Media queries in CSS

Introduction

Media queries help your website look good on all devices by changing styles based on screen size or device features.

You want your website text to be bigger on small phones for easy reading.

You want to hide a sidebar on small screens to save space.

You want to change the layout from columns to rows on tablets.

You want to adjust colors or fonts depending on light or dark mode.

You want images to resize automatically on different screen widths.

Syntax

CSS

@media (condition) {
  /* CSS rules here */
}

The condition can check screen width, height, orientation, and more.

You can combine conditions with and and not.

Examples

This changes the background color to light blue on screens 600px wide or smaller.

CSS

@media (max-width: 600px) {
  body {
    background-color: lightblue;
  }
}

This sets a bigger font size on medium screens between 601px and 1024px wide.

CSS

@media (min-width: 601px) and (max-width: 1024px) {
  body {
    font-size: 1.2rem;
  }
}

This hides the navigation menu when the device is held vertically (portrait mode).

CSS

@media (orientation: portrait) {
  nav {
    display: none;
  }
}

Sample Program

This page uses a media query to change background color and text size when the screen is 600px wide or smaller. Try resizing your browser window to see the effect.

CSS

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="UTF-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
  <title>Media Queries Example</title>
  <style>
    body {
      font-family: Arial, sans-serif;
      background-color: white;
      color: black;
      margin: 2rem;
    }
    h1 {
      font-size: 2rem;
    }
    p {
      font-size: 1rem;
    }
    /* Change background and text on small screens */
    @media (max-width: 600px) {
      body {
        background-color: #f0f8ff;
        color: #003366;
      }
      h1 {
        font-size: 1.5rem;
      }
      p {
        font-size: 1.2rem;
      }
    }
  </style>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Welcome to My Website</h1>
  <p>Resize the browser window to see the background and text size change on small screens.</p>
</body>
</html>

Important Notes

Always include the viewport meta tag in your HTML to make media queries work well on mobile devices.

Test your site on different devices or use browser DevTools to simulate screen sizes.

You can combine multiple media queries for more control over your design.

Summary

Media queries let your website adapt to different screen sizes and device features.

Use them to improve readability and usability on phones, tablets, and desktops.

They are written inside CSS with the @media rule and conditions like max-width.

Practice

1. What is the main purpose of CSS @media queries?

easy

A. To link external CSS files

B. To add animations to elements

C. To apply different styles based on device screen size or features

D. To create CSS variables

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand what @media does

   @media queries let CSS change styles depending on device features like screen width.

2. Step 2: Compare options to this purpose

   Only To apply different styles based on device screen size or features describes applying styles based on screen size or features, which matches @media usage.

3. Final Answer:

   To apply different styles based on device screen size or features -> Option C

4. Quick Check:

   Media queries = responsive styles [OK]

Hint: Media queries adapt styles to screen size or device [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Confusing media queries with animations
• Thinking media queries link CSS files
• Mixing media queries with CSS variables

2. Which of the following is the correct syntax to apply styles only when the screen width is 600px or less?

easy

A. @media (width < 600px) { /* styles here */ }

B. @media (max-width: 600px) { /* styles here */ }

C. @media screen and (min-width: 600px) { /* styles here */ }

D. @media max-width: 600px { /* styles here */ }

Solution

1. Step 1: Recall correct media query syntax for max-width

   The correct syntax uses @media (max-width: 600px) with parentheses and colon.

2. Step 2: Check each option

   @media (max-width: 600px) { /* styles here */ } matches the correct syntax. @media screen and (min-width: 600px) { /* styles here */ } uses min-width, which is opposite. @media (width < 600px) { /* styles here */ } uses invalid syntax. @media max-width: 600px { /* styles here */ } misses parentheses.

3. Final Answer:

   @media (max-width: 600px) { /* styles here */ } -> Option B

4. Quick Check:

   Use parentheses and colon for max-width [OK]

Hint: Use parentheses and colon for conditions in @media [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Omitting parentheses around conditions
• Using min-width instead of max-width for smaller screens
• Writing conditions without colon

3. Given this CSS, what background color will the body have on a screen 500px wide?

body { background-color: white; } @media (max-width: 600px) { body { background-color: lightblue; } }

medium

A. Lightblue

B. White

C. No background color

D. Black

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand media query condition

   The media query applies styles when screen width is 600px or less. 500px is less than 600px, so it applies.

2. Step 2: Determine which background color applies

   The media query sets background to lightblue, overriding the default white for this screen size.

3. Final Answer:

   Lightblue -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Screen 500px ≤ 600px uses media query color [OK]

Hint: Check if screen width meets media query condition [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Ignoring media query and picking default style
• Confusing max-width with min-width
• Assuming no style applies if media query exists

4. Identify the error in this media query CSS:

@media max-width: 800px { p { font-size: 1.2rem; } }

medium

A. Using max-width instead of min-width

B. Missing semicolon after font-size

C. Incorrect selector inside media query

D. Missing parentheses around the condition

Solution

1. Step 1: Check media query syntax

   The condition must be inside parentheses: @media (max-width: 800px).

2. Step 2: Verify other parts

   The selector p is valid, and semicolon is present. Using max-width is correct if targeting screens 800px or less.

3. Final Answer:

   Missing parentheses around the condition -> Option D

4. Quick Check:

   Media query conditions need parentheses [OK]

Hint: Always wrap media conditions in parentheses [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Forgetting parentheses around conditions
• Confusing max-width and min-width usage
• Missing semicolons inside CSS blocks

5. You want a paragraph's font size to be 1.5rem on screens wider than 900px, and 1rem on smaller screens. Which CSS correctly achieves this?

hard

A. p { font-size: 1.5rem; } @media (max-width: 900px) { p { font-size: 1rem; } }

B. @media (max-width: 900px) { p { font-size: 1.5rem; } } p { font-size: 1rem; }

C. @media (min-width: 900px) { p { font-size: 1rem; } } p { font-size: 1.5rem; }

D. p { font-size: 1rem; } @media (min-width: 900px) { p { font-size: 1.5rem; } }

Solution

1. Step 1: Understand the requirement

   Font size should be 1.5rem on screens wider than 900px, and 1rem on smaller screens.

2. Step 2: Analyze each option

   p { font-size: 1.5rem; } @media (max-width: 900px) { p { font-size: 1rem; } } sets default font size to 1.5rem, then uses a media query with max-width 900px to reduce font size to 1rem on smaller screens. This matches the requirement.

3. Final Answer:

   p { font-size: 1.5rem; } @media (max-width: 900px) { p { font-size: 1rem; } } -> Option A

4. Quick Check:

   Default large, smaller inside max-width media query [OK]

Hint: Set default for large, override smaller with max-width query [OK]

Common Mistakes:

• Reversing min-width and max-width logic
• Setting default smaller and overriding larger incorrectly
• Missing default style outside media query