How to Fix Common CSS Issues: A Practical Guide

Published: 8 Jul 2025

CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is the backbone of modern web design. However, even experienced developers often face challenges with CSS that can be confusing and time-consuming to fix.

In this guide, we’ll cover the most common CSS issues, why they happen, and how you can fix them quickly and efficiently.

Table of Content

1. Elements Overlapping Each Other

Problem:

Two or more elements stack on top of each other, hiding part of the content.

Why It Happens:

Improper use of position: absolute or relative
Missing z-index
Lack of proper layout structure (e.g., using floats without clearing)

Solution:

Use z-index carefully and only when using position values other than static
Avoid using position: absolute unless absolutely necessary
Use CSS Flexbox or Grid for layout instead of floats

css

CopyEdit

/* Example fix using Flexbox */

.container {

display: flex;

flex-direction: column;

}

2. Margin Collapsing

Problem:

Vertical margins between two elements collapse into a single margin instead of adding up.

Why It Happens:

This is a default CSS behavior when two block-level elements are placed one after another.

Solution:

Add padding or border to break the collapsing
Use Flexbox layout (doesn’t collapse margins)

css

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/* Add padding to parent */

.parent {

padding-top: 1px;

}

3. Elements Not Centering

Problem:

You try to center an element, but it stays stubbornly stuck to the left or right.

Why It Happens:

Not setting proper width
Using wrong centering method

Solution:

Use the correct technique depending on the element type:

For text:

css

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.text {

text-align: center;

}

For block elements:

css

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.block {

margin: 0 auto;

width: 50%;

}

Using Flexbox:

css

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.centered-container {

display: flex;

justify-content: center;

align-items: center;

}

4. Unresponsive Design on Mobile

Problem:

The layout breaks or becomes unreadable on smaller screens.

Why It Happens:

Fixed widths in px units
No media queries
Not using viewport meta tag

Solution:

Use relative units like %, em, or rem
Add media queries
Always include viewport meta tag

html

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css

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@media (max-width: 768px) {

.container {

flex-direction: column;

}

5. Fonts Not Loading

Problem:

Custom fonts aren’t showing up as expected.

Why It Happens:

Incorrect path to font files
Missing @font-face or CDN
Font blocked due to CORS policy

Solution:

Check file path
Use @import or link to Google Fonts properly

css

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@import url(‘https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Roboto&display=swap’);

body {

font-family: ‘Roboto’, sans-serif;

}

6. Unexpected Scrollbars

Problem:

Page has horizontal/vertical scrollbars when it shouldn’t.

Why It Happens:

Oversized elements
overflow misused

Solution:

Set box-sizing: border-box
Use overflow-x: hidden carefully
Debug with browser developer tools

css

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* {

box-sizing: border-box;

}

body {

overflow-x: hidden;

}

7. Sticky/Fixed Elements Not Behaving

Problem:

Sticky headers don’t stick, or fixed elements appear in the wrong place.

Why It Happens:

No top value defined
overflow: hidden on parent
Wrong stacking context

Solution:

css

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.header {

position: sticky;

top: 0;

z-index: 1000;

}

Also, ensure parent containers don’t have overflow: hidden.

Bonus Tips for Debugging CSS Issues
Use DevTools (F12 or right-click → Inspect) to live-edit styles Use CSS reset or normalize.css to eliminate browser inconsistencies Try tools like CSS Lint or Stylelint for static code analysis Comment out sections and reintroduce them to identify the exact problem

Conclusion

CSS issues are frustrating but often follow recognizable patterns. By understanding the root causes and applying modern layout techniques like Flexbox and Grid, you can avoid common pitfalls and create responsive, clean, and consistent designs.

Did you find this guide helpful? Let us know what CSS problems you struggle with, and we’ll include them in future updates!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some of the most common questions developers ask when dealing with CSS issues along with simple, practical answers to help you troubleshoot and fix problems faster.

Why is my CSS not applying to the HTML?

This could happen due to:

Incorrect file path in the <link> tag
Missing rel=”stylesheet” attribute
CSS selectors not matching any HTML elements
CSS file not saved or browser cache not cleared

What causes elements to overlap in CSS?

Overlapping often occurs when using position: absolute, fixed, or relative without proper layout structure or stacking context (z-index).

How do I center a div in CSS?

You can use different methods depending on your layout:

margin: 0 auto for block elements with a fixed width
Flexbox: display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center;
Grid: place-items: center;

Why is my margin collapsing?

CSS merges the vertical margins of block-level elements. To fix it, add padding or borders to the container or use Flexbox, which avoids collapsing by default.

How do I make my website mobile responsive with CSS?

Use relative units like %, em, rem
Add a viewport meta tag
Apply media queries to adjust layout based on screen size

Why are my custom fonts not loading?

Check for:

Incorrect path to font files
Font not properly imported via @import or CDN
CORS restrictions or browser blocking external fonts

How can I remove unwanted scrollbars?

Use overflow-x: hidden to hide horizontal scroll
Ensure elements don’t exceed the viewport width
Apply box-sizing: border-box globally

Why is my sticky or fixed element not working?

Sticky elements need a defined top or bottom value and must not be inside a container with overflow: hidden. Also, check if you’re using the right stacking order (z-index).

How do I debug CSS issues effectively?

Use browser DevTools (Inspect Element)
Toggle and edit CSS properties live
Use extensions like Stylelint or CSSLint for code analysis

What’s the difference between Flexbox and Grid in CSS?

Flexbox is for one-dimensional layouts (either row or column)
Grid is for two-dimensional layouts (rows and columns)
Both help prevent many layout-related CSS issues.