How TO - Subnav

Learn how to create a subnavigation menu with CSS.

Subnav

Create A Subnav

Step 1) Add HTML:

Example

<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css">


<div class="navbar">
<a href="#home">Home</a>
<div class="subnav">
    <button class="subnavbtn">About <i class="fa fa-caret-down"></i></button>
    <div class="subnav-content">
      <a href="#company">Company</a>
      <a href="#team">Team</a>
      <a href="#careers">Careers</a>
    </div>
</div>
<div class="subnav">
    <button class="subnavbtn">Services <i class="fa fa-caret-down"></i></button>
    <div class="subnav-content">
      <a href="#bring">Bring</a>
      <a href="#deliver">Deliver</a>
      <a href="#package">Package</a>
      <a href="#express">Express</a>
    </div>
</div>
<div class="subnav">
    <button class="subnavbtn">Partners <i class="fa fa-caret-down"></i></button>
    <div class="subnav-content">
      <a href="#link1">Link 1</a>
      <a href="#link2">Link 2</a>
      <a href="#link3">Link 3</a>
      <a href="#link4">Link 4</a>
    </div>
</div>
<a href="#contact">Contact</a>
</div>

Example Explained

Use any element to open the subnav/dropdown menu, e.g. a <button>, <a> or <p> element.

Use a container element (like <div>) to create the subnav menu and add the subnav links inside it.

Wrap a <div> element around the button and the <div> to position the subnav menu correctly with CSS.

Step 2) Add CSS:

Example

/* The navigation menu */
.navbar {
overflow: hidden;
background-color: #333;
}

/* Navigation links */
.navbar a {
float: left;
font-size: 16px;
color: white;
text-align: center;
padding: 14px 16px;
text-decoration: none;
}

/* The subnavigation menu */
.subnav {
float: left;
overflow: hidden;
}

/* Subnav button */
.subnav .subnavbtn {
font-size: 16px;
border: none;
outline: none;
color: white;
padding: 14px 16px;
background-color: inherit;
font-family: inherit;
margin: 0;
}

/* Add a red background color to navigation links on hover */
.navbar a:hover, .subnav:hover .subnavbtn {
background-color: red;
}

/* Style the subnav content - positioned absolute */
.subnav-content {
display: none;
position: absolute;
left: 0;
background-color: red;
width: 100%;
z-index: 1;
}

/* Style the subnav links */
.subnav-content a {
float: left;
color: white;
text-decoration: none;
}

/* Add a grey background color on hover */
.subnav-content a:hover {
background-color: #eee;
color: black;
}

/* When you move the mouse over the subnav container, open the subnav content */
.subnav:hover .subnav-content {
display: block;
}

Try it Yourself »

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