CSS Scroll Snap Generator

Generate CSS scroll-snap properties for smooth scroll snapping effects. Configure the container and item settings with a live preview.

Axis: XStrictness: mandatoryAlignment: startScroll Padding: 0pxCSS Length: 171 chars

Presets & Layouts

Configuration

Axis

Strictness

Snap Align

Scroll Padding

CSS Output

/* Container */
.scroll-container {
  scroll-snap-type: x mandatory;
  overflow-x: auto;
  scroll-padding: 0px;
}

/* Items */
.scroll-item {
  scroll-snap-align: start;
}

Live Preview

Card 1

Card 2

Card 3

Card 4

Card 5

Scroll the cards above to see snap behaviour

About CSS Scroll Snap

CSS Scroll Snap provides native snapping behaviour without JavaScript. The scroll-snap-type property on the container defines the axis and how strictly snapping is enforced. mandatory always snaps to a snap point after scrolling, while proximity only snaps when the scroll position is near a point. The scroll-snap-alignproperty on each item defines where its snap point is — start, center, or end. Supported in all modern browsers.

Built and maintained by Meet Shah · Last updated 1 August 2026

What this tool is used for

Building a horizontal card carousel that snaps to each item.
Producing a full-page scroll-snap section layout.
Getting the container and item properties right together.
Comparing mandatory against proximity snapping.
Adding snapping to an existing scroller without JavaScript.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does scroll snapping do?: It makes a scroll container settle at defined positions rather than wherever momentum leaves it. The container declares `scroll-snap-type` and each child declares `scroll-snap-align`, and the browser handles the physics — no JavaScript, and it respects the platform's own scrolling feel.
What is the difference between mandatory and proximity?: `mandatory` always lands on a snap point, which is right for a full-screen carousel where a partial view is meaningless. `proximity` snaps only when the scroll ends near one, which is safer for content of varying height — mandatory can make tall content impossible to read past.
Why can mandatory snapping trap the user?: Because a snap area taller than the viewport has no reachable position between its snap points. The browser keeps pulling back to the nearest one and the middle of the content becomes unscrollable. That is the specific failure `proximity` exists to avoid.
How do I keep a sticky header from covering the snapped item?: `scroll-padding` on the container, or `scroll-margin` on the items. Both offset where the snap position lands, which is the same mechanism that stops an anchor jump hiding its target under a fixed header — and it is the fix people usually reach for JavaScript to achieve.
Is scroll snapping accessible?: It works with keyboard and programmatic scrolling, which is the main thing. The risks are trapping content with `mandatory` and breaking the expectation that a scroll goes where you left it — both are usability problems that appear first for people using a keyboard or a screen magnifier.

Common errors and gotchas

Using mandatory snapping on content taller than the viewport, which can trap the user.
Setting snap properties on the items but not the container, or the reverse.
Forgetting scroll padding, so a sticky header covers the snapped item.
Assuming snapping replaces keyboard navigation, which still needs focusable items.
Combining it with smooth scrolling and getting fights between the two.