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How do I change the alignment of a video in HTML?

Published in HTML Video Alignment 4 mins read

Aligning a video in HTML is primarily done using CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), as HTML itself provides the structure but not the detailed styling or positioning. CSS offers various methods to control how elements, including videos, are displayed and aligned on a web page.

Common CSS Techniques for Video Alignment

While there isn't a single align attribute specifically for the <video> tag in modern HTML (the old align attribute is deprecated), you can achieve various alignments like centering, left-aligning, or right-aligning using CSS properties.

Centering a Video Using Margin and Display

One effective way to center a video is by using the margin and display properties, as mentioned in the provided reference.

Here's how this method works:

  1. Set the display property: The display property determines how an element behaves in the layout. By default, <video> elements are often treated as inline or inline-block. To use auto margins for centering, the element needs to be treated as a block. Setting display: block; makes the video occupy its own line and allows it to take up the full width available unless a specific width is set.
  2. Set margin-left and margin-right to auto: When a block-level element has a defined width (less than its container's width), setting its left and right margins to auto will distribute the available space equally on both sides, effectively centering the element within its parent container.

Here is an example of how to apply this using CSS:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Center Video</title>
<style>
  .centered-video {
    display: block; /* Makes the video a block element */
    margin-left: auto; /* Auto margin on the left */
    margin-right: auto; /* Auto margin on the right */
    width: 640px; /* Optional: Set a specific width */
  }
</style>
</head>
<body>

  <h2>Video Centering Example</h2>

  <video controls class="centered-video">
    <source src="your-video.mp4" type="video/mp4">
    Your browser does not support the video tag.
  </video>

</body>
</html>

In this example, the CSS class .centered-video is applied to the <video> element. Setting display: block; combined with margin-left: auto; and margin-right: auto; centers the video element horizontally. Setting a width is often necessary for margin: auto to work correctly for centering.

Other Alignment Methods

Besides the display: block and margin: auto technique, other CSS methods can be used, often depending on the desired layout context (e.g., aligning a video within a paragraph or alongside other elements).

  • Using text-align: center on a parent container: If the video is wrapped in a block-level element (like a div), you can set text-align: center; on the parent container. This works well if the video element behaves like an inline or inline-block element.
  • Using Flexbox: If the video is part of a more complex layout, using Flexbox on a parent container is a modern and flexible approach. Properties like justify-content: center; (for horizontal centering) or align-items: center; (for vertical centering) can be used.
  • Using CSS Grid: Similar to Flexbox, Grid is excellent for two-dimensional layouts and can easily be used to place and align items, including videos, within defined rows and columns.

Summary of Alignment Techniques

Here is a brief overview of common techniques:

Technique CSS Properties Use Case Notes
Block + Auto Margin display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; width: ...; Centering a block-level element Requires setting a width less than container width.
Text-Align (Parent) Applied to parent: text-align: center; Centering inline or inline-block children Parent must be a block element.
Flexbox (Parent) Applied to parent: display: flex; justify-content: center; Flexible alignment within a container Powerful for single-axis alignment.
CSS Grid (Parent) Applied to parent: display: grid; justify-items: center; Complex 2D layouts and alignment Excellent for positioning within rows and columns.

By applying these CSS techniques, you can control the horizontal and vertical alignment of your video elements within your HTML layout. Remember that CSS is placed within <style> tags in the <head> of your HTML document or in an external .css file linked to the HTML.

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