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You can align the absolutely positioned element in the center utilizing the transform property within the div.
Once you set the element to an absolute position, it is taken out of the standard flow. Consequently, the conventional methods of centering an element will not function for these positioned elements. You might incorporate CSS attributes such as transform, margin: auto, or flexbox to achieve the centering of the element. Let’s explore these techniques in more detail.
Contents Overview:
Comprehending Absolute Positioning
When you assign the element with a position: absolute, it becomes positioned concerning its ancestor (like relative, absolute, or fixed). In the absence of an ancestor, it defaults to positioning relative to the body. To center the absolutely positioned element within the parent container, it’s necessary to clearly establish its position.
Ways to Center the Absolutely Positioned Elements
You can apply CSS properties like transform, margin auto, and layouts such as flexbox and grid to center the elements that are absolutely positioned. Let’s delve into these methods below.
Technique 1: Utilizing Transform Property
Using top: 50% and left: 50% positions the element at the top-left center of its parent container. By applying transform: translate(-50%, -50%), you can then nudge it back by half of its dimensions—both width and height. This will effectively center the element.
Example:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Center Absolute Element</title>
<style>
.parent {
position: relative;
width: 300px;
height: 300px;
background-color: lightgray;
}
.child {
position: absolute;
top: 50%;
left: 50%;
transform: translate(-50%, -50%);
width: 100px;
height: 100px;
background-color: blue;
text-align: center;
color: white;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="parent">
<div class="child">Centered</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Output:

Explanation: This code snippet enables the child element to be centered within the parent div. The parent element is designated with relative positioning, and the child element utilizes top: 50%, left: 50%, together with transform: translate(-50%, -50%) to achieve centering.
Technique 2: Utilizing Flexbox
To center an element with Flexbox, set the parent container with display: flex. Next, apply justify-content: center; along with align-items: center to achieve the centering of the child element.
Example:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Flexbox Centering</title>
<style>
.parent {
position: relative;
display: flex;
justify-content: center;
align-items: center;
width: 300px;
height: 300px;
background-color: lightgray;
}
.child {
position: absolute;
width: 100px;
height: 100px;
background-color: blue;
text-align: center;
color: white;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="parent">
<div class="child">Centered</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Output:

Explanation: The parent div is configured with display: flex, justify-content: center, and the child div is positioned absolutely within the parent.
Technique 3: Utilizing Margin Auto
To apply top: 0, left: 0, right: 0, bottom: 0, and margin: auto, it will only be functional when the child element has a predetermined width and height.
Example:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Margin Auto Centering</title>
<style>
.parent {
position: relative;
width: 300px;
height: 300px;
background-color: lightgray;
}
.child {
position: absolute;
top: 0;
left: 0;
right: 0;
bottom: 0;
margin: auto;
width: 100px;
height: 100px;
background-color: blue;
text-align: center;
color: white;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="parent">
<div class="child">Centered</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Output:
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Clarification: By applying margin: auto, the child div is aligned centrally within the parent div. The child div is positioned absolutely within the top: 0, left: 0, right: 0, bottom: 0, and margin: auto.
Technique 4: Employing Grid Layout
Elements can be centralized using CSS Grid by configuring the parent container to display: grid and place-items: center. This enables alignment of the absolutely positioned element at the center.
Sample:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Grid Centering</title>
<style>
.parent {
position: relative;
display: grid;
place-items: center;
width: 300px;
height: 300px;
background-color: lightgray;
}
.child {
position: absolute;
width: 100px;
height: 100px;
background-color: blue;
text-align: center;
color: white;
display: flex;
align-items: center;
justify-content: center;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="parent">
<div class="child">Centered</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
Result:

Clarification: This code allows you to achieve the absolutely positioned child element within the parent element. Properties like display: grid and place-items: center facilitate this arrangement.
Summary
The methods mentioned above serve to center the absolutely positioned element within the div. Using CSS properties such as transform and margin auto, along with layouts like Flexbox and Grid, can accomplish this goal. It ensures that the centered element resides within the parent element. By utilizing these properties, your webpage can appear more organized through centered elements.
How to Center an Absolutely Positioned Element Inside a div Using CSS? – FAQs
The article How to Center an Absolutely Positioned Element Inside a div Using CSS? was first published on Intellipaat Blog.
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