Can you center a Button in RelativeLayout?

Question

I'm trying to center a button in relative layout, is this possible? I've tried the Gravity and Orientation functions but they don't do anything.

I'm guessing Android but I'll wait before setting the tags I guess. — Arnold Spence, Sep 20 '10 at 02:08
Sorry, this is my first time using Stack Overflow. Yes I'm developing for Android. =) — Arcadia, Sep 20 '10 at 02:14
No prob. The right tags will get the attention of the right poeple faster. Fixed :) — Arnold Spence, Sep 20 '10 at 02:21
+1 to Arnold Spence for being considerate. Some people on SO would have verbally destroyed the OP for just being "new". — Subby, Jan 23 '14 at 11:27

score 408 · Answer 1 · edited Oct 10 '14 at 17:08

408

Try

android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"

Exactly like this, it works for me:

<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
                android:layout_width="fill_parent"
                android:layout_height="fill_parent"
                android:background="#ff0000">

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/btn_mybutton"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_width="124dip"
        android:layout_marginTop="5dip"
        android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"/>

</RelativeLayout>

edited Oct 10 '14 at 17:08

Jared Burrows

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answered Sep 20 '10 at 02:25

ShadowGod

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5

I doesn't work if you have match_parent for your width. – Ghoti Mar 14 '14 at 11:28
2

If you have match_parent for your width, it's already centred horizontally. – ataulm Sep 04 '15 at 11:27

Josnidhin · Answer 2 · 2012-07-12T02:21:59.597

115

You can use CENTER_IN_PARENT for relative layout.

Add android:layout_centerInParent="true" to element which you want to center in the RelativeLayout

edited Jul 12 '12 at 02:21

answered Sep 20 '10 at 02:25

Josnidhin

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That centers horizontally and veritcally, how 'bout layout_centerHorizontal=true – user3076750 Jul 01 '20 at 17:15

score 38 · Answer 3 · edited Oct 10 '14 at 17:08

38

Arcadia, just try the code below. There are several ways to get the result you're looking for, this is one of the easier ways.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout 
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/relative_layout"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
    android:layout_height="fill_parent"
    android:gravity="center">

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/the_button"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Centered Button"/>
</RelativeLayout>

Setting the gravity of the RelativeLayout itself will affect all of the objects placed inside of it. In this case, it's just the button. You can use any of the gravity settings here, of course (e.g. center_horizontal, top, right, and so on).

You could also use this code below:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout 
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/relative_layout"
    android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
    android:layout_height="fill_parent">

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/the_button"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Centered Button"
        android:layout_centerInParent="true"/>
</RelativeLayout>

edited Oct 10 '14 at 17:08

Jared Burrows

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answered Sep 20 '10 at 03:14

Kevin Coppock

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Thanks. However, if I had multiple buttons and only wanted one centered how would I do that? The first code would center everything within the parent relativelayout. Also, how could I center the button at the top of it's row? – Arcadia Sep 20 '10 at 03:26
Just use the second example, and only add centerInParent to the button that you want centered. You can also use centerHorizontal, and layout_alignParentTop to align it to the top and center it horizontally. What exactly are you trying to achieve, I might can give a better example. – Kevin Coppock Sep 20 '10 at 04:48
I'm barely beginning my studies of android development and trying to fully understand how to manipulate things to do what I want. Basically I want to stay away from aligning things with pixels because the picture could look very different on a different screen type/resolution. However, when you use the gravity command, everything follows it. I tried disabling gravity for a button by using ignoreGravity and it didnt work. This stuff is very tricky. – Arcadia Sep 20 '10 at 05:01
Yeah, it definitely can be. There are plenty of ways to do any particular layout. Best way is to sort of sketch it out in your head how you want it, and go from there. This quick tutorial may help some too: http://developer.android.com/resources/tutorials/views/hello-relativelayout.html – Kevin Coppock Sep 20 '10 at 06:13
Yeah I was actually doing that tutorial. I'm going through each of the tutorials and learning how to fully manipulate them, otherwise I won't have a grasp of how each one is different. – Arcadia Sep 20 '10 at 14:31

