clip

The clip CSS property defines a visible portion of an element. The clip property applies only to absolutely positioned elements — that is, elements with position:absolute or position:fixed.

/* Keyword value */
clip: auto;

/* <shape> values */
clip: rect(1px 10em 3rem 2ch);
clip: rect(1px, 10em, 3rem, 2ch);

/* Global values */
clip: inherit;
clip: initial;
clip: unset;

Syntax

Values

<<shape>()>

A rectangular <<shape>()> of the form rect(<top> <right> <bottom> <left>). The <top> and <bottom> values are offsets from the inside top border edge of the box, while <right> and <left> are offsets from the inside left border edge of the box — that is, the extent of the padding box.

The <top>, <right>, <bottom>, and <left> values may be either a <length> or auto. If any side's value is auto, the element is clipped to that side's inside border edge.

auto

The element does not clip (default). This is different from rect(auto, auto, auto, auto), which clips to the element’s inside border edges.

Formal definition

Formal syntax

<shape> | auto
where 
<shape> = rect(<top>, <right>, <bottom>, <left>)

Examples

Clipping an image

CSS

.dotted-border {
  border: dotted;
  position: relative;
  width: 536px;
  height: 350px;
}

#top-left,
#middle,
#bottom-right {
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
}

#top-left {
  left: 360px;
  clip: rect(0 175px 113px 0);
}


#middle {
  left: 280px;
  clip: rect(119px 255px 229px 80px);
}

#bottom-right {
  left: 200px;
  clip: rect(235px 335px 345px 160px);
}

HTML

<p class="dotted-border">
  <img src="https://udn.realityripple.com/samples/8f/15174f3500.jpg" title="Original graphic">
  <img id="top-left" src="https://udn.realityripple.com/samples/8f/15174f3500.jpg" title="Graphic clipped to upper left">
  <img id="middle" src="https://udn.realityripple.com/samples/8f/15174f3500.jpg" title="Graphic clipped towards middle">
  <img id="bottom-right" src="https://udn.realityripple.com/samples/8f/15174f3500.jpg" title="Graphic clipped to bottom right">
</p>

Result

Specifications

Browser compatibility

See also

• This property is deprecated. Use clip-path instead.
• Related CSS properties: text-overflow, white-space, overflow-x, overflow-y, overflow, display, position