CSS print media browser conformance

This media style sheet compatibility guide is part of the CSS media monitor test suite for media dependent style sheets. Test case documents include detailed notes for each browser.

The latest versions of mainstream Web browsers now support CSS print media stylesheets, which can be used to create printer friendly documents. The main difficulty is to ensure print media styles are not rendered in standard screen mode with earlier browser versions. No method of print stylesheet attachment is universally compatible because of the poor CSS implementations in Netscape 4, Internet Explorer 3.0 and Internet Explorer 4.01 for Mac. The least problematic option is to use media dependent link elements (see test case 1).

No further results will be posted for Opera, Netscape/Mozilla and Safari, whose latest releases fully conform to the media style sheet standards. Results for Netscape 7.1 apply to all subsequent browser releases based on the Mozilla Gecko rendering engine, including Firefox, Galeon, Camino, Chimera, K-Meleon and Phoenix.

Test case 1: CSS print media browser conformance
HTML link element with media attribute [test case 1 document]

Platform and browser version		Media mode
		Screen	Print	Projection
	Google Chrome 2.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 3.0	Non-conformant	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.01	Non-conformant	Compatible	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.5	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.5	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 6.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 7.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 8.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 4.7	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 4.73	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 6.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 7.1	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Opera 3.62	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Opera 4.0	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 5.0	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 5.11	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 6.01	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 7.11	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Safari 1.2	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable

Test case 2: CSS print media browser conformance
HTML link element with media attribute and secondary @import style sheet [test case 2 document]

Platform and browser version		Media mode
		Screen	Print	Projection
	Google Chrome 2.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 3.0	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.0	Non-conformant	Compatible	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.01	Buggy	Buggy	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.5	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.0	Non-conformant	Compatible	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.5	Non-conformant	Compatible	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 6.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 7.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 8.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 4.7	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 4.73	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 6.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 7.1	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Opera 3.62	Non-conformant	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Opera 4.0	Non-conformant	Compatible	Non-conformant
	Opera 5.0	Non-conformant	Compatible	Non-conformant
	Opera 5.11	Non-conformant	Compatible	Non-conformant
	Opera 6.01	Non-conformant	Compatible	Non-conformant
	Opera 7.11	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Safari 1.2	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable

Test case 3: CSS print media browser conformance
HTML link element with media attribute and secondary @import style sheet with @media block [test case 3 document]

Platform and browser version		Media mode
		Screen	Print	Projection
	Google Chrome 2.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 3.0	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.0	Non-conformant	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.01	Buggy	Buggy	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.5	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.0	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.5	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 6.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 7.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 8.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 4.7	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 4.73	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 6.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 7.1	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Opera 3.62	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Opera 4.0	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 5.0	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 5.11	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 6.01	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 7.11	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Safari 1.2	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable

Test case 4: CSS print media browser conformance
HTML link element with no media attribute and style sheet @media block [test case 4 document]

Platform and browser version		Media mode
		Screen	Print	Projection
	Google Chrome 2.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 3.0	Non-conformant	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.0	Non-conformant	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.01	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.5	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.0	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.5	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 6.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 7.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 8.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 4.7	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 4.73	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 6.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 7.1	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Opera 3.62	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Opera 4.0	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 5.0	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 5.11	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 6.01	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 7.11	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Safari 1.2	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable

Test case 5: CSS print media browser conformance
HTML link element with no media attribute and secondary media dependent @import style sheet [test case 5 document]

Platform and browser version		Media mode
		Screen	Print	Projection
	Google Chrome 2.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 3.0	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.0	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.01	Hazardous	Hazardous	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.5	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.0	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.5	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 6.0	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 7.0	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 8.0	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 4.7	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 4.73	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 6.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 7.1	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Opera 3.62	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Opera 4.0	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 5.0	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 5.11	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 6.01	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 7.11	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Safari 1.2	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable

Test case 6: CSS print media browser conformance
HTML link element with no media attribute and secondary @import style sheet with @media block [test case 6 document]

Platform and browser version		Media mode
		Screen	Print	Projection
	Google Chrome 2.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 3.0	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.0	Non-conformant	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.01	Buggy	Buggy	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 4.5	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.0	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 5.5	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 6.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 7.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Internet Explorer 8.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 4.7	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 4.73	Compatible	Non-conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 6.0	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Netscape Navigator 7.1	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Opera 3.62	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable
	Opera 4.0	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 5.0	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 5.11	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 6.01	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Opera 7.11	Conformant	Conformant	Conformant
	Safari 1.2	Conformant	Conformant	Not applicable

Media style sheet conformance key

The CSS media monitor is a guide to media stylesheet conformance and cross compatibility for a range of CSS browsers. The test case results are largely for Windows platforms. If you would like to report results for other browsers and platforms please use the article feedback form below.

Conformant

A specific form of media stylesheet attachment is rendered correctly in all supported browser display modes. Conformance with the W3C CSS2 recommendation requires appropriate media stylesheet rendering in all media modes. Browsers may be conformant or compatible but not actually support a particular media mode.

Compatible

Specific media styles are rendered "correctly", but for the wrong reasons. For instance, if a browser correctly renders screen media styles in standard screen mode but these styles are also incorrectly rendered in print, the browser is marked Compatible instead of Conformant.

Non-conformant and not compatible

The media stylesheet syntax is not rendered correctly or completely.

Buggy and incompatible

A browser handles some aspect of media dependent stylesheet attachment in an inconsistent or unreliable way. The cases classified as bugs are fundamental CSS errors that are practically more significant than improper media stylesheet handling in their own right.

Hazardous use with caution

Some browsers, notably Internet Explorer 4.01 for Mac, will crash if they encounter certain forms of media dependent stylesheet attachment and may hang the operating system. Authors should use these forms of media stylesheet attachment with caution.

Not applicable

A specific media mode may not be available for a particular browser. In all cases screen and print media mode are assumed where screen display and print options are available respectively, even where media dependent stylesheets are evidently not supported.

CSS media mode notes

Print mode

For backwards compatibility purposes, any print facility is assumed to be relevant, whether CSS2 is explicitly supported or not. Print functionality is also considered part of the all media collection.

Projection mode

Presently only supported by Opera version 4 and above. For multiple media compatibility, it is essential that other media styles do not carry over into projection mode.

Screen mode

For backwards compatibility purposes, all screen display facilities are assumed to be relevant, whether CSS2 is explicitly supported or not. Any screen display is also considered part of the all media collection.

CSS print media test pages

• CSS print media test 1
• CSS print media test 2
• CSS print media test 3
• CSS print media test 4
• CSS print media test 5 (Caution: unsafe for Internet Explorer 4.01 for Mac)
• CSS print media test 6

• CSS print media browser conformance
• CSS media dependent style sheet guide

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