In Bootstrap 5, use responsive .d-* display utilities to show or hide elements at specific viewport widths. Choose .d-none to remove an element from layout; choose .invisible to hide it while preserving its space. For content that should stay available to screen readers, use .visually-hidden or, for a keyboard-revealed skip link, .visually-hidden-focusable.
Choose the right Bootstrap utility
Decide first whether the element should take up space and whether assistive technology should receive its content. These classes are not interchangeable.
| Utility | Effect on layout | Assistive technology | Use it for |
|---|---|---|---|
.d-none or .d-{breakpoint}-none |
display: none; the element does not participate in layout while hidden |
Content is not exposed while hidden | Removing an element at all or selected viewport sizes |
.invisible |
Preserves the element’s display and layout space | Bootstrap documents it as hidden from assistive technology too | Hiding an element from everyone while leaving a blank space |
.visually-hidden |
Visually hides the content | Content remains available to assistive technologies | Screen-reader context that should not appear visually |
.visually-hidden-focusable |
Visually hidden until focused | Available to assistive technologies and revealed on focus | Skip links and similar keyboard-discoverable controls |
Bootstrap’s v5.3 visibility documentation notes that .invisible does not modify display: invisible elements still take up space. See the Bootstrap v5.3 Visibility documentation for its behavior and the Display utilities documentation for display classes.
Hide an element at every viewport size
Add .d-none to the element:
<div class="d-none">Hidden at all breakpoints</div>Use this when the element should not be displayed or take up layout space at any viewport width. To hide something only at selected widths, combine responsive classes as described below.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →#1 Best Overall
Show or hide an element at a breakpoint
Bootstrap’s responsive display utilities use minimum-width breakpoints: a class applies at its named breakpoint and wider. In Bootstrap 5.3, the breakpoint names are sm, md, lg, xl and xxl. Pair .d-none with the display mode you want when the element becomes visible.
<div class="d-none d-md-block">Hidden below md; block at md and wider</div>Here .d-none hides the element by default, and .d-md-block displays it as a block from md upward. Choose the display mode that fits the element: Bootstrap documents values including block, inline, inline-block, flex, grid and table.
Show only within a range
To display an element from md up to, but not including, xl, combine classes:
<div class="d-none d-md-block d-xl-none">
Shown from md until the xl breakpoint
</div>The md rule turns display on at that minimum width; .d-xl-none hides the element again at xl and wider. This works because the breakpoint utilities are minimum-width rules, not exclusive ranges.
Change display mode responsively
Use the same pattern to change an element’s display mode at a breakpoint. For example, a flex layout can be turned off at larger widths:
<div class="d-flex d-lg-block">Flex below lg; block at lg and wider</div>Check the Bootstrap 5.3 display utility list for the supported values and responsive forms.
Hide an element but preserve its space
Use .invisible when the element should not be seen but its place in the layout should remain:
<div class="invisible">Hidden but still occupies layout space</div>Do not choose this as a screen-reader-only technique. Bootstrap documents that .invisible hides content from assistive technology as well as sighted visitors. If the content must remain available to screen readers, use a visually hidden helper instead.
Rank #3
Hide content visually but keep it accessible
Bootstrap’s visually hidden helpers are for content that should remain available to assistive technologies. Use .visually-hidden for supplemental context that is not shown visually:
<span class="visually-hidden">Additional context for screen-reader users</span>For a skip link, use .visually-hidden-focusable so keyboard focus reveals it:
<a class="visually-hidden-focusable" href="#content">Skip to main content</a>These helper names are documented in the Bootstrap v5.1 Visually hidden helpers documentation. Confirm the version installed in your project and use the matching documentation.
Set different display behavior for print
Bootstrap 5.3 provides print display utilities such as .d-print-none and .d-print-block. Combine a print utility with screen display classes when content should appear differently on screen and on paper. For example, this element is shown as a block on screen and omitted from print:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems<div class="d-block d-print-none">Screen-only content</div>See the Bootstrap display documentation for the other documented .d-print-* forms.
Check your Bootstrap version before copying class names
Responsive utility names changed across major Bootstrap versions. The examples above use Bootstrap 5 syntax; older projects may not recognize those classes.
- Bootstrap 5.3: uses responsive
.d-{breakpoint}-{value}utilities, includingsm,md,lg,xlandxxl, as well as.d-print-*classes. See the v5.3 display documentation. - Bootstrap 4.6: documents the same general responsive
.d-{breakpoint}-{value}pattern throughxl, including print utilities. See Bootstrap 4.6 Display. - Bootstrap 3: uses older patterns such as
.hidden,.show,.hidden-*,.visible-*, and.sr-only. Some.visible-*classes were marked deprecated in that version. Consult the Bootstrap CSS documentation rather than copying Bootstrap 5 class names into a Bootstrap 3 project.
Bootstrap’s v4 migration guide describes historical changes to responsive visibility utilities. For the specific version in your project, use its own documentation: class names and behavior are not guaranteed to carry over between major releases.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot display and visibility utilities
The element stays hidden at a wide viewport
Check the class combination and the loaded Bootstrap version. A class such as .d-lg-none hides the element at lg and wider; it does not mean “hide only on large screens.” To show an element from a breakpoint upward, pair a default hidden state with a display mode, such as .d-none d-md-block.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The hidden element leaves an empty gap
That is the expected layout behavior of .invisible. Switch to a .d-none utility if the element should stop taking up layout space while hidden.
A screen reader does not announce the content
Check whether you used .d-none or .invisible. Both hide content from assistive technology while hidden according to the relevant Bootstrap documentation. Use .visually-hidden for content that should stay available, or .visually-hidden-focusable for a keyboard-focusable link that should be revealed on focus.
The utility class appears to have no effect
Verify that the project actually loads the Bootstrap version whose class names you used. Bootstrap 3 legacy visibility classes differ from the Bootstrap 4 and 5 .d-* pattern. Also check whether your own CSS overrides the utility; the Bootstrap documentation for the installed version is the reference for the intended behavior.
Or skip the browser setup
If you need an image or PDF of a page to inspect the result, you can use ScreenshotNeo, a website screenshot API and MCP server for developers. Its API accepts a URL in one GET request and returns an image or PDF. The following cURL example saves a WebP screenshot of a Bootstrap documentation page:
Recommended Free Tools
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://getbootstrap.com/docs/5.3/utilities/display/ -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. ScreenshotNeo can accept cookie or consent banners and remove known consent platforms, newsletter popups and chat widgets before a capture. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads and cache hits are not billed; response headers report the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info and capture_pdf tools for AI agents. The Free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan: 1,000 screenshots a month, no card required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the `d` in Bootstrap’s `.d-none` class mean?
It refers to the CSS `display` property that the utility sets.
Can I use `.invisible` to make text screen-reader-only?
No. Bootstrap documents `.invisible` as hidden from assistive technology; use `.visually-hidden` for screen-reader-accessible content.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
