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How to create a fixed header or footer with HTML5 and CSS? (Layout Tutorial)
How to create a fixed header or footer with HTML5 and CSS? (Layout Tutorial)
Use CSS position: fixed to lock headers (top: 0) or footers (bottom: 0) in place; set width: 100%, z-index, and background; adjust main content spacing via margin-top or padding-bottom to prevent overlap, and prefer position: sticky for scroll-then-stick behavior.

Use CSS position: fixed to lock a header or footer in place while the rest of the page scrolls. The key is setting top or bottom, plus width and z-index for layering.
Fixed header: stay at the top
Apply position: fixed to your header element, set top: 0 and width: 100%. Add z-index: 1000 so it stays above other content. Since it’s taken out of the normal flow, push the main content down with margin-top equal to the header’s height.
- HTML:
Your site title - CSS: header { position: fixed; top: 0; width: 100%; background: white; z-index: 1000; height: 60px; }
- Then add margin-top: 60px to
or to avoid overlap
Fixed footer: stay at the bottom
Same idea — use position: fixed, but with bottom: 0 and width: 100%. Set z-index if needed. Unlike headers, footers usually don’t require pushing content up — unless you want space between content and the fixed footer (e.g., for spacing or avoiding overlap with tall content).
- HTML:
- CSS: footer { position: fixed; bottom: 0; width: 100%; background: #333; color: white; height: 40px; z-index: 1000; }
- Optional: add padding-bottom to
if content runs underneath
Avoid common layout issues
Fixed elements don’t affect document flow, so overlapping is easy. Always check contrast and touch targets on mobile. Also, avoid setting both top and bottom on the same element — pick one direction. If using flexbox or grid elsewhere, remember fixed positioning removes the element from those layouts entirely.
- Test scrolling behavior on mobile — some browsers handle fixed elements inconsistently
- Don’t forget to set background and text color — transparent by default
- Use box-sizing: border-box to keep height/width predictable with padding
Alternative: sticky instead of fixed
If you want the header to scroll with content until it reaches the top (then stick), use position: sticky instead. It’s simpler and more natural for many cases — no need for z-index or manual spacing.
- header { position: -webkit-sticky; position: sticky; top: 0; background: white; }
- Works only on parent containers with a defined height or scrollable area
- More accessible and less disruptive than fixed for long pages
The above is the detailed content of How to create a fixed header or footer with HTML5 and CSS? (Layout Tutorial). For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!
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