How to Center a Header in CSS (Complete Guide)

Centering a header in CSS is a fundamental skill for creating visually balanced web pages. Whether you need to center a text-based header (<h1>, <h2>, etc.), a logo, or a navigation bar, there are different techniques depending on whether you’re centering horizontally, vertically, or both.

In this blog, you’ll learn:

✅ How to center a header text horizontally
✅ How to center a header element inside a container
✅ How to center a navigation bar inside a header
✅ How to center a header logo
✅ Best practices for centering headers

1. Centering a Header Text Horizontally

The simplest way to center a header text (<h1>, <h2>) is by using text-align: center.

Example 1: Centering Header Text Horizontally

.centered-header {
    text-align: center;
    font-size: 2rem;
    color: #333;
}

<h1 class="centered-header">Welcome to My Website</h1>

✅ Why this works?

• text-align: center; aligns inline text within its block container.

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2. Centering a Header Element Horizontally (<header>)

If you want to center the entire header container, use margin: auto; with a defined width.

Example 2: Centering a Header Block

.header-container {
    width: 80%; /* Set a fixed width */
    margin: 0 auto; /* Centers the block */
    text-align: center;
    padding: 20px;
    background-color: #f4f4f4;
}

<header class="header-container">
    <h1>My Website</h1>
</header>

✅ Why this works?

• margin: 0 auto; centers the block container.
• width: 80%; prevents it from stretching to full width.

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3. Centering a Header Vertically

To center a header vertically, use display: flex; with align-items: center;.

Example 3: Vertical Centering with Flexbox

.header-vertical {
    display: flex;
    align-items: center; /* Centers vertically */
    justify-content: center; /* Centers horizontally */
    height: 100vh; /* Full height */
    background-color: #ddd;
}

<header class="header-vertical">
    <h1>Centered Header</h1>
</header>

✅ Why this works?

• align-items: center; centers the text vertically.
• justify-content: center; centers the text horizontally.

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4. Centering a Navigation Bar Inside a Header

For horizontal navigation bars, use display: flex; with justify-content: center;.

Example 4: Centering a Navigation Menu

.header-nav {
    display: flex;
    justify-content: center;
    background: #333;
    padding: 10px 0;
}

.header-nav ul {
    list-style: none;
    padding: 0;
    display: flex;
}

.header-nav ul li {
    margin: 0 15px;
}

.header-nav ul li a {
    text-decoration: none;
    color: white;
    font-size: 1.2rem;
}

<header>
    <nav class="header-nav">
        <ul>
            <li><a href="#">Home</a></li>
            <li><a href="#">About</a></li>
            <li><a href="#">Services</a></li>
            <li><a href="#">Contact</a></li>
        </ul>
    </nav>
</header>

✅ Why this works?

• display: flex; allows flexbox positioning.
• justify-content: center; centers items inside the <nav>.

---

5. Centering a Logo in a Header

If your header contains a logo, you can center it using flexbox.

Example 5: Centering a Logo

.header-logo {
    display: flex;
    justify-content: center;
    align-items: center;
    height: 100px;
    background-color: #eee;
}

<header class="header-logo">
    <img src="logo.png" alt="Website Logo">
</header>

✅ Why this works?

• justify-content: center; centers the logo horizontally.
• align-items: center; ensures vertical alignment.

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6. Best Practices for Centering Headers

✅ Use text-align: center; for simple text-based headers.
✅ Use flexbox (display: flex;) for full control over positioning.
✅ Set margin: auto; when centering a block-level element.
✅ For vertical centering, always use align-items: center;.
✅ Keep headers responsive by using relative units (vw, %) instead of fixed widths.

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Conclusion

Centering a header in CSS depends on what you’re centering—text, a container, a logo, or a navigation bar. By using text-align: center;, flexbox, and proper margin settings, you can create a well-aligned and responsive header.

By following these techniques, you ensure a clean, professional design that looks great across all screen sizes.