calc() not working within media queries
CssMedia QueriesCss CalcCss Problem Overview
@media screen and (max-width: calc(2000px-1px)) {
.col { width: 200px; }
}
The value after subtraction should be 1999px, however it does not seem to be working. If I manually change it to 1999px it works fine, so I know it's not a problem with my CSS. Is calc not supported within media queries, or am I doing something wrong?
Css Solutions
Solution 1 - Css
ANSWER EDITED AGAIN 21.03.2022:
In the current version of the spec, using calc (or var) in media queries is NOT supported by the spec (as TylerH pointed out below).
> Properties sometimes accept complex values, e.g., calculations that involve several other values. Media features* only accept single values: one keyword, one number, etc.
* Media features include (max-width: ...) (or (... < width < ...)).
Old specs back to 2012 also explicitly mention no calc.
The OP question would definitely have been broken because calc needs whitespace between operators calc(2000px - 1px), but even with whitespace you shouldn't expect or trust it to work reliably.
Browsers that support calc are not actually following the spec.
ANSWER WAS EDITED 13.02.2018:
Using calc in media queries is supported by the spec, but support was only implemented by browsers recently (February 2018). Currently, calc in media queries is supported by Safari Technology Preview 49+, Chrome 66+, and Firefox 59+. See MDN's calc() page for the most up-to-date information.
Solution 2 - Css
Support for use of calc() in media queries is browser-dependent HOWEVER the use of mixed units (e.g. em and px at same time) have limited or no current support. Please take a look at this JSFiddle (which tests 4 current browsers - Chrome 80.0.3987.163, Opera 67.0.3575.115, Firefox 74.0.1, and Microsoft Edge 44.18362.449.0) to verify.
For example, these media queries are valid for certain browsers (Chrome 80.0.3987.163, Opera 67.0.3575.115, and Firefox 74.0.1 but NOT Microsoft Edge 44.18362.449.0)
@media (min-width:calc(2em - 1em)) { div { color: green } } // valid
@media (min-width:calc(2px - 1px)) { div { color: green } } // valid
whereas this media query is only valid in Firefox 74.0.1
@media (min-width:calc(1em - 1px)) { div { color: green } } // different units are "mixed" in same calc() -----> invalid except Firefox
UPDATE December 2020: Other functions within the calc() family of functions (that is, functions which perform an operation on one or more calc-sums) can also be used within a media query. This JSFiddle demonstrates the utility of the comparison functions max(), min(), and clamp(). These functions are currently supported within a media query by the browsers:
- Chrome 87
- Edge 87
- Firefox 82
- Opera 72
However, using mixed units within each comparison function is only supported by the following browsers (from the list above):
- Firefox 82
Solution 3 - Css
Pinal's answer is great, but your CSS wouldn't work anyways. You need spaces separating your units. In CSS 2000px-1px would be considered a single value, which obviously isn't a valid unit. It should be 2000px - 1px.
I'm currently using Chrome 66 and calc works fine in media queries.
Solution 4 - Css
There is no support for media queries with calc() in IE11 (Up to October 2020).
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="ie=edge">
<title>Media query</title>
<style>
body {
background-color: powderblue;
}
@media screen and (min-width: calc(700px + 1px)) {
body {
background-color: yellow;
}
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
</body>
</html>