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The basic CSS
Put pagination rules inside a print media query so they affect PDF or print output without changing the screen layout.
@media print {
.new-page {
break-before: page;
}
.keep-together {
break-inside: avoid-page;
}
}Apply new-page to the block that should begin on the next page:
<section class="chapter">
<h1>Chapter 1</h1>
<p>...</p>
</section>
<section class="chapter new-page">
<h1>Chapter 2</h1>
<p>...</p>
</section>The second section starts on a fresh page when the document is rendered in a paged print context. The target must generate a box in normal print flow; a property on an element with no generated box is ignored.
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Choose the right break property
break-before: page
Use this when the semantic boundary belongs to the following element: a new chapter, invoice, report section or appendix. It is usually the clearest rule because the section carries its own pagination behavior.
break-after: page
Use this when the boundary belongs to the preceding block.
@media print {
.chapter {
break-after: page;
}
}Do not put forced breaks on both adjacent elements while debugging. Redundant rules can produce blank pages or make it difficult to identify which declaration won.
break-inside: avoid-page
This is an avoidance preference, not a forced boundary and not an overflow repair. It is useful for a card, short table, figure-and-caption group or signature area that should remain intact.
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@media print {
.summary-card,
.figure-caption-group {
break-inside: avoid-page;
}
}Choose a block that can actually fit in the printable area. If it is taller than a page, the renderer cannot keep it intact; the content must split or the layout must be redesigned. Applying avoidance to every large container can create poor pagination because the renderer has too few legal places to insert a soft break.
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How forced breaks are resolved
Pagination is decided at fragmentation boundaries. The renderer considers the preceding element’s break-after, the following element’s break-before, and the containing element’s break-inside. A forced break takes precedence over an avoid value. When two forced values meet, the later-in-flow property wins; in the common boundary between two siblings, that means the following element’s break-before takes precedence over the preceding element’s break-after.
These declarations only have an effect in a fragmentation context such as printing or PDF pagination. They do not create a visible gap in ordinary continuous screen layout. As Chrome’s LayoutNG documentation puts it, “For fragmentation to happen, the content needs to be inside a fragmentation context.”
Set page size and margins separately
Use @page for page geometry and the fragmentation properties for break placement.
@page {
size: A4;
margin: 18mm 16mm 20mm;
}
@media print {
.new-page { break-before: page; }
.keep-together { break-inside: avoid-page; }
}You can substitute another supported size, such as Letter, or specify dimensions. Margins reduce the usable area, so a block that fits on screen may no longer fit on the printed page. Browser print dialogs can also override CSS page settings, depending on the selected destination and options.
Prevent common awkward splits
Keep a heading with its following content
A heading stranded at the bottom of a page is usually solved by keeping the heading and a short following group together, rather than forcing a page before every heading.
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@media print {
.heading-group {
break-inside: avoid-page;
}
}<div class="heading-group">
<h2>Payment details</h2>
<p>The explanatory paragraph is short enough to fit with the heading.</p>
</div>Keep a figure and caption together
Wrap the image and caption in one reasonably sized block and apply break-inside: avoid-page. Do not apply it to an image larger than the printable area; resize the image or allow the group to split.
Handle tables carefully
Large tables generally need to continue across pages. Avoid applying break-inside: avoid-page to the entire table unless it is short enough to fit. If a table must be one unit, reduce its rows, font size or spacing instead of expecting the browser to compress it automatically. Header repetition and table pagination can vary by renderer, so validate the actual PDF pipeline.
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Older code commonly uses:
@media print {
.new-page {
page-break-before: always;
}
.keep-together {
page-break-inside: avoid;
}
}MDN documents page-break-before, page-break-after and page-break-inside as legacy aliases retained for compatibility. For new stylesheets, prefer break-before, break-after and break-inside. The legacy value always maps to the modern page-specific value, preserving its historical page-break meaning rather than introducing a column break.
A reliable debugging procedure
- Confirm print media is active. Put the rule inside
@media print, then use print preview or your PDF command. A screen screenshot cannot prove that pagination rules are active. - Inspect the selected element. Verify the class is present, the selector is not overridden later, and the element participates in normal print layout.
- Remove competing rules temporarily. Check the target’s
break-beforeandbreak-after, its ancestors’break-inside, and any inherited or higher-specificity declarations. - Use one forced boundary. During diagnosis, keep either the following element’s
break-before: pageor the preceding element’sbreak-after: page, not both. - Check page geometry. Inspect
@pagesize and margins and the browser’s print settings. A margin, header, footer or scale setting can consume the space you expected to be available. - Test the real runtime. Compare the generated PDF, not only a development preview. A browser preview and a server-side HTML-to-PDF engine may implement fragmentation differently.
- Reduce complex layouts. If the issue occurs inside flex, grid, table, positioned or transformed content, create a small reproduction with ordinary block elements. Add the complex layout back after the simple case paginates correctly.
Why a page break can appear to be ignored
The rule is in the wrong media context
A rule under @media screen, or a stylesheet not loaded by the PDF process, has no effect during printing. Confirm the generated document receives the print stylesheet.
The element has no usable box
Elements with display: none, an empty generated box or a layout state that removes them from normal flow cannot provide the intended boundary. Move the class to the visible block that owns the content.
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Avoidance was mistaken for a force
break-inside: avoid-page only discourages an internal break. It does not start a new page. Use break-before: page or break-after: page for a mandatory boundary.
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No break property can make an oversized block fit. Split the content into smaller sections, reduce its dimensions, or permit it to continue across pages.
The renderer has layout-specific limitations
Chromium’s implementation history is useful context: flex and grid fragmentation shipped in Chrome 103, table fragmentation in Chrome 106, and print pagination with LayoutNG block fragmentation in Chrome 108. Those milestones describe Chromium implementation work, not identical behavior across every browser, library or version.
Minimal complete example
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8">
<title>Paged report</title>
<style>
@page {
size: Letter;
margin: 0.7in;
}
body {
font: 11pt/1.45 system-ui, sans-serif;
}
@media print {
.page-start {
break-before: page;
}
.card {
break-inside: avoid-page;
}
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<section class="card">
<h1>Summary</h1>
<p>This short block should remain intact.</p>
</section>
<section class="page-start">
<h1>Details</h1>
<p>This section begins on a new page.</p>
</section>
</body>
</html>Or skip the browser setup
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Further standards and implementation context
CSS Paged Media defines page setup such as size and margins, while CSS Fragmentation defines how content is divided across pages, columns and regions. The W3C CSS Fragmentation Module Level 3 is the standards reference. MDN’s fragmentation, break-before and break-after references document the property interactions and legacy aliases. Use those references alongside the documentation for the browser or PDF engine that actually produces your files.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I force a break only in PDF output and not on paper?
CSS print media applies to both print preview and most PDF destinations. If you need different behavior for a particular export tool, use that tool’s print stylesheet or runtime-specific options.
Should I use break-before on a heading itself?
Use it on the block that semantically starts the new section. If the heading is wrapped with introductory content, put the class on that wrapper so the whole group moves together.
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Does a forced break work inside a flex or grid container?
Support depends on the browser or PDF engine and its version. If pagination is unreliable, reproduce the section with normal block layout, then reintroduce flex or grid while testing the generated PDF.
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