How to center an image inside a list with other elements

Question

I have an unordered list that contains several list elements inside. Also inside is an image element which is to be centered. I tried to center it using the margin: auto; property but since there are list elements on the side, it takes that into account when centering itself. How do I center the image in respect to it's container?

.nav {
  width: 1280px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  font-size: 16px;
  font-weight: 500;
  border: 1px solid black;
}

.nav li {
  float: left;
  vertical-align: top;
  margin: 5px 10px;
}

nav li:first-child {
  margin-left: 75px;
}

.nav img {
  display: block;
  margin: auto;
  height: 21px;
  width: 24px;
}

<nav class="nav">
  <ul class="clearfix">
    <li>Home</li>
    <li>Moments</li>
    <li>Notifications</li>
    <li>Messages</li>
    <img src="assets/image/twitter-icon.png" alt="Twitter Icon">
  </ul>
</nav>

Answer 1

Put your img element into li and do some changes in your css like below snippet:

.nav ul {
  width: 800px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  font-size: 16px;
  font-weight: 500;
  border: 1px solid black;
  padding: 0;
  list-style-type: none;
  text-align: center;
}

.nav li {
  display: inline-block;
  vertical-align: middle;
  margin: 5px 10px;
}

.nav img {
  display: block;
  margin: auto;
}

.nav ul:before,
.nav ul:after {
  content: "";
  display: table;
}

.nav ul:after {
  clear: both;
}

<!--html-->
<nav class="nav">
  <ul class="clearfix">
    <li>Home</li>
    <li>Moments</li>
    <li>Notifications</li>
    <li>Messages</li>
    <li><img src="//login.create.net/images/icons/user/twitter_30x30.png" alt="Twitter Icon"></li>
  </ul>
</nav>

Answer 2

1) All Elements be Center

.nav {
  width: 1280px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  font-size: 16px;
  font-weight: 500;
  border: 1px solid black;
}

.nav li {
  float: left;<------Remove
  display: inline-block;<-----------Add
  vertical-align: top;
  margin: 5px 10px;
}


nav li:first-child {
  margin-left: 75px;<---------Change to margin-left: 0px;------
}

.nav img {
  display: block;<----------Change to display: inline-block;---
  margin: auto;<---------Remove
  height: 21px;
  width: 24px;
}

.clearfix{<-----------Add this Selector
  text-align: center;
  width: 100%;
  padding-left: 0;
}

Full Code:

.nav {
  width: 1280px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  font-size: 16px;
  font-weight: 500;
  border: 1px solid black;
}

.nav li {
  display: inline-block;
  vertical-align: top;
  margin: 5px 10px;
}


nav li:first-child {
  margin-left: 0px;
}

.nav img {
  display: inline-block;
  height: 21px;
  width: 24px;
}

.clearfix{
  text-align: center;
  width: 100%;
  padding-left: 0;
}

  <nav class="nav">
    <ul class="clearfix">
      <li>Home</li>
      <li>Moments</li>
      <li>Notifications</li>
      <li>Messages</li>
      <img src="http://www.mrwallpaper.com/wallpapers/cute-bunny-1600x900.jpg" alt="Twitter Icon">
    </ul>
  </nav>

2) Just image be Center

.nav {
  width: 1280px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  font-size: 16px;
  font-weight: 500;
  border: 1px solid black;
  position: relative;<---------Add 
}


.nav li {
  float: left;<---------remove
  vertical-align: top;
  margin: 5px 10px;
}



nav li:first-child {
  margin-left: 75px;
}

.nav img {
  display: block;<-------Change To  display: inline-block;---
  margin: auto;<----------remove---------
  right: 0;<--------------Add
  position: absolute;<-------------Add
  height: 21px;
  width: 24px;
}

.clearfix { <----------------Add
  width: 50%;
  padding-left: 0;
  position: relative;
}

Full Code:

.nav {
  width: 1280px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  font-size: 16px;
  font-weight: 500;
  border: 1px solid black;
  position: relative;
}

.nav li {
  display: inline-block;
  vertical-align: top;
  margin: 5px 10px;

}

nav li:first-child {
  margin-left: 75px;
}

.nav img {
  display: inline-block;
  height: 21px;
  width: 24px;
  right: 0;
  position: absolute;
}

.clearfix { 
      width: 50%;
      padding-left: 0;
      position: relative;
}

<nav class="nav">
    <ul class="clearfix">
      <li>Home</li>
      <li>Moments</li>
      <li>Notifications</li>
      <li>Messages</li>
      <img src="http://www.mrwallpaper.com/wallpapers/cute-bunny-1600x900.jpg" alt="Twitter Icon">
    </ul>
  </nav>

Answer 3

You may have to position the image absolute into the nav element using:

position: absolute;
left: 50%;
transform: translateX(-50%);

Also position:relative the nav element.

This way the image ignores whatever is inside the nav element.

body{
margin:0px;
}

.nav {
  width: 1280px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  font-size: 16px;
  font-weight: 500;
  border: 1px solid black;
  position:relative;
}

.nav li {
  vertical-align: top;
  margin: 5px 10px;
  display: inline;
}

nav li:first-child {
  margin-left: 75px;
}

.nav img {
  position: absolute;
  left: 50%;
  transform: translateX(-50%);
  height: 21px;
  width: 24px;
}

<nav class="nav">
  <ul class="clearfix">
    <li>Home</li>
    <li>Moments</li>
    <li>Notifications</li>
    <li>Messages</li>
    <img src="assets/image/twitter-icon.png" alt="Twitter Icon">
  </ul>
</nav>

Answer 4

You can use display:inline-block to get it.

.nav img {
  display: inline-block; /*Add this*/
  vertical-align: middle; /*Add this*/
  height: 21px;
  width: 24px;
}

.nav li {
  display:inline-block; /*Add this*/
  vertical-align: middle; /*Add this*/
  margin: 5px 10px;
}

.nav {
  text-align:center; /*Add this*/
}

.nav {
  width: 1280px;
  margin: 0 auto;
  font-size: 16px;
  font-weight: 500;
  border: 1px solid black;
  text-align:center;
}

.nav li {
  display:inline-block;
  vertical-align: middle;
  margin: 5px 10px;
}

nav li:first-child {
  margin-left: 75px;
}

.nav img {
  display: inline-block;
  vertical-align: middle;
  height: 21px;
  width: 24px;
}

<nav class="nav">
  <ul class="clearfix">
    <li>Home</li>
    <li>Moments</li>
    <li>Notifications</li>
    <li>Messages</li>
    <img src="http://lorempixel.com/200/200/" alt="Twitter Icon">
  </ul>
</nav>