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How can I center an absolutely positioned element within a relative parent container?

Asked on Oct 23, 2025

Answer

To center an absolutely positioned element within a relative parent container, you can use a combination of CSS properties like `position`, `top`, `left`, and `transform`. Here's a concise example to demonstrate this approach.

<!-- BEGIN COPY / PASTE -->
    <div style="position: relative; width: 200px; height: 200px; background-color: lightgray;">
      <div style="position: absolute; top: 50%; left: 50%; transform: translate(-50%, -50%); background-color: lightblue; width: 100px; height: 100px;">
        Centered
      </div>
    </div>
    <!-- END COPY / PASTE -->

Additional Comment:

The parent container must have `position: relative` to establish a positioning context for the child.
The child element uses `position: absolute` to allow it to be positioned within the parent.
`top: 50%` and `left: 50%` move the child element's top-left corner to the center of the parent.
`transform: translate(-50%, -50%)` shifts the child element back by half of its own width and height, centering it perfectly.
This method works regardless of the size of the parent or child elements.

✅ Answered with CSS best practices.

Ask any question about CSS here... and get an instant response.

How can I center an absolutely positioned element within a relative parent container?

Asked on Oct 23, 2025

Answer

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