CSS box-sizing Property

Last Updated : 5 Jun, 2026

The box-sizing property in CSS determines how an element's width and height are calculated, including whether padding and borders are counted within the specified dimensions.

  • content-box (default): Width and height apply only to the content area; padding and borders are added outside.
  • border-box: Width and height include the content, padding, and border within the specified dimensions.
  • Makes element sizing more predictable and simplifies layout design, especially when using border-box.

Syntax

box-sizing: content-box | border-box;

content-box

The content-box value for box-sizing calculates an element's width and height, excluding padding and borders, which are added to the specified dimensions.

Syntax:

box-sizing: content-box;

Example: Illustrates the use of the box-sizing property whose value is set to content-box.

HTML
<!--Driver Code Starts-->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>box-sizing: content-box</title>
<!--Driver Code Ends-->

    <style>
        body {
            text-align: center;
            font-family: Georgia, serif;
        }

        h2 {
            font-size: 28px;
            margin-bottom: 50px;
        }

        .content-box {
            width: 200px;
            height: 60px;
            padding: 20px;
            background: green;
            color: white;
            box-sizing: content-box;
            margin: 0 auto;
            font-size: 22px;
            line-height: 60px;
        }
    </style>

<!--Driver Code Starts-->
</head>

<body>
    <h2>box-sizing: content-box</h2>

    <div class="content-box">
        GeeksforGeeks
    </div>
</body>
</html>
<!--Driver Code Ends-->

border-box

The border-box value for box-sizing calculates an element's width and height, including padding and borders within the specified dimensions, making layout design more straightforward and predictable.

Syntax:

box-sizing: border-box;

Example: Illustrates the use of the box-sizing property whose value is set to border-box.

HTML
<!--Driver Code Starts-->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>box-sizing: border-box</title>
<!--Driver Code Ends-->

    <style>
        body {
            text-align: center;
            font-family: Georgia, serif;
        }

        h2 {
            font-size: 28px;
            margin-bottom: 50px;
        }

        .border-box {
            width: 240px;
            height: 100px;
            background: green;
            color: white;
            box-sizing: border-box;
            margin: 0 auto;
            font-size: 22px;
            line-height: 100px;
        }
    </style>

<!--Driver Code Starts-->
</head>

<body>
    <h2>box-sizing: border-box</h2>

    <div class="border-box">
        GeeksforGeeks
    </div>
</body>
</html>
<!--Driver Code Ends-->
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