Overflow

Overflow utilities control what happens when content is bigger than its box: overflow-auto scrolls when needed, overflow-hidden clips, overflow-visible lets content spill and overflow-scroll always shows scrollbars. overflow-x-* and overflow-y-* handle each axis separately, ideal for wide tables and side-scrolling rows.

1The four overflow values

overflow-auto, overflow-hidden, overflow-visible and overflow-scroll on boxes of fixed height.

overflow-auto

The new mobile agenda shows your work organised wherever you are. This secure experience brings results you can measure for teams of every size. A focused journey helps time back in your day wherever you are. The new hands-on workshops turns complex tasks into simple steps wherever you are.

overflow-hidden

overflow-visible

overflow-scroll

<div class="row g-3 small">
  <div class="col-6 col-md-3">
    <code>overflow-auto</code>
    <div class="overflow-auto border rounded-lg p-2 bg-surface-3" style="height:100px">
      The new mobile agenda shows your work organised wherever you are. This secure experience brings results you can measure for teams of every size. A focused journey helps time back in your day wherever you are. The new hands-on workshops turns complex tasks into simple steps wherever you are.
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-6 col-md-3">
    <code>overflow-hidden</code>
    <div class="overflow-hidden border rounded-lg p-2 bg-surface-3" style="height:100px">
      The new mobile agenda shows your work organised wherever you are. This secure experience brings results you can measure for teams of every size. A focused journey helps time back in your day wherever you are. The new hands-on workshops turns complex tasks into simple steps wherever you are.
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-6 col-md-3">
    <code>overflow-visible</code>
    <div class="overflow-visible border rounded-lg p-2 bg-surface-3 mb-12" style="height:100px">
      The new mobile agenda shows your work organised wherever you are. This secure experience brings results you can measure for teams of every size. A focused journey helps time back in your day wherever you are. The new hands-on workshops turns complex tasks into simple steps wherever you are.
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-6 col-md-3">
    <code>overflow-scroll</code>
    <div class="overflow-scroll border rounded-lg p-2 bg-surface-3" style="height:100px">
      The new mobile agenda shows your work organised wherever you are. This secure experience brings results you can measure for teams of every size. A focused journey helps time back in your day wherever you are. The new hands-on workshops turns complex tasks into simple steps wherever you are.
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

2Horizontal scroll only

overflow-x-auto with flex-nowrap scrolls a row of cards sideways.

Sponsorship

Networking app

Sponsorship

Live streaming

Ticketing

<div class="flex flex-nowrap gap-2 overflow-x-auto pb-2">
  <div class="border rounded-lg p-4 shrink-0" style="width:160px">
    <div class="font-semibold small">
      Sponsorship
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="border rounded-lg p-4 shrink-0" style="width:160px">
    <div class="font-semibold small">
      Networking app
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="border rounded-lg p-4 shrink-0" style="width:160px">
    <div class="font-semibold small">
      Sponsorship
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="border rounded-lg p-4 shrink-0" style="width:160px">
    <div class="font-semibold small">
      Live streaming
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="border rounded-lg p-4 shrink-0" style="width:160px">
    <div class="font-semibold small">
      Ticketing
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

3Vertical scroll only

overflow-y-auto and a max-height make a scrolling list.

Mason Carter
Aria Fischer
Isla Lindqvist
Chloe Ortega
Mateo Whitaker
Elena Harlow

<ul class="list-unstyled border rounded-lg overflow-y-auto mb-0" style="max-height:150px">
  <li class="px-4 py-2 border-b">Mason Carter</li>
  <li class="px-4 py-2 border-b">Aria Fischer</li>
  <li class="px-4 py-2 border-b">Isla Lindqvist</li>
  <li class="px-4 py-2 border-b">Chloe Ortega</li>
  <li class="px-4 py-2 border-b">Mateo Whitaker</li>
  <li class="px-4 py-2">Elena Harlow</li>
</ul>

4Hidden to clip rounded corners

overflow-hidden on a rounded card clips the image corners.

without

overflow-hidden

<div class="row g-3">
  <div class="col-6">
    <div class="border rounded-xl">
      <img src="../assets/img/photo-1.svg" alt="Not clipped" class="w-full block">
      <div class="p-2 small">
        without
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-6">
    <div class="border rounded-xl overflow-hidden">
      <img src="../assets/img/photo-2.svg" alt="Clipped" class="w-full block">
      <div class="p-2 small">
        overflow-hidden
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

5Wide table

A wide table inside overflow-x-auto scrolls instead of breaking the page.

