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How to Create Smooth Scrolling with CSS, JavaScript, and jQuery

Use CSS for smooth anchor navigation, JavaScript for target alignment, or jQuery for configured scroll animation. Includes reduced-motion and troubleshooting guidance.
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For ordinary in-page links, add scroll-behavior: smooth to the scrolling element—usually html. Use JavaScript’s scrollIntoView() when a control needs to choose a target or alignment, and jQuery’s .animate() when your project already uses jQuery and you want a set duration or easing. Each approach must act on the element that actually scrolls, and each should respect reduced-motion preferences.

Choose the right smooth-scrolling method

Method Best for Control Dependency
CSS scroll-behavior Ordinary links to page sections Browser chooses timing and easing None
JavaScript scrollIntoView() Buttons or dynamic actions that scroll to an element Choose behavior and alignment None
jQuery .animate() Existing jQuery projects needing a configured duration or easing Set duration and easing jQuery

MDN marks CSS scroll-behavior “Baseline Widely available” across browsers since March 2022, while noting that smooth timing and easing are user-agent-defined. Check your required browser matrix if it includes legacy browsers. MDN: scroll-behavior.

Use CSS for anchor-link navigation

Keep navigation as real links with matching fragment targets. The browser updates the URL fragment and can still navigate if JavaScript is unavailable.

<nav aria-label="On this page">
  <a href="#features">Features</a>
</nav>

<main>
  <section id="features">
    <h2>Features</h2>
    <p>Section content goes here.</p>
  </section>
</main>
html {
  scroll-behavior: smooth;
}

/* Keep the target below a fixed header. */
section[id] {
  scroll-margin-top: 5rem;
}

@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
  html {
    scroll-behavior: auto;
  }
}

Apply scroll-behavior to the scrolling box. For typical document scrolling, authors commonly set it on html. For a nested scrolling panel, put it on that panel instead. CSS does not provide an author-set duration or easing curve for this property; those are browser-controlled, and the property is not itself animatable. MDN documents the scrolling-box behavior and browser-defined timing.

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Use JavaScript to scroll to a chosen element

scrollIntoView() scrolls the target into view without requiring a hand-built animation loop. Its behavior options are smooth, instant, and auto; auto follows the computed CSS scroll-behavior. The block alignment can be start, center, end, or nearest. MDN: Element.scrollIntoView().

<button type="button" id="go-to-features">Go to features</button>

<section id="features">
  <h2>Features</h2>
</section>
const button = document.querySelector("#go-to-features");
const target = document.querySelector("#features");
const reduceMotion = window.matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)");

button?.addEventListener("click", () => {
  target?.scrollIntoView({
    behavior: reduceMotion.matches ? "instant" : "smooth",
    block: "start"
  });
});

If the target sits under a fixed header, set scroll-margin-top on the target rather than adding a different pixel offset to every JavaScript call. If coordinates—not an element—are the right target, the Window and Element scroll()/scrollTo() methods also accept a behavior option. Use the Element method when a nested container should move. MDN: Window.scrollTo().

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Use jQuery when the project already depends on it

jQuery can animate the scroll position using scrollTop or scrollLeft. This example moves the document viewport to the target; it assumes the page has loaded jQuery and that #features exists.

<a class="scroll-link" href="#features">Features</a>

<section id="features">
  <h2>Features</h2>
</section>
$(function () {
  const reduceMotion = window.matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)");

  $(".scroll-link").on("click", function (event) {
    const target = document.querySelector(this.hash);
    if (!target) return;

    event.preventDefault();

    if (reduceMotion.matches) {
      target.scrollIntoView({ behavior: "instant", block: "start" });
      return;
    }

    $("html, body").stop().animate({
      scrollTop: $(target).offset().top
    }, 500);
  });
});

The duration above is explicitly 500 milliseconds. jQuery’s documented .animate() default is 400 milliseconds, and its default easing is swing; built-in easing choices are swing and linear. Other easing needs a plugin. The method animates numeric properties, including scrollTop and scrollLeft. jQuery .animate().

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For a nested panel, animate that panel—not html, body. For example, with a scrollable element #panel and a target inside it:

const $panel = $("#panel");
const $target = $("#panel #features");

$panel.stop().animate({
  scrollTop: $panel.scrollTop() + $target.position().top
}, 500);

Check that the panel has a constrained height and vertical overflow, such as overflow-y: auto. jQuery’s .scrollTop() reads or sets an element’s vertical scroll position; an element that is not scrollable reports zero. jQuery .scrollTop().

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Respect reduced-motion preferences

Some visitors ask their operating system or browser to reduce motion. CSS can turn off smooth scrolling for those users with @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce), as in the CSS example above. For JavaScript calls, check matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)") and choose instant instead of smooth. MDN: prefers-reduced-motion.

Prefer native anchor links for navigation. They preserve keyboard access and fragment behavior while providing a no-JavaScript path. Add scripting only when the interaction needs a dynamic target, custom alignment, or timing control.

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Troubleshoot scrolling that does not behave as expected

  • Nothing scrolls smoothly: Confirm the rule is on the scrolling box, not just on a child element. For the page, start with html; for a panel, set it on that panel.
  • The heading is hidden behind a fixed header: Set an appropriate scroll-margin-top on the destination. The value depends on the actual header and layout.
  • A JavaScript call does nothing: Check that the selector matches an element after it exists in the DOM. Use a real element reference and handle a missing target, as in the optional chaining example.
  • The wrong area moves: Identify which element has the scrollable overflow. Call scrollIntoView() for an element target or scroll the relevant panel’s position; do not assume the document viewport is the container.
  • jQuery animation does not move a panel: Confirm that the panel has scrollable overflow and animate its scrollTop, rather than the document’s. A non-scrollable element may report zero.
  • Motion still occurs for a reduced-motion user: Apply the media query to CSS behavior and check matchMedia before script-driven smooth scrolling, including jQuery paths.
  • Timing differs by browser: That is expected for CSS smooth scrolling because the browser defines the easing and duration. Use JavaScript or jQuery when a configured duration is a requirement.

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