font-stretch

The font-stretch CSS property selects a normal, condensed, or expanded face from a font.

/* Keyword values */
font-stretch: ultra-condensed;
font-stretch: extra-condensed;
font-stretch: condensed;
font-stretch: semi-condensed;
font-stretch: normal;
font-stretch: semi-expanded;
font-stretch: expanded;
font-stretch: extra-expanded;
font-stretch: ultra-expanded;

/* Percentage values */
font-stretch: 50%;
font-stretch: 100%;
font-stretch: 200%;

/* Global values */
font-stretch: inherit;
font-stretch: initial;
font-stretch: unset;

Syntax

This property may be specified as a single keyword value or a single <percentage> value.

Values

normal
Specifies a normal font face.
semi-condensed, condensed, extra-condensed, ultra-condensed
Specifies a more condensed font face than normal, with ultra-condensed as the most condensed.
semi-expanded, expanded, extra-expanded, ultra-expanded
Specifies a more expanded font face than normal, with ultra-expanded as the most expanded.
<percentage>
A <percentage> value between 50% and 200% (inclusive). Negative values are not allowed for this property.

In earlier versions of the font-stretch specification, the property accepts only the nine keyword values. CSS Fonts Level 4 extends the syntax to accept a <percentage> value as well. This enables variable fonts to offer something more like a continuum of character widths. For TrueType or OpenType variable fonts, the "wdth" variation is used to implement varying widths.

However, note that the <percentage> syntax is not yet supported by all browsers: check the Browser compatibility table for details.

Keyword to numeric mapping

The table below shows the mapping between keyword values and numeric percentages:

Keyword Percentage
ultra-condensed 50%
extra-condensed 62.5%
condensed 75%
semi-condensed 87.5%
normal 100%
semi-expanded 112.5%
expanded 125%
extra-expanded 150%
ultra-expanded 200%

Description

Some font families offer additional faces in which the characters are narrower than the normal face (condensed faces) or wider than the normal face (expanded faces).

You can use font-stretch to select a condensed or expanded face from such fonts. If the font you are using does not offer condensed or expanded faces, this property has no effect.

Font face selection

The face selected for a given value of font-stretch depends on the faces supported by the font in question. If the font does not provide a face that exactly matches the given value, then values less than 100% map to a narrower face, and values greater than or equal to 100% map to a wider face.

The table below demonstrates the effect of supplying various different percentage values of font-stretch on two different fonts:

50% 62.5% 75% 87.5% 100% 112.5% 125% 150% 200%
Helvetica Neue
League Mono Variable
  • Helvetica Neue, which is installed by default on macOS, has a single condensed face in addition to the normal face. All values of font-stretch less than 100% select the condensed face, while all other values select the normal face.
  • League Mono Variable is a variable font that offers something like a continuous range of widths for different percentage values of font-stretch.

Formal definition

Initial valuenormal
Applies toall elements. It also applies to ::first-letter and ::first-line.
Inheritedyes
Computed valueas specified
Animation typea font stretch

Formal syntax

<font-stretch-absolute>

where
<font-stretch-absolute> = normal | ultra-condensed | extra-condensed | condensed | semi-condensed | semi-expanded | expanded | extra-expanded | ultra-expanded | <percentage>

Examples

Setting font stretch percentages

Note that this example will only work in browsers that support <percentage> values.

HTML

<div class="container">
    <p class="condensed">an elephantine lizard</p>
    <p class="normal">an elephantine lizard</p>
    <p class="expanded">an elephantine lizard</p>
</div>

CSS

/*
This example uses the League Mono Variable font, developed by
Tyler Finck (https://www.tylerfinck.com/) and used here under
the terms of the SIL Open Font License, Version 1.1:
http://scripts.sil.org/cms/scripts/page.php?item_id=OFL_web
*/

@font-face {
  src: url('https://mdn.mozillademos.org/files/16014/LeagueMonoVariable.ttf');
  font-family:'LeagueMonoVariable';
  font-style: normal;
  font-stretch: 1% 500%; /* Required by Chrome */
}

.container {
  border: 10px solid #f5f9fa;
  padding: 0 1rem;
  font: 1.5rem 'LeagueMonoVariable', sans-serif;
}

.condensed {
  font-stretch: 50%;
}

.normal {
  font-stretch: 100%;
}

.expanded {
  font-stretch: 200%;
}

Result

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Fonts Module Level 4
The definition of 'font-stretch' in that specification.
Working Draft Adds the <percentage> syntax for variable fonts.
CSS Fonts Module Level 3
The definition of 'font-stretch' in that specification.
Candidate Recommendation Initial definition.

Note: The font-stretch property was initially defined in CSS 2, but dropped in CSS 2.1 due to the lack of browser implementation. It was brought back in CSS 3.

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
font-stretchChrome Full support 60
Notes
Full support 60
Notes
Notes A font-stretch definition must be added to the @font-face before this property will function.
Edge Full support 12Firefox Full support 9IE Full support 9Opera Full support 47
Notes
Full support 47
Notes
Notes A font-stretch definition must be added to the @font-face before this property will function.
Safari Full support 11WebView Android Full support 60
Notes
Full support 60
Notes
Notes A font-stretch definition must be added to the @font-face before this property will function.
Chrome Android Full support 60
Notes
Full support 60
Notes
Notes A font-stretch definition must be added to the @font-face before this property will function.
Firefox Android Full support 9Opera Android Full support 44
Notes
Full support 44
Notes
Notes A font-stretch definition must be added to the @font-face before this property will function.
Safari iOS Full support 11Samsung Internet Android Full support 8.0
Notes
Full support 8.0
Notes
Notes A font-stretch definition must be added to the @font-face before this property will function.
<percentage> syntaxChrome Full support 62Edge Full support 18Firefox Full support 61IE No support NoOpera Full support 49Safari Full support 11.1WebView Android Full support 62Chrome Android Full support 62Firefox Android Full support 61Opera Android Full support 46Safari iOS Full support 11.3Samsung Internet Android Full support 8.0

Legend

Full support
Full support
No support
No support
See implementation notes.
See implementation notes.