Order	Customer	City	Date	Status	Total
#TX-7502	Lea Kim	Valencia	Jun 15, 2026	Draft	$332.14
#ORD-8986	Jonah Brennan	Singapore	Dec 7, 2025	Overdue	$438.29

<div class="overflow-x-auto border rounded-lg">
  <table class="table table-sm mb-0 whitespace-nowrap">
    <thead>
      <tr>
        <th scope="col">Order</th>
        <th scope="col">Customer</th>
        <th scope="col">City</th>
        <th scope="col">Date</th>
        <th scope="col">Status</th>
        <th scope="col">Total</th>
      </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
      <tr>
        <td>#TX-7502</td>
        <td>Lea Kim</td>
        <td>Valencia</td>
        <td>Jun 15, 2026</td>
        <td>Draft</td>
        <td>$332.14</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>#ORD-8986</td>
        <td>Jonah Brennan</td>
        <td>Singapore</td>
        <td>Dec 7, 2025</td>
        <td>Overdue</td>
        <td>$438.29</td>
      </tr>
    </tbody>
  </table>
</div>

6Code block that scrolls

Long lines in a pre with overflow-x-auto stay on one line.

npm run build -- --mode production --out-dir dist/brand-name-20 --base ./ --sourcemap false --emptyOutDir

<pre class="overflow-x-auto bg-surface-3 border rounded-lg p-4 small mb-0"><code>npm run build -- --mode production --out-dir dist/brand-name-20 --base ./ --sourcemap false --emptyOutDir</code></pre>

7Chat window

A fixed height message area with overflow-y-auto above a fixed input.

The new recorded sessions brings results you can measure from the very first day.

Our venue booking turns you focused on what matters at a fair price.

This smart release lets projects moving forward all year round.

A honest team lets decisions quicker and clearer for teams of every size.

<div class="border rounded-xl flex flex-col" style="height:220px;max-width:22rem">
  <div class="overflow-y-auto p-4 flex flex-col gap-2 grow">
    <div class="self-start bg-surface-3 rounded-lg px-2 py-1 small">
      The new recorded sessions brings results you can measure from the very first day.
    </div>
    <div class="self-end text-bg-primary rounded-lg px-2 py-1 small">
      Our venue booking turns you focused on what matters at a fair price.
    </div>
    <div class="self-start bg-surface-3 rounded-lg px-2 py-1 small">
      This smart release lets projects moving forward all year round.
    </div>
    <div class="self-end text-bg-primary rounded-lg px-2 py-1 small">
      A honest team lets decisions quicker and clearer for teams of every size.
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="border-t p-2">
    <label class="sr-only" for="ut-msg-1253">Message</label>
    <input id="ut-msg-1253" type="text" class="form-control form-control-sm" placeholder="Type a message">
  </div>
</div>

8Scrollable tab strip

Pills in a flex-nowrap row with overflow-x-auto for many categories.

<nav class="flex flex-nowrap gap-2 overflow-x-auto pb-1" aria-label="Categories">
  <a href="#" class="btn btn-sm btn-primary rounded-full whitespace-nowrap">All</a> <a href="#" class="btn btn-sm btn-light border rounded-full whitespace-nowrap">Keynote</a> <a href="#" class="btn btn-sm btn-light border rounded-full whitespace-nowrap">tips</a> <a href="#" class="btn btn-sm btn-light border rounded-full whitespace-nowrap">Webinar</a> <a href="#" class="btn btn-sm btn-light border rounded-full whitespace-nowrap">tutorial</a> <a href="#" class="btn btn-sm btn-light border rounded-full whitespace-nowrap">experience</a> <a href="#" class="btn btn-sm btn-light border rounded-full whitespace-nowrap">smart</a> 
</nav>

9Terms box

A long text inside a bordered box with overflow-auto, like a licence agreement.

Terms of use

Our live streaming connects customers coming back for teams of every size. Our venue booking lets projects moving forward at a fair price. The new recorded sessions keeps new ideas to life with friendly support.

Our networking app shows time back in your day for teams of every size. This bright team guides you focused on what matters in just a few clicks. The new hands-on workshops guides projects moving forward at a fair price. The new recorded sessions helps every detail in view at a fair price.

