Media Paged in CSS with Practical Examples

css paged media guide
10 November 2024

Media Paged is a useful feature in CSS that allows you to control how web content is displayed when printed. This feature can manage various aspects of paginated media, such as setting the location of layout elements, the way pages break, and controlling the margins that remain on each page. This feature is typically used when you need to present printed material in the best possible format on the pages. In such cases, Media Paged can be greatly helpful. By using this feature, you can determine how much space from the top, bottom, left, and right you would like to remain and even specify how elements should start on new pages or break appropriately.

Suppose you want to create a report, a novel, or an online magazine that needs to be printed with the best layout of text and images. In these situations, Media Paged can be a significant help. By utilizing this feature, you can specify how much space should remain on each page while considering how each element will start on new pages or break.

One of the main capabilities of this feature is limiting the margins printed. You can use this capability to adjust your content dynamically during the print process, maximally impacting the layout. Similarly, with the use of Media Queries, you can apply specific styles for printing materials.

Utilizing these features in projects is timely beneficial, especially for providing a user-centric experience. Suppose you are designing an online newspaper and need to control how articles are laid out on different pages. By properly setting up Media Paged, you can easily accomplish this task.

However, it is necessary to note that these features are more suitable for modern browsers, and it is essential to ensure that your audience uses browsers that support this functionality. Fortunately, today’s modern browsers largely support this feature, allowing you to benefit from it effortlessly.

Example Code for Media Paged in CSS


@page {
  size: A4;
  margin: 20mm;
}

body {
  width: 100%;
}

h1, h2, h3 {
  page-break-before: always;
}
    

Line-by-Line Code Explanation

@page : This directive allows you to access the total pages available during print and apply your settings.
size: A4; : This property specifies that the page size should be A4.
margin: 20mm; : It sets the margins of the page to 20 millimeters.
body { width: 100%; } : This specifies that the body width should cover the entire page.
h1, h2, h3 { page-break-before: always; } : It indicates that before these elements, a page break should always happen, so the content starts on a new page.

FAQ

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How can I set up different pages for printing?

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Can I use different fonts for different print versions?

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Is Media Paged supported in all browsers?