`text-decoration-skip` CSS property

Deprecated: This feature is no longer recommended. Though some browsers might still support it, it may have already been removed from the relevant web standards, may be in the process of being dropped, or may only be kept for compatibility purposes. Avoid using it, and update existing code if possible; see the compatibility table at the bottom of this page to guide your decision. Be aware that this feature may cease to work at any time.

The text-decoration-skip CSS property sets what parts of an element's content any text decoration affecting the element must skip over. It controls all text decoration lines drawn by the element and also any text decoration lines drawn by its ancestors.

Note: Most other browsers are converging on supporting the simpler text-decoration-skip-ink property.

Syntax

/* Keyword values */
text-decoration-skip: none;
text-decoration-skip: objects;
text-decoration-skip: spaces;
text-decoration-skip: edges;
text-decoration-skip: box-decoration;

/* Multiple keywords */
text-decoration-skip: objects spaces;
text-decoration-skip: leading-spaces trailing-spaces;
text-decoration-skip: objects edges box-decoration;

/* Global values */
text-decoration-skip: inherit;
text-decoration-skip: initial;
text-decoration-skip: revert;
text-decoration-skip: revert-layer;
text-decoration-skip: unset;

Values

none

Nothing is skipped. Thus, text decoration is drawn for all text content and across atomic inline-level boxes.

objects

The entire margin box of the element is skipped if it is an atomic inline such as an image or inline-block.

spaces

All spacing is skipped: all Unicode white space characters and all word separators, plus any adjacent letter-spacing or word-spacing.

leading-spaces

The same as spaces, except that only leading spaces are skipped.

trailing-spaces

The same as spaces, except that only trailing spaces are skipped.

edges

The start and end of the text decoration is inset slightly (e.g., by half of the line thickness) from the content edge of the decorating box. Thus, adjacent elements receive separate underlines. (This is important in Chinese, where underlining is a form of punctuation.)

An example of "text-decoration-skip: edges;".

box-decoration

The text decoration is skipped over the box's margin, border, and padding areas. This only has an effect on decorations imposed by an ancestor; a decorating box never draws over its own box decoration.

Formal definition

Initial value	objects
Applies to	all elements
Inherited	yes
Computed value	as specified
Animation type	discrete

Formal syntax

text-decoration-skip = 
  none |
  [ objects || [ spaces | [ leading-spaces || trailing-spaces ] ] || edges || box-decoration ]

Examples

Skipping edges

HTML

<p>Hey, grab a cup of <em>coffee!</em></p>

CSS

p {
  margin: 0;
  font-size: 3em;
  text-decoration: underline;
  text-decoration-skip: edges;
}

Result

Specifications

Specification
CSS Text Decoration Module Level 4 # text-decoration-skipping

Browser compatibility

	Desktop					Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Opera	Safari	Chrome Android	Firefox for Android	Opera Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet	WebView Android	WebView on iOS
`text-decoration-skip`	57–64 Only supported the deprecated `ink` value.	No	No	44–51 Only supported the deprecated `ink` value.	12.1 7	57–64 Only supported the deprecated `ink` value.	No	43–47 Only supported the deprecated `ink` value.	12.2 7	7.0–9.0 Only supported the deprecated `ink` value.	57–64 Only supported the deprecated `ink` value.	12.2 7
`auto`	No	No	No	No	7	No	No	No	7	No	No	7
`none`	No	No	No	No	7	No	No	No	7	No	No	7