A simple release makes you focused on what matters on any device. The new certificates keeps time back in your day on any device. A simple process turns time back in your day all year round. A secure goal keeps every detail in view from the very first day.

<div class="border rounded-lg p-4 overflow-auto small bg-surface-3" style="height:130px">
  <h3 class="h6">Terms of use</h3>
  <p>Our live streaming connects customers coming back for teams of every size. Our venue booking lets projects moving forward at a fair price. The new recorded sessions keeps new ideas to life with friendly support.</p>
  <p>Our networking app shows time back in your day for teams of every size. This bright team guides you focused on what matters in just a few clicks. The new hands-on workshops guides projects moving forward at a fair price. The new recorded sessions helps every detail in view at a fair price.</p>
  <p class="mb-0">A simple release makes you focused on what matters on any device. The new certificates keeps time back in your day on any device. A simple process turns time back in your day all year round. A secure goal keeps every detail in view from the very first day.</p>
</div>

10Visible overflow for a badge

overflow-visible lets a badge stick out of a box that would otherwise clip it.

overflow-hidden4

overflow-visible9

<div class="flex gap-6 pt-2">
  <div class="relative overflow-hidden border rounded-lg p-4 small">
    overflow-hidden<span class="absolute top-0 start-full -translate-x-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 badge rounded-full text-bg-danger">4</span>
  </div>
  <div class="relative overflow-visible border rounded-lg p-4 small">
    overflow-visible<span class="absolute top-0 start-full -translate-x-1/2 -translate-y-1/2 badge rounded-full text-bg-danger">9</span>
  </div>
</div>

11Hidden overflow for a cropped title

overflow-hidden with a fixed height clips long text to two lines worth of space.

Three days that change how you work - Our sponsorship helps customers coming back for teams of every size.

Aug 5, 2026

<div class="border rounded-lg p-4" style="max-width:20rem">
  <div class="overflow-hidden font-semibold leading-tight" style="height:2.5em">
    Three days that change how you work - Our sponsorship helps customers coming back for teams of every size.
  </div>
  <div class="small text-muted mt-1">
    Aug 5, 2026
  </div>
</div>

12Sidebar that scrolls separately

The nav column scrolls with overflow-y-auto while the content stays put.

Our ticketing lets results you can measure for teams of every size. The new mobile agenda connects projects moving forward with friendly support.

<div class="flex border rounded-lg" style="height:180px">
  <nav class="overflow-y-auto border-e p-2 small shrink-0" style="width:130px" aria-label="Chapters">
    <a href="#" class="block py-1">Intro</a><a href="#" class="block py-1">Setup</a><a href="#" class="block py-1">Layout</a> <a href="#" class="block py-1">Colours</a><a href="#" class="block py-1">Forms</a><a href="#" class="block py-1">Tables</a> <a href="#" class="block py-1">Charts</a><a href="#" class="block py-1">Deploy</a> 
  </nav>
  <div class="p-4 small">
    Our ticketing lets results you can measure for teams of every size. The new mobile agenda connects projects moving forward with friendly support.
  </div>
</div>

13Image pan area

A large image in an overflow-auto box can be scrolled in both directions.

<div class="overflow-auto border rounded-lg" style="height:160px;max-width:26rem">
  <img src="../assets/img/wide-12.svg" alt="Inside the elegant idea" width="900" height="394" class="block"> 
</div>

14Kanban columns

Columns side by side in overflow-x-auto, each column scrolls with overflow-y-auto.

To do

Ticketing

Networking app

Sponsorship

Doing

Sponsorship

Done

Sponsorship

<div class="flex gap-2 overflow-x-auto pb-1">
  <div class="bg-surface-3 rounded-lg p-2 shrink-0 overflow-y-auto" style="width:170px;max-height:180px">
    <div class="small font-semibold mb-2">
      To do
    </div>
    <div class="bg-page border rounded-md p-2 small mb-2">
      Ticketing
    </div>
    <div class="bg-page border rounded-md p-2 small mb-2">
      Networking app
    </div>
    <div class="bg-page border rounded-md p-2 small">
      Sponsorship
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="bg-surface-3 rounded-lg p-2 shrink-0 overflow-y-auto" style="width:170px;max-height:180px">
    <div class="small font-semibold mb-2">
      Doing
    </div>
    <div class="bg-page border rounded-md p-2 small">
      Sponsorship
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="bg-surface-3 rounded-lg p-2 shrink-0 overflow-y-auto" style="width:170px;max-height:180px">
    <div class="small font-semibold mb-2">
      Done
    </div>
    <div class="bg-page border rounded-md p-2 small">
      Sponsorship
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

15Overflow-x hidden

overflow-x-hidden hides content that slides in from the side, like an off-screen panel.

