CSS font-size Property

Last Updated : 28 May, 2026

The font-size property in CSS is used to define the size of text on a webpage. It helps improve readability, design, and the overall appearance of website content.

  • The font size can be set using units like px, em, rem, and %.
  • It supports responsive and flexible text styling.
  • Proper font sizing improves user experience and webpage aesthetics.

Syntax

font-size: medium | xx-small | x-small | small | large | x-large | xx-large | smaller | larger | length | initial | inherit ;

Default Value: medium

Property Values

PropertyDescription
absolute-sizeSets the font size absolutely. Default is medium. Possible values: xx-small to xx-large.
relative-sizeAdjusts font size relative to parent element. Values: smaller (decreases), larger (increases).
lengthSets font size using specific lengths like px, cm, etc.
globalOffers universal settings: initial (default value), inherit (inherits from parent), unset.

Using Absolute Font Sizes

The CSS font-size property is applied with absolute size values, ranging from xx-small to xx-large. Each text block is styled with different font sizes, allowing for a clear comparison of how the text size changes.

html 
<!--Driver Code Starts-->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
    <title>
        CSS font-size property
    </title>

<!--Driver Code Ends-->

    <!-- CSS style to set font-size property -->
    <style>
        .xxsmall {
            color: green;
            font-size: xx-small;
        }

        .xsmall {
            color: green;
            font-size: x-small;
        }

        .small {
            color: green;
            font-size: small;
        }

        .medium {
            color: green;
            font-size: medium;
        }

        .large {
            color: green;
            font-size: large;
        }

        .xlarge {
            color: green;
            font-size: x-large;
        }

        .xxlarge {
            color: green;
            font-size: xx-large;
        }
    </style>

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

<body>
    <h1>font-size property</h1>

    <div class="xxsmall">font-size: xx-small;</div>
    <div class="xsmall">font-size: x-small;</div>
    <div class="small">font-size: small;</div>
    <div class="medium">font-size: medium;</div>
    <div class="large">font-size: large;</div>
    <div class="xlarge">font-size: x-large;</div>
    <div class="xxlarge">font-size: xx-large;</div>
</body>

</html>
<!--Driver Code Ends-->

Using Relative Font Sizes

The CSS font-size property is applied with relative size values, such as smaller and larger, which adjust the font size based on the parent element's font size. This allows for scalable and flexible text sizing.

html 
<!--Driver Code Starts-->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
    <title>
        CSS font-size Property
    </title>

<!--Driver Code Ends-->

    <!-- CSS property to set font-size -->
    <style>
        .smaller {
            color: green;
            font-size: smaller;
        }

        .larger {
            color: green;
            font-size: larger;
        }
    </style>

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

<body>
    <h1>font-size property</h1>

    <div class="smaller">
        font-size: smaller;
    </div>
    <div class="larger">
        font-size: larger;
    </div>
</body>

</html>
<!--Driver Code Ends-->

Using Specific Length for Font Size

The CSS font-size property is applied using a specific length unit (px). This allows you to define the exact size of the font, making it consistent across all screen sizes

html 
<!--Driver Code Starts-->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>

<head>
    <title>
        CSS font-size Property
    </title>

<!--Driver Code Ends-->

    <!-- CSS property to set font-size -->
    <style>
        .length {
            color: green;
            font-size: 40px;
        }
    </style>

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

<body>
    <h1>font-size property</h1>

    <div class="length">
        font-size: length;
    </div>
</body>

</html>
<!--Driver Code Ends-->

Initial Value for Font Size

The CSS font-size property is set to initial, which resets the font size to the browser’s default value. This ensures the text size follows the default settings unless explicitly defined elsewhere.

html 
<!--Driver Code Starts-->
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>
        CSS font-size Property
    </title>

<!--Driver Code Ends-->

    <!-- CSS property to set font-size -->
    <style>
        .length {
            color: green;
            font-size: initial;
        }
    </style>

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

<body>
    <h1>font-size property</h1>

    <div class="length">
        font-size: initial;
    </div>
</body>
</html>
<!--Driver Code Ends-->
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