Retina Display Media Query

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Chris Coyier on (Updated on )

For including high-res graphics, but only for screens that can make use of them. “Retina” being “2x”:

@media 
(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2), 
(min-resolution: 192dpi) { 
    /* Retina-specific stuff here */
}

Or other highish-res:

/* 1.25 dpr */
@media 
(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.25), 
(min-resolution: 120dpi){ 
    /* Retina-specific stuff here */
}

/* 1.3 dpr */
@media 
(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.3), 
(min-resolution: 124.8dpi){ 
    /* Retina-specific stuff here */
}

/* 1.5 dpr */
@media 
(-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 1.5), 
(min-resolution: 144dpi){ 
    /* Retina-specific stuff here */
}

Old Stuff (don’t use, keeping for posterity)

@media
only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2),
only screen and (   min--moz-device-pixel-ratio: 2),
only screen and (     -o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2/1) { 
  
  /* Retina-specific stuff here */

}

This is more future proof…

@media
only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2),
only screen and (   min--moz-device-pixel-ratio: 2),
only screen and (     -o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2/1),
only screen and (        min-device-pixel-ratio: 2),
only screen and (                min-resolution: 192dpi),
only screen and (                min-resolution: 2dppx) { 
  
  /* Retina-specific stuff here */

}

Notes:

  • The super weird min--moz-device-pixel-ratio is probably a bug, might wanna put in -moz-min-device-pixel-ratio also in case they fix it but leave it prefixed.
  • Here’s the spec on resolution units.

Example:

Let’s say you had three major breakpoints in a design. This design also had a large background graphic and you wanted it looking it’s best on any screen (retina or not) and not waste any bandwidth. You’d set up 6 media queries, one for each breakpoint and one for each one of those breakpoints on retina. Then you’d override the background image all the way down.

@media only screen and (min-width: 320px) {

  /* Small screen, non-retina */

}

@media
only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2)      and (min-width: 320px),
only screen and (   min--moz-device-pixel-ratio: 2)      and (min-width: 320px),
only screen and (     -o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2/1)    and (min-width: 320px),
only screen and (        min-device-pixel-ratio: 2)      and (min-width: 320px),
only screen and (                min-resolution: 192dpi) and (min-width: 320px),
only screen and (                min-resolution: 2dppx)  and (min-width: 320px) { 

  /* Small screen, retina, stuff to override above media query */

}

@media only screen and (min-width: 700px) {

  /* Medium screen, non-retina */

}

@media
only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2)      and (min-width: 700px),
only screen and (   min--moz-device-pixel-ratio: 2)      and (min-width: 700px),
only screen and (     -o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2/1)    and (min-width: 700px),
only screen and (        min-device-pixel-ratio: 2)      and (min-width: 700px),
only screen and (                min-resolution: 192dpi) and (min-width: 700px),
only screen and (                min-resolution: 2dppx)  and (min-width: 700px) { 

  /* Medium screen, retina, stuff to override above media query */

}

@media only screen and (min-width: 1300px) {

  /* Large screen, non-retina */

}

@media
only screen and (-webkit-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2)      and (min-width: 1300px),
only screen and (   min--moz-device-pixel-ratio: 2)      and (min-width: 1300px),
only screen and (     -o-min-device-pixel-ratio: 2/1)    and (min-width: 1300px),
only screen and (        min-device-pixel-ratio: 2)      and (min-width: 1300px),
only screen and (                min-resolution: 192dpi) and (min-width: 1300px),
only screen and (                min-resolution: 2dppx)  and (min-width: 1300px) { 

  /* Large screen, retina, stuff to override above media query */

}