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VisualViewport

The VisualViewport interface of the Visual Viewport API represents the visual viewport for a given window. For a page containing iframes, each iframe, as well as the containing page, will have a unique window object. Each window on a page will have a unique VisualViewport representing the properties associated with that window.

You can get a window's visual viewport using Window.visualViewport.

Note: Only the top-level window has a visual viewport that's distinct from the layout viewport. Therefore, it's generally only the VisualViewport object of the top-level window that's useful. For an <iframe>, visual viewport metrics like VisualViewport.width always correspond to layout viewport metrics like document.documentElement.clientWidth.

EventTarget VisualViewport

Instance properties

VisualViewport also inherits properties from its parent, EventTarget.

VisualViewport.offsetLeft Read only

Returns the offset of the left edge of the visual viewport from the left edge of the layout viewport in CSS pixels.

VisualViewport.offsetTop Read only

Returns the offset of the top edge of the visual viewport from the top edge of the layout viewport in CSS pixels.

VisualViewport.pageLeft Read only

Returns the x coordinate of the visual viewport relative to the initial containing block origin of the top edge in CSS pixels.

VisualViewport.pageTop Read only

Returns the y coordinate of the visual viewport relative to the initial containing block origin of the top edge in CSS pixels.

VisualViewport.width Read only

Returns the width of the visual viewport in CSS pixels.

VisualViewport.height Read only

Returns the height of the visual viewport in CSS pixels.

VisualViewport.scale Read only

Returns the pinch-zoom scaling factor applied to the visual viewport.

Events

Listen to these events using addEventListener() or by assigning an event listener to the relevant oneventname property of this interface.

resize

Fired when the visual viewport is resized. Also available via the onresize property.

scroll

Fired when the visual viewport is scrolled. Also available via the onscroll property.

Examples

Hiding an overlaid box on zoom

This example, taken from the Visual Viewport README, shows how to write a simple bit of code that will hide an overlaid box (which might contain an advert, say) when the user zooms in. This is a nice way to improve the user experience when zooming in on pages. A live sample is also available.

js

const bottomBar = document.getElementById("bottombar");
const viewport = window.visualViewport;

function resizeHandler() {
  bottomBar.style.display = viewport.scale > 1.3 ? "none" : "block";
}

window.visualViewport.addEventListener("resize", resizeHandler);

Simulating position: device-fixed

This example, also taken from the Visual Viewport README, shows how to use this API to simulate position: device-fixed, which fixes elements to the visual viewport. A live sample is also available.

js

const bottomBar = document.getElementById("bottombar");
const viewport = window.visualViewport;
function viewportHandler() {
  const layoutViewport = document.getElementById("layoutViewport");

  // Since the bar is position: fixed we need to offset it by the visual
  // viewport's offset from the layout viewport origin.
  const offsetLeft = viewport.offsetLeft;
  const offsetTop =
    viewport.height -
    layoutViewport.getBoundingClientRect().height +
    viewport.offsetTop;

  // You could also do this by setting style.left and style.top if you
  // use width: 100% instead.
  bottomBar.style.transform = `translate(${offsetLeft}px, ${offsetTop}px) scale(${
    1 / viewport.scale
  })`;
}
window.visualViewport.addEventListener("scroll", viewportHandler);
window.visualViewport.addEventListener("resize", viewportHandler);

Note: This technique should be used with care; emulating position: device-fixed in this way can result in the fixed element flickering during scrolling.

Specifications

Browser compatibility

Desktop Mobile
Chrome Edge Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari WebView Android Chrome Android Firefox for Android Opera Android Safari on IOS Samsung Internet
VisualViewport 61 79 91 No 48 13 61 61 68 45 13 8.0
height 61 79 91 No 48 13 61 61 68 45 13 8.0
offsetLeft 61 79 91 No 48 13 61 61 68 45 13 8.0
offsetTop 61 79 91 No 48 13 61 61 68 45 13 8.0
pageLeft 61 79 91 No 48 13 61 61 68 45 13 8.0
pageTop 61 79 91 No 48 13 61 61 68 45 13 8.0
resize_event 62
61The onresize event handler property is not supported.
79 91 No 49
48The onresize event handler property is not supported.
13 62
61The onresize event handler property is not supported.
62
61The onresize event handler property is not supported.
68 46
45The onresize event handler property is not supported.
13 8.0
scale 61 79 91 No 48 13 61 61 68 45 13 8.0
scroll_event 62
61The onscroll event handler property is not supported.
79 91 No 49
48The onscroll event handler property is not supported.
13 62
61The onscroll event handler property is not supported.
62
61The onscroll event handler property is not supported.
68 46
45The onscroll event handler property is not supported.
13 8.0
width 61 79 91 No 48 13 61 61 68 45 13 8.0

See also

  • Web Viewports Explainer — useful explanation of web viewports concepts, including the difference between visual viewport and layout viewport.

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https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/VisualViewport