ(2px);
transform: scale3d(2.5, 1.2, 0.3);
transform: scaleZ(0.3);
transform: rotate3d(1, 2.0, 3.0, 10deg);
transform: rotateX(10deg);
transform: rotateY(10deg);
transform: rotateZ(10deg);
transform: perspective(17px);

/* Multiple function values */
transform: translateX(10px) rotate(10deg) translateY(5px);

/* Global values */
transform: inherit;
transform: initial;
transform: unset;

Values

<transform-function>

One or more of the CSS transform functions to be applied, see below.

none

Specifies that no transform should be applied.

Formal syntax

none | <transform-list>
where 
<transform-list> = <transform-function>+
where 
<transform-function> = [ <matrix()> || <translate()> || <translateX()> || <translateY()> || <scale()> || <scaleX()> || <scaleY()> || <rotate()> || <skew()> || <skewX()> || <skewY()> || <matrix3d()> || <translate3d()> || <translateZ()> || <scale3d()> || <scaleZ()> || <rotate3d()> || <rotateX()> || <rotateY()> || <rotateZ()> || <perspective()> ]+
where 
<matrix()> = matrix( <number> [, <number> ]{5,5} )
<translate()> = translate( <length-percentage> [, <length-percentage> ]? )
<translateX()> = translateX( <length-percentage> )
<translateY()> = translateY( <length-percentage> )
<scale()> = scale( <number> [, <number> ]? )
<scaleX()> = scaleX( <number> )
<scaleY()> = scaleY( <number> )
<rotate()> = rotate( <angle> )
<skew()> = skew( <angle> [, <angle> ]? )
<skewX()> = skewX( <angle> )
<skewY()> = skewY( <angle> )
<matrix3d()> = matrix3d( <number> [, <number> ]{15,15} )
<translate3d()> = translate3d( <length-percentage> , <length-percentage> , <length> )
<translateZ()> = translateZ( <length> )
<scale3d()> = scale3d( <number> , <number> , <number> )
<scaleZ()> = scaleZ( <number> )
<rotate3d()> = rotate3d( <number> , <number> , <number> , <angle> )
<rotateX()> = rotateX( <angle> )
<rotateY()> = rotateY( <angle> )
<rotateZ()> = rotateZ( <angle> )
<perspective()> = perspective( <length> )
where 
<length-percentage> = <length> | <percentage>

Examples

See Using CSS transforms.

Live example

HTML Content

<p>Transformed element</p>

CSS Content

p {
  border: solid red;

  -webkit-transform: translate(100px) rotate(20deg);
  -webkit-transform-origin: 0 -250px;

  transform: translate(100px) rotate(20deg);
  transform-origin: 0 -250px;
}

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
CSS Transforms Level 1 The definition of 'transform' in that specification.	Working Draft	Initial definition

Browser compatibility

[1] Gecko 14.0 removed the experimental support for skew(), but it was reintroduced in Gecko 15.0 for compatibility reasons. As it is non-standard and will likely be removed in the future, do not use it.

[2] Before Firefox 16, the translation values of matrix() and matrix3d() could be <length>, in addition to the standard <number>.

In addition to the unprefixed support, Gecko 44.0 (Firefox 44.0 / Thunderbird 44.0 / SeaMonkey 2.41) added support for a -webkit prefixed version of the property for web compatibility reasons behind the preference layout.css.prefixes.webkit, defaulting to false. Since Gecko 49.0 (Firefox 49.0 / Thunderbird 49.0 / SeaMonkey 2.46) the preference defaults to true.

[3] Internet Explorer 5.5 or later supports a proprietary Matrix Filter which can be used to achieve a similar effect.

Internet Explorer 9.0 or earlier has no support for 3D transforms. Mixing 3D and 2D transform functions, such as -ms-transform:rotate(10deg) translateZ(0);, will prevent the entire property from being applied.

Internet Explorer does not support the global values initial and unset.

[4] Android 2.3 has a bug where input forms will "jump" when typing, if any container element has a -webkit-transform.

[5] Internet Explorer 11.0 supports the -webkit prefixed variant as an alias for the default one.

See also

• Using CSS Transforms
• <translation-function> data type
• More info on CSS3 Rotation / Matrix Filter issues in the comments on Paul Irish's blog.
• A cross-browser 2D transform plugin for jQuery