CSS padding-left Property

Last Updated : 28 May, 2026

The padding-left property in CSS is used to add space between the content and the left border of an element. It helps improve the spacing and appearance of webpage elements.

  • It sets the width of the left padding area of an element.
  • Padding is the space between the content and the border.
  • The value can be defined using units like px, %, or em.

Syntax:

padding-left: length | percentage | initial | inherit;

Property values:

  • length: This mode is used to specify the size of padding as a fixed value. The default value is 0. It must be non-negative. 
  • percentage: This mode is used to specify the left padding in percent of the width of the element. It must be non-negative. 
  • initial: This property is used to set padding-left to its default value. : This property is used to set padding-left to its default value. 

Example 1: Here, we are using padding-left: length; property.

html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>
        padding-left Property
    </title>
    <style>
        .geek {
            padding-left: 90px;
            color: white;
            background: green;
        }
    </style>
</head>

<body>
    <h1 style="color: green; 
               text-align:center">
        GeeksforGeeks
    </h1>

    <h2 style="text-align:center">
        padding-left Property
    </h2>

    <!-- padding-left property used here -->
    <p class="geek">
        This paragraph has a padding-left: 90px;
    </p>
</body>
</html>

Example 2: Here, we are using padding-left: percentage; property.

html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <title>
        padding-left Property
    </title>
    <style>
        .geek {
            padding-left: 25%;
            color: white;
            background: green;
        }
    </style>
</head>

<body>
    <h1 style="color: green; 
               text-align:center">
        GeeksforGeeks
    </h1>

    <h2 style="text-align:center">
        padding-left Property
    </h2>

    <!-- padding-left property used here -->
    <p class="geek">
        This paragraph has a padding-left: 25%;
    </p>
</body>
</html>


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