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Writer's pictureBrent D. Payne

Content does not size correctly to viewport

The specified URL is found to lack responsiveness, indicating the content does not adjust proportionally when altering screen dimensions.


Why is this important?

The viewport in a browser is essentially the visible area where the website's content is displayed. This area differs depending on the device, being smaller on a mobile device as opposed to a desktop display. Utilizing a viewport meta tag allows for browser guidelines on how to manage a webpage's scale and dimensionality.


For webpages to be considered responsive, they need to be able to scale content to match the viewport width when the display size is changed. Failure to do so means the site isn't mobile-optimized.


This aspect is irrelevant if there's an alternative mobile site version available.


What does the Optimization check?

This Optimization is activated when a webpage contains content that surpasses or does not meet the specified width of the viewport.


Examples that trigger this Optimization:

For instance, if you have a device with a width of 320 CSS pixels, similar to that of an iPhone, and a webpage includes elements with fixed widths that are quite larger (like a 344px wide element), this could force the element to overflow the viewport, leading to a horizontal scroll.

<div style="width: 344px;">...</div>


How do you resolve this issue?

To avoid such issues, using relative width values like width: 100% would be more suitable than fixed widths. Also, caution should be exercised when employing large fixed positioning values that could push the element out of the viewport on smaller screens.


Using CSS media queries is a comprehensive approach to attaining responsiveness on your webpages. These filters modify the application of CSS styles based on device properties such as screen size, type, orientation, and resolution.


Media queries are instrumental in crafting a responsive interface where particular styles are assigned to various screen sizes. Its syntax supports the creation of rules that apply based on specific device features. More insights on responsive designs via CSS media queries can be gathered here.


Further Reading

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