Glossary
Minimum width (min width)

Minimum width (min width)

The min-width CSS property defines the minimum width of an element. This can be defined in absolute terms (pixels) or relative terms (ems, rems, percentages, viewport-height, or viewport-width).

When the width of an element falls below its minimum value, the contents inside may overflow, wrap to a new line, or cut off. Web designers use minimum width to ensure website content does not become too narrow and difficult to read or interact with, especially on smaller displays.

For example, each element on a web page has a specific width. However, you can assign a relative width to an element — such as a percentage — to make it flexible and adaptable to any screen. When a screen's size reduces, the element's size also shrinks. The min-width property prevents the element from shrinking further than its least-possible width to ensure legibility. 

Together with other layout properties, such as maximum width, minimum width adapts a website's layout to fit various screen sizes and devices.

Maintain quality content on your website by visiting Webflow University and learning how to incorporate responsive web design and effective sizing into your layout.

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