Why Isn't My `margin: 0 auto;` Centering My Element Within a 100% Width Parent?

Why Centering an Element with "margin: 0 auto;" Within a 100% Width Parent Isn't Working

Problem Description:

Consider this scenario: you have a parent div with a width set to 100% and an unordered list within it. You've applied "margin: 0 auto;" to the unordered list to center it, but it refuses to budge.

Cause of Issue:

The crux of the issue lies in the fact that you've defined the width of the parent div, not the element you're attempting to center. For "margin: 0 auto;" to work effectively, the width of the element being centered must be specified.

Solution:

To rectify this problem, assign a width to the unordered list:

#header ul {
    margin: 0 auto;
    width: 90%;
}

Additional Considerations:

To achieve a more elegant appearance, consider the following refinements:

• Remove the "float: left;" property from the "li" elements as it conflicts with "display: inline" and creates unintended margin doubling in IE6 and earlier browsers.
• Apply the style properties below directly to the "li" elements:

#header ul li {
    color: #CCCCCC;
    display: inline;
    font-size: 20px;
    padding-right: 20px;
}

The above is the detailed content of Why Isn't My `margin: 0 auto;` Centering My Element Within a 100% Width Parent?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!