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How to Center a Header in HTML?

Published in HTML & CSS 3 mins read

There are several methods to center a header element in HTML, ranging from older, less preferred methods to modern, more flexible techniques using CSS.

1. Using the align Attribute (Deprecated)

Historically, the align attribute was used directly within the HTML header tag. While this method works, it's strongly discouraged because it's deprecated in HTML5. It's better to keep styling separate from content.

<h1 align="center">This Header is Centered</h1>

2. Using CSS text-align: center;

The preferred and most common method is to use CSS. This allows you to control the text alignment of the header.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
h1 {
  text-align: center;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>

<h1>This Header is Centered</h1>

</body>
</html>

Explanation:

  • h1 { ... }: This CSS rule targets all <h1> elements on the page. You can replace h1 with any other header tag (h2, h3, etc.) or a class/ID selector for more specific targeting.
  • text-align: center;: This CSS property centers the text content within the header element.

3. Inline CSS

You can also apply the CSS directly within the HTML tag using the style attribute. This is generally discouraged except for very specific, one-off cases, as it mixes content and presentation.

<h1 style="text-align: center;">This Header is Centered</h1>

4. Using CSS Flexbox

Flexbox provides powerful layout capabilities and can be used to center the header both horizontally and vertically within its container.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.container {
  display: flex;
  justify-content: center; /* Centers horizontally */
  align-items: center;      /* Centers vertically (if container has height) */
  height: 200px; /* Example height of the container */
}
</style>
</head>
<body>

<div class="container">
  <h1>This Header is Centered (Flexbox)</h1>
</div>

</body>
</html>

Explanation:

  • A container element (e.g., <div>) wraps the header.
  • display: flex; turns the container into a flex container.
  • justify-content: center; centers the content horizontally along the main axis.
  • align-items: center; centers the content vertically along the cross axis. This requires the container to have a defined height.

5. Using CSS Grid

CSS Grid is another powerful layout tool that allows you to precisely control the positioning of elements on your page, including centering headers.

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
.grid-container {
  display: grid;
  place-items: center; /* Shorthand for align-items and justify-items */
  height: 200px; /* Example height of the container */
}
</style>
</head>
<body>

<div class="grid-container">
  <h1>This Header is Centered (Grid)</h1>
</div>

</body>
</html>

Explanation:

  • A container element (e.g., <div>) wraps the header.
  • display: grid; turns the container into a grid container.
  • place-items: center; sets both align-items and justify-items to center, centering the content both horizontally and vertically. Like Flexbox, vertical centering requires a defined height for the container.

In summary, the best practice for centering a header in HTML is to use CSS, specifically the text-align: center; property. Flexbox and Grid offer more layout flexibility when you need to center the header in both dimensions or require more complex arrangements. Avoid the align attribute in modern HTML development.

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