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How do you change the position of an image in HTML?

Published in CSS Positioning 3 mins read

You can change the position of an image in HTML primarily using CSS, specifically the position property along with properties like top, bottom, left, and right.

Understanding CSS Positioning

The position property determines how an element is positioned within the HTML document. Here's a breakdown of the most commonly used position values:

  • static: This is the default value. Elements are positioned in the normal document flow. top, bottom, left, and right properties have no effect.

  • relative: The element is positioned relative to its normal position. Setting top, right, bottom, and left properties will shift the element away from its normal position. Other content will not adjust to fill any gap left by the element.

  • absolute: The element is removed from the normal document flow, and no space is created for it. It is positioned relative to its nearest positioned ancestor (i.e., an ancestor element that has a position value other than static). If no positioned ancestor exists, it uses the initial containing block (the <html> element).

  • fixed: The element is removed from the normal document flow and positioned relative to the viewport (the browser window). It remains in the same position even when the page is scrolled.

Example using position: relative

This example shifts the image 20 pixels down and 30 pixels to the right from its original position.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
  .image-container {
    position: relative;
    width: 200px; /* Set a width for the container */
    height: 200px; /* Set a height for the container */
  }

  .image-relative {
    position: relative;
    top: 20px;
    left: 30px;
  }
</style>
</head>
<body>

<div class="image-container">
  <img class="image-relative" src="your-image.jpg" alt="Image">
</div>

</body>
</html>

Example using position: absolute

This example positions the image absolutely within a relatively positioned container. The container must have a position other than static for the absolute positioning of the image to work correctly relative to the container.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
  .image-container {
    position: relative; /* Make the container a positioning context */
    width: 300px;
    height: 200px;
    border: 1px solid black;
  }

  .image-absolute {
    position: absolute;
    top: 50px;
    right: 20px;
  }
</style>
</head>
<body>

<div class="image-container">
  <img class="image-absolute" src="your-image.jpg" alt="Image">
</div>

</body>
</html>

Summary

To reposition an image in HTML, use CSS and the position property (relative, absolute, or fixed) along with the top, bottom, left, and right properties to fine-tune its placement. Choose the position value that best suits your layout needs. Remember that absolute positioning relies on a positioned ancestor element.

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