flex-wrap

The flex-wrap property is a sub-property of the Flexible Box Layout module.

It defines whether the flex items are forced in a single line or can be flowed into multiple lines. If set to multiple lines, it also defines the cross-axis which determines the direction new lines are stacked in.

Reminder: the cross axis is the axis perpendicular to the main axis. Its direction depends on the main axis direction.

The flex-wrap property accepts 3 different values:

• nowrap (default): single-line which may cause the container to overflow
• wrap: multi-lines, direction is defined by flex-direction
• wrap-reverse: multi-lines, opposite to direction defined by flex-direction

Syntax

flex-wrap: nowrap | wrap | wrap-reverse

.flex-container {
  flex-wrap: wrap;
}

Demo

In the following demo:

• The red list is set to nowrap
• The yellow list is set to wrap
• The blue list is set to wrap-reverse

Note: the flex-direction is set to the default value: row.

<ul class="flex-container nowrap">
  <li class="flex-item">1</li>
  <li class="flex-item">2</li>
  <li class="flex-item">3</li>
  <li class="flex-item">4</li>
  <li class="flex-item">5</li>
  <li class="flex-item">6</li>
  <li class="flex-item">7</li>
  <li class="flex-item">8</li>
</ul>

<ul class="flex-container wrap">
  <li class="flex-item">1</li>
  <li class="flex-item">2</li>
  <li class="flex-item">3</li>
  <li class="flex-item">4</li>
  <li class="flex-item">5</li>
  <li class="flex-item">6</li>
  <li class="flex-item">7</li>
  <li class="flex-item">8</li>
</ul>

<ul class="flex-container wrap-reverse">
  <li class="flex-item">1</li>
  <li class="flex-item">2</li>
  <li class="flex-item">3</li>
  <li class="flex-item">4</li>
  <li class="flex-item">5</li>
  <li class="flex-item">6</li>
  <li class="flex-item">7</li>
  <li class="flex-item">8</li>
</ul>

.flex-container {
  padding: 0;
  margin: 0;
  list-style: none;
  border: 1px solid silver;
  -ms-box-orient: horizontal;
  display: -webkit-box;
  display: -moz-box;
  display: -ms-flexbox;
  display: -moz-flex;
  display: -webkit-flex;
  display: flex;
}

.nowrap  { 
  -webkit-flex-wrap: nowrap;
  flex-wrap: nowrap;
}

.wrap    { 
  -webkit-flex-wrap: wrap;
  flex-wrap: wrap;
}  
.wrap li {
  background: gold;
}

.wrap-reverse         { 
  -webkit-flex-wrap: wrap-reverse;
  flex-wrap: wrap-reverse;
}  
.wrap-reverse li {
  background: deepskyblue;
}

.flex-item {
  background: tomato;
  padding: 5px;
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
  margin: 10px;
  
  line-height: 100px;
  color: white;
  font-weight: bold;
  font-size: 2em;
  text-align: center;
}

Related Properties

• flex-grow
• flex-shrink
• flex-basis
• flex
• flex-direction
• align-self
• order

Browser Support

• (modern) means the recent syntax from the specification (e.g. display: flex;)
• (hybrid) means an odd unofficial syntax from 2011 (e.g. display: flexbox;)
• (old) means the old syntax from 2009 (e.g. display: box;)

Blackberry browser 10+ supports the new syntax.