score 29 · Answer 4 · answered Sep 21 '16 at 15:16

Summarized

Adding:

android:layout_centerInParent="true"

just works on RelativeLayout, if one of the following attributes is also set for the view:

android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"
android:layout_alignParentStart="true"
android:layout_alignParentTop="true"
android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
android:layout_alignParentEnd="true"

which alignes the child view to the parent view. The "center" is based on the axis of the alignement you have chosen:

left/right -> vertical

top/bottom -> horizontal

Setting the gravity of childs/content inside the view:

android:gravity="center"

is centering the child inside the parent view in any case, if there is no alignment set. Optional you can choose:

<!-- Axis to Center -->
android:gravity="center_horizontal"
android:gravity="center_vertical"

<!-- Alignment to set-->
android:gravity="top"
android:gravity="bottom"
android:gravity="left"
android:gravity="right"
android:gravity="fill"
...

Then there is:

android:layout_gravity="center"

which is centering the view itself inside it's parent

And at last you can add the following attribute to the parents view:

android:layout_centerHorizontal="true"
android:layout_centerVertical="true"

score 10 · Answer 5 · edited Sep 27 '21 at 11:35

10

Its easy, don't align it to anything

<Button
    android:id="@+id/the_button"
    android:layout_width="wrap_content"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
    android:layout_centerInParent="true"
    android:text="Centered Button"/>

edited Sep 27 '21 at 11:35

Bruno Bieri

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answered Mar 05 '15 at 03:28

Sheychan

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KarthikKPN · Answer 6 · 2016-07-21T13:39:57.323

Use the attribute android:centerInParent="true" inside a view , when you want to center the view in Relative layout.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<RelativeLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/main_layout"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    >
    <TextView
        android:layout_centerInParent="true"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="NWE"
        android:textSize="30dp"/>
</RelativeLayout>

score 2 · Answer 7 · answered Jul 21 '15 at 22:23

2

To center align in one of the direction use android:layout_centerHorizontal="true" or android:layout_centerVertical="true" in the child layout

answered Jul 21 '15 at 22:23

karma

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score 2 · Answer 8 · answered Aug 07 '17 at 06:12

2

It's really easy. Try the code below,

<RelativeLayout
    android:id="@+id/second_RL"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:layout_below="@+id/first_RL"
    android:background="@android:color/holo_blue_bright"
    android:gravity="center">

    <Button
        android:id="@+id/button"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:text="Button" />

</RelativeLayout>

answered Aug 07 '17 at 06:12

Primesh

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Code only answers are not welcomed here. Try to post more details as to why the above answer will work. :) – Vivz Aug 07 '17 at 06:18
Thanks for the guideline. I'm new in here. – Primesh Aug 07 '17 at 06:21

score 2 · Answer 9 · edited Sep 17 '20 at 09:08

2

It's pretty simple, just use Android:CenterInParent="true" to center both in horizontal and vertical, or use Android:Horizontal="true" to center in horizontal and Android:Vertical="true"

And make sure you write all this in RelaytiveLayout

edited Sep 17 '20 at 09:08

fcdt

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answered Sep 17 '20 at 05:40

Kayn Ryan

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score 1 · Answer 10 · answered Apr 20 '15 at 17:00

1

Removing any alignment like android:layout_alignParentStart="true" and adding centerInParent worked for me. If the "align" stays in, the centerInParent doesn't work

answered Apr 20 '15 at 17:00

al881

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score 0 · Answer 11 · answered Aug 14 '16 at 06:15

0

you must have aligned it to left or right of parent view

don't use any of these when using android:centerInParent="true" codes:-

android:layout_alignParentLeft="true"

android:layout_alignRight=""

etc.

answered Aug 14 '16 at 06:15

Divy sindhu

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Can you center a Button in RelativeLayout?

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