layout	title	description	group	toc
docs	Scrollspy	Automatically update Bootstrap navigation or list group components based on scroll position to indicate which link is currently active in the viewport.	components	true

How it works

Scrollspy toggles the .active class on anchor (<a>) elements when the element with the id referenced by the anchor's href is scrolled into view. Scrollspy is best used in conjunction with a Bootstrap [nav component]({{< docsref "/components/navs-tabs" >}}) or [list group]({{< docsref "/components/list-group" >}}), but it will also work with any anchor elements in the current page. Here's how it works.

To start, scrollspy requires two things: a navigation, list group, or a simple set of links, plus a scrollable container. The scrollable container can be the <body> or a custom element with a set height and overflow-y: scroll.
On the scrollable container, add data-bs-spy="scroll" and data-bs-target="#navId" where navId is the unique id of the associated navigation. Be sure to also include a tabindex="0" to ensure keyboard access.
As you scroll the "spied" container, an .active class is added and removed from anchor links within the associated navigation. Links must have resolvable id targets, otherwise they're ignored. For example, a <a href="#home">home</a> must correspond to something in the DOM like <div id="home"></div>
Target elements that are not visible will be ignored. See the Non-visible elements section below.

Examples

Navbar

Scroll the area below the navbar and watch the active class change. Open the dropdown menu and watch the dropdown items be highlighted as well.

Navbar

First
Second
Dropdown
- Third
- Fourth
- Fifth

First heading

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Second heading

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Third heading

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Fourth heading

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Fifth heading

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

<nav id="navbar-example2" class="navbar bg-light px-3 mb-3">
  <a class="navbar-brand" href="#">Navbar</a>
  <ul class="nav nav-pills">
    <li class="nav-item">
      <a class="nav-link" href="#scrollspyHeading1">First</a>
    </li>
    <li class="nav-item">
      <a class="nav-link" href="#scrollspyHeading2">Second</a>
    </li>
    <li class="nav-item dropdown">
      <a class="nav-link dropdown-toggle" data-bs-toggle="dropdown" href="#" role="button" aria-expanded="false">Dropdown</a>
      <ul class="dropdown-menu">
        <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#scrollspyHeading3">Third</a></li>
        <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#scrollspyHeading4">Fourth</a></li>
        <li><hr class="dropdown-divider"></li>
        <li><a class="dropdown-item" href="#scrollspyHeading5">Fifth</a></li>
      </ul>
    </li>
  </ul>
</nav>
<div data-bs-spy="scroll" data-bs-target="#navbar-example2" data-bs-root-margin="0px 0px -40%" data-bs-smooth-scroll="true" class="scrollspy-example bg-light p-3 rounded-2" tabindex="0">
  <h4 id="scrollspyHeading1">First heading</h4>
  <p>...</p>
  <h4 id="scrollspyHeading2">Second heading</h4>
  <p>...</p>
  <h4 id="scrollspyHeading3">Third heading</h4>
  <p>...</p>
  <h4 id="scrollspyHeading4">Fourth heading</h4>
  <p>...</p>
  <h4 id="scrollspyHeading5">Fifth heading</h4>
  <p>...</p>
</div>

Nested nav

Scrollspy also works with nested .navs. If a nested .nav is .active, its parents will also be .active. Scroll the area next to the navbar and watch the active class change.

Item 1 Item 1-1 Item 1-2 Item 2 Item 3 Item 3-1 Item 3-2

Item 1

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Keep in mind that the JavaScript plugin tries to pick the right element among all that may be visible. Multiple visible scrollspy targets at the same time may cause some issues.

Item 1-1

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Keep in mind that the JavaScript plugin tries to pick the right element among all that may be visible. Multiple visible scrollspy targets at the same time may cause some issues.

Item 1-2

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Keep in mind that the JavaScript plugin tries to pick the right element among all that may be visible. Multiple visible scrollspy targets at the same time may cause some issues.

Item 2

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Keep in mind that the JavaScript plugin tries to pick the right element among all that may be visible. Multiple visible scrollspy targets at the same time may cause some issues.

Item 3

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Keep in mind that the JavaScript plugin tries to pick the right element among all that may be visible. Multiple visible scrollspy targets at the same time may cause some issues.

Item 3-1

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Keep in mind that the JavaScript plugin tries to pick the right element among all that may be visible. Multiple visible scrollspy targets at the same time may cause some issues.