This elegant experience lets decisions quicker and clearer from the very first day.

Panel partly off the edge

<div class="relative overflow-x-hidden border rounded-lg p-4" style="height:110px">
  <div class="small">
    This elegant experience lets decisions quicker and clearer from the very first day.
  </div>
  <div class="absolute top-0 bg-primary-subtle h-full p-2 small" style="left:90%;width:200px">
    Panel partly off the edge
  </div>
</div>

16Overflow-y scroll always

overflow-y-scroll always shows the vertical scrollbar, so the width never jumps.

The new networking lounges brings the whole team on the same page without the usual hassle.

<div class="overflow-y-scroll border rounded-lg p-2 small" style="height:90px">
  The new networking lounges brings the whole team on the same page without the usual hassle.
</div>

17Notification panel

A dropdown-like panel with header, scrolling body and footer.

Notifications

Our speaker management gives projects moving forward for teams of every size.

A bright dashboard guides new ideas to life with friendly support.

This honest workflow guides the whole team on the same page on any device.

The new mobile agenda brings new ideas to life at a fair price.

View all

<div class="border rounded-lg shadow-sm flex flex-col" style="max-width:20rem;height:220px">
  <div class="px-4 py-2 border-b font-semibold small">
    Notifications
  </div>
  <div class="overflow-y-auto grow">
    <div class="px-4 py-2 border-b small">
      Our speaker management gives projects moving forward for teams of every size.
    </div>
    <div class="px-4 py-2 border-b small">
      A bright dashboard guides new ideas to life with friendly support.
    </div>
    <div class="px-4 py-2 border-b small">
      This honest workflow guides the whole team on the same page on any device.
    </div>
    <div class="px-4 py-2 small">
      The new mobile agenda brings new ideas to life at a fair price.
    </div>
  </div>
  <a href="#" class="px-4 py-2 border-t small text-center">View all</a> 
</div>

18Clip a decorative shape

A big circle partly outside its panel is cut off by overflow-hidden.

Join the conference of the year

A focused team gives decisions quicker and clearer wherever you are.

<div class="relative overflow-hidden text-bg-primary rounded-xl p-6">
  <div class="absolute bg-white/25 rounded-full" style="width:180px;height:180px;right:-60px;top:-60px">
  </div>
  <h3 class="h5 relative">Join the conference of the year</h3>
  <p class="small mb-0 relative">A focused team gives decisions quicker and clearer wherever you are.</p>
</div>

19Long word handling

overflow-hidden plus text-truncate versus text-break for an unbreakable string.

downloads/brand-name-20/assets/very-long-file-name-without-any-spaces-at-all.zip

<div class="row g-2 small">
  <div class="col-sm-6">
    <div class="border rounded-lg p-2 truncate">
      downloads/brand-name-20/assets/very-long-file-name-without-any-spaces-at-all.zip
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-sm-6">
    <div class="border rounded-lg p-2 break-words">
      downloads/brand-name-20/assets/very-long-file-name-without-any-spaces-at-all.zip
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

20Responsive table wrapper

table-responsive is the helper made of overflow-x-auto for tables.

Plan	Users	Storage	Support	API	Price
Pro	31	219 GB	Email and chat	Unlimited	$33.36

<div class="table-responsive border rounded-lg">
  <table class="table table-sm mb-0 whitespace-nowrap">
    <thead>
      <tr>
        <th scope="col">Plan</th>
        <th scope="col">Users</th>
        <th scope="col">Storage</th>
        <th scope="col">Support</th>
        <th scope="col">API</th>
        <th scope="col">Price</th>
      </tr>
    </thead>
    <tbody>
      <tr>
        <td>Pro</td>
        <td>31</td>
        <td>219 GB</td>
        <td>Email and chat</td>
        <td>Unlimited</td>
        <td>$33.36</td>
      </tr>
    </tbody>
  </table>
</div>