How TO - Create a Draggable HTML Element

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Learn how to create a draggable HTML element with JavaScript and CSS.

Draggable DIV Element

Click here to move

Move

this

DIV

Create a Draggable DIV Element

Step 1) Add HTML:

Example

<div id="mydiv">

<div id="mydivheader">Click here to move</div>
<p>Move</p>
<p>this</p>
<p>DIV</p>
</div>

Step 2) Add CSS:

The only important style is position: absolute, the rest is up to you:

Example

#mydiv {
position: absolute;
z-index: 9;
background-color: #f1f1f1;
border: 1px solid #d3d3d3;
text-align: center;
}

#mydivheader {
padding: 10px;
  cursor: move;
  z-index: 10;
background-color: #2196F3;
  color: #fff;
}

Step 3) Add JavaScript:

Example

// Make the DIV element draggable:
dragElement(document.getElementById("mydiv"));

function dragElement(elmnt) {
var pos1 = 0, pos2 = 0, pos3 = 0, pos4 = 0;
if (document.getElementById(elmnt.id + "header")) {
    // if present, the header is where you move the DIV from:
    document.getElementById(elmnt.id + "header").onmousedown = dragMouseDown;
} else {
    // otherwise, move the DIV from anywhere inside the DIV:
    elmnt.onmousedown = dragMouseDown;
}

function dragMouseDown(e) {
    e = e || window.event;
    e.preventDefault();
    // get the mouse cursor position at startup:
    pos3 = e.clientX;
    pos4 = e.clientY;
    document.onmouseup = closeDragElement;
    // call a function whenever the cursor moves:
    document.onmousemove = elementDrag;
}

function elementDrag(e) {
    e = e || window.event;
    e.preventDefault();
    // calculate the new cursor position:
    pos1 = pos3 - e.clientX;
    pos2 = pos4 - e.clientY;
    pos3 = e.clientX;
    pos4 = e.clientY;
    // set the element's new position:
    elmnt.style.top = (elmnt.offsetTop - pos2) + "px";
    elmnt.style.left = (elmnt.offsetLeft - pos1) + "px";
}

function closeDragElement() {
    // stop moving when mouse button is released:
    document.onmouseup = null;
    document.onmousemove = null;
}
}

Try it Yourself »

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