Item 3-2

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Keep in mind that the JavaScript plugin tries to pick the right element among all that may be visible. Multiple visible scrollspy targets at the same time may cause some issues.

<div class="row">
  <div class="col-4">
    <nav id="navbar-example3" class="h-100 flex-column align-items-stretch pe-4 border-end">
      <nav class="nav nav-pills flex-column">
        <a class="nav-link" href="#item-1">Item 1</a>
        <nav class="nav nav-pills flex-column">
          <a class="nav-link ms-3 my-1" href="#item-1-1">Item 1-1</a>
          <a class="nav-link ms-3 my-1" href="#item-1-2">Item 1-2</a>
        </nav>
        <a class="nav-link" href="#item-2">Item 2</a>
        <a class="nav-link" href="#item-3">Item 3</a>
        <nav class="nav nav-pills flex-column">
          <a class="nav-link ms-3 my-1" href="#item-3-1">Item 3-1</a>
          <a class="nav-link ms-3 my-1" href="#item-3-2">Item 3-2</a>
        </nav>
      </nav>
    </nav>
  </div>

  <div class="col-8">
    <div data-bs-spy="scroll" data-bs-target="#navbar-example3" data-bs-smooth-scroll="true" class="scrollspy-example-2" tabindex="0">
      <div id="item-1">
        <h4>Item 1</h4>
        <p>...</p>
      </div>
      <div id="item-1-1">
        <h5>Item 1-1</h5>
        <p>...</p>
      </div>
      <div id="item-1-2">
        <h5>Item 1-2</h5>
        <p>...</p>
      </div>
      <div id="item-2">
        <h4>Item 2</h4>
        <p>...</p>
      </div>
      <div id="item-3">
        <h4>Item 3</h4>
        <p>...</p>
      </div>
      <div id="item-3-1">
        <h5>Item 3-1</h5>
        <p>...</p>
      </div>
      <div id="item-3-2">
        <h5>Item 3-2</h5>
        <p>...</p>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

List group

Scrollspy also works with .list-groups. Scroll the area next to the list group and watch the active class change.

Item 1 Item 2 Item 3 Item 4

Item 1

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Item 2

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Item 3

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Item 4

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

<div class="row">
  <div class="col-4">
    <div id="list-example" class="list-group">
      <a class="list-group-item list-group-item-action" href="#list-item-1">Item 1</a>
      <a class="list-group-item list-group-item-action" href="#list-item-2">Item 2</a>
      <a class="list-group-item list-group-item-action" href="#list-item-3">Item 3</a>
      <a class="list-group-item list-group-item-action" href="#list-item-4">Item 4</a>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-8">
    <div data-bs-spy="scroll" data-bs-target="#list-example" data-bs-smooth-scroll="true" class="scrollspy-example" tabindex="0">
      <h4 id="list-item-1">Item 1</h4>
      <p>...</p>
      <h4 id="list-item-2">Item 2</h4>
      <p>...</p>
      <h4 id="list-item-3">Item 3</h4>
      <p>...</p>
      <h4 id="list-item-4">Item 4</h4>
      <p>...</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

Simple anchors

Scrollspy is not limited to nav components and list groups, so it will work on any <a> anchor elements in the current document. Scroll the area and watch the .active class change.

Item 1 Item 2 Item 3 Item 4 Item 5

Item 1

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Item 2

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Item 3

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Item 4

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

Item 5

This is some placeholder content for the scrollspy page. Note that as you scroll down the page, the appropriate navigation link is highlighted. It's repeated throughout the component example. We keep adding some more example copy here to emphasize the scrolling and highlighting.

<div class="row">
  <div class="col-4">
    <div id="simple-list-example" class="d-flex flex-column gap-2 simple-list-example-scrollspy text-center">
      <a class="p-1 rounded" href="#simple-list-item-1">Item 1</a>
      <a class="p-1 rounded" href="#simple-list-item-2">Item 2</a>
      <a class="p-1 rounded" href="#simple-list-item-3">Item 3</a>
      <a class="p-1 rounded" href="#simple-list-item-4">Item 4</a>
      <a class="p-1 rounded" href="#simple-list-item-5">Item 5</a>
    </div>
  </div>
  <div class="col-8">
    <div data-bs-spy="scroll" data-bs-target="#simple-list-example" data-bs-offset="0" data-bs-smooth-scroll="true" class="scrollspy-example" tabindex="0">
      <h4 id="simple-list-item-1">Item 1</h4>
      <p>...</p>
      <h4 id="simple-list-item-2">Item 2</h4>
      <p>...</p>
      <h4 id="simple-list-item-3">Item 3</h4>
      <p>...</p>
      <h4 id="simple-list-item-4">Item 4</h4>
      <p>...</p>
      <h4 id="simple-list-item-5">Item 5</h4>
      <p>...</p>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>

