tab-size
Controls the width of tab characters in code/preformatted text. Specify as a number of spaces or a length.
Quick example
pre { tab-size: 2; }
code { tab-size: 4; }Syntax
<integer> | <length>Quick facts
Initial value
8Inherited
Yes
Examples
Make tab characters wider
pre {
tab-size: 8;
/* Each tab takes up 8 character widths */
}Control how many spaces a tab character represents in preformatted text.
Standardize code display
code, pre {
tab-size: 4;
font-family: 'Courier New', monospace;
}Use tab-size to match your code editor's tab width for consistent display.
tab-size Browser Support
Widely available Since 2014 92% global usage
This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It has been available across browsers since 2014.
Safe to use without fallbacks.
Common pitfalls
Only works with white-space: pre
tab-size only affects how tabs display in pre, code, or elements with white-space: pre. Regular text ignores tabs anyway.
Measured in character widths, not pixels
tab-size: 4 means 4 character widths, not 4 pixels. The actual width depends on the font and font-size.