---
title: "viewport · Meta Tag · zhead"
canonical_url: "https://zhead.dev/meta/viewport"
last_updated: "2026-08-19T02:35:55.618Z"
meta:
  description: "Controls the layout viewport on mobile browsers, including its width, initial zoom, and how content uses display cutout areas."
  "og:description": "Controls the layout viewport on mobile browsers, including its width, initial zoom, and how content uses display cutout areas."
  "og:title": "viewport · Meta Tag · zhead"
---

Meta tags

# viewport

Controls the layout viewport on mobile browsers, including its width, initial zoom, and how content uses display cutout areas.

## Code examples

Good example

```
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
```

The usual responsive default: match the device width and start at a 1:1 scale.

Avoid this example

```
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, maximum-scale=1">
```

Attempts to prevent users from zooming beyond 100 percent, which harms accessibility.

Good example

```
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, viewport-fit=cover">
```

Lets content extend into the full display area. Use safe-area inset values in CSS to protect important content.

Avoid this example

```
<meta name="viewport" content="width=1024">
```

Forces a desktop-sized layout viewport and usually makes responsive CSS harder to use.

Avoid this example

```
<meta name="viewport" content="">
```

An empty value gives the mobile browser no useful viewport instructions.

## Recommendations

- 01 Start With the Standard Pair Use width=device-width, initial-scale=1 for a responsive page, then let the layout adapt with CSS.
- 02 Keep Pinch Zoom Available Do not set user-scalable=no or maximum-scale=1. People with low vision rely on zoom, and browsers may ignore restrictions for accessibility.
- 03 Handle Display Cutouts in CSS When using viewport-fit=cover, add safe-area inset padding where content could otherwise sit under a notch or rounded screen edge.

## Related documentation

- [drafts.csswg.org: Css Viewport](https://drafts.csswg.org/css-viewport/#meta-viewport)
- [MDN: Viewport\_meta\_element](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Guides/Viewport_meta_element)

## Related meta tags

### [application-name](https://zhead.dev/meta/application-name)

name

Gives browsers a short name for the web application represented by the page. A browser may use it instead of the page title in bookmarks or other interface labels.

```
<meta name="application-name" content="Zhead">
```

A short application name that stays useful when the page title changes.

### [charset](https://zhead.dev/meta/charset)

charset

Declares the character encoding used by the HTML document. In modern HTML, the value must be UTF-8.

```
<meta charset="utf-8">
```

The required character encoding for modern HTML.

### [color-scheme](https://zhead.dev/meta/color-scheme)

name

Tells the browser which color schemes the page can render. The browser can use this early, before the stylesheet loads, to choose a suitable canvas and native controls.

```
<meta name="color-scheme" content="light dark">
```

Declares support for both common schemes, with light listed first as the fallback preference.

### [default-style](https://zhead.dev/meta/default-style)

http-equiv

Selects the preferred CSS style sheet set by name when a page offers alternate titled stylesheets. Browser support is limited.

```
<meta http-equiv="default-style" content="Main Style">
```

Valid when a linked stylesheet set has the exact title Main Style.

### [format-detection](https://zhead.dev/meta/format-detection)

name

An Apple extension that can stop Safari on iOS from turning text that looks like a telephone number into a call link.

```
<meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no">
```

The value documented by Apple for disabling automatic telephone links in Safari on iOS.