Non-visible elements

Target elements that aren’t visible will be ignored and their corresponding nav items won't receive an .active class. Scrollspy instances initialized in a non-visible wrapper will ignore all target elements. Use the refresh method to check for observable elements once the wrapper becomes visible.

document.querySelectorAll('#nav-tab>[data-bs-toggle="tab"]').forEach(el => {
  el.addEventListener('shown.bs.tab', () => {
    const target = el.getAttribute('data-bs-target')
    const scrollElem = document.querySelector(`${target} [data-bs-spy="scroll"]`)
    bootstrap.ScrollSpy.getOrCreateInstance(scrollElem).refresh()
  })
})

Usage

Via data attributes

To easily add scrollspy behavior to your topbar navigation, add data-bs-spy="scroll" to the element you want to spy on (most typically this would be the <body>). Then add the data-bs-target attribute with the id or class name of the parent element of any Bootstrap .nav component.

<body data-bs-spy="scroll" data-bs-target="#navbar-example">
  ...
  <div id="navbar-example">
    <ul class="nav nav-tabs" role="tablist">
      ...
    </ul>
  </div>
  ...
</body>

Via JavaScript

const scrollSpy = new bootstrap.ScrollSpy(document.body, {
  target: '#navbar-example'
})

Options

Name	Type	Default	Description
`rootMargin`	string	`0px 0px -25%`	Intersection Observer rootMargin valid units, when calculating scroll position.
`smoothScroll`	boolean	`false`	Enables smooth scrolling when a user clicks on a link that refers to ScrollSpy observables.
`target`	string, DOM element	`null`	Specifies element to apply Scrollspy plugin.
`threshold`	array	`[0.1, 0.5, 1]`	`IntersectionObserver` threshold valid input, when calculating scroll position.

{{< callout warning >}} Deprecated Options

Up until v5.1.3 we were using offset & method options, which are now deprecated and replaced by rootMargin. To keep backwards compatibility, we will continue to parse a given offset to rootMargin, but this feature will be removed in v6. {{< /callout >}}

Methods

Method	Description
`dispose`	Destroys an element's scrollspy. (Removes stored data on the DOM element)
`getInstance`	Static method to get the scrollspy instance associated with a DOM element
`getOrCreateInstance`	Static method to get the scrollspy instance associated with a DOM element, or to create a new one in case it wasn't initialized.
`refresh`	When adding or removing elements in the DOM, you'll need to call the refresh method.
{{< /bs-table >}}

Here's an example using the refresh method:

const dataSpyList = document.querySelectorAll('[data-bs-spy="scroll"]')
dataSpyList.forEach(dataSpyEl => {
  bootstrap.ScrollSpy.getInstance(dataSpyEl).refresh()
})

Events

Event	Description
`activate.bs.scrollspy`	This event fires on the scroll element whenever an anchor is activated by the scrollspy.
{{< /bs-table >}}

const firstScrollSpyEl = document.querySelector('[data-bs-spy="scroll"]')
firstScrollSpyEl.addEventListener('activate.bs.scrollspy', () => {
  // do something...
})

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scrollspy.md

scrollspy.md

How it works

Examples

Navbar

First heading

Second heading

Third heading

Fourth heading

Fifth heading

Nested nav

Item 1

Item 1-1

Item 1-2

Item 2

Item 3

Item 3-1

Item 3-2

List group

Item 1

Item 2

Item 3

Item 4

Simple anchors

Item 1

Item 2

Item 3

Item 4

Item 5

Non-visible elements

Usage

Via data attributes

Via JavaScript

Options

Methods

Events

Files

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Latest commit

History

scrollspy.md

File metadata and controls

How it works

Examples

Navbar

First heading

Second heading

Third heading

Fourth heading

Fifth heading

Nested nav

Item 1

Item 1-1

Item 1-2

Item 2

Item 3

Item 3-1

Item 3-2

List group

Item 1

Item 2

Item 3

Item 4

Simple anchors

Item 1

Item 2

Item 3

Item 4

Item 5

Non-visible elements

Usage

Via data attributes

Via JavaScript

Options

Methods

Events