Bad value X for attribute “sizes” on element “img”: Expected units (one of “em”, “ex”, “ch”, “rem”, “cap”, “ic”, “vw”, “svw”, “lvw”, “dvw”, “vh”, “svh”, “lvh”, “dvh”, “vi”, “svi”, “lvi”, “dvi”, “vb”, “svb”, “lvb”, “dvb”, “vmin”, “svmin”, “lvmin”, “dvmin”, “vmax”, “svmax”, “lvmax”, “dvmax”, “cm”, “mm”, “q”, “in”, “pc”, “pt”, “px”) but found “w” at Y

The sizes and srcset attributes work together to enable responsive images, but they serve distinct roles and use different syntax. The srcset attribute lists available image files along with their intrinsic widths using the w descriptor (e.g., 800w means the image file is 800 pixels wide). The sizes attribute, on the other hand, tells the browser how wide the image will actually be rendered in the layout, using standard CSS length units. The browser combines this information — knowing which files are available and how large the image will appear — to choose the most efficient file to download.

A common mistake is mixing up these two syntaxes, typically by copying a width descriptor like 860w from srcset and placing it into sizes. Since w is not a CSS unit, the validator rejects it. This matters because an invalid sizes value prevents the browser from correctly calculating which image source to use, potentially causing it to download an unnecessarily large image (wasting bandwidth) or a too-small image (resulting in poor quality).

How the sizes attribute works

The sizes attribute accepts a comma-separated list of media conditions paired with CSS lengths, plus an optional default length at the end. Each entry follows the pattern (media-condition) length. The browser evaluates the conditions in order and uses the length from the first matching condition. If none match, it uses the final default value.

Valid CSS length units include px, em, rem, vw, vh, ch, cm, mm, in, pt, pc, and CSS calc() expressions. You can combine units with calc() for more precise sizing — for example, calc(100vw - 2rem).

Examples

❌ Incorrect: using w in sizes

This triggers the validation error because 860w is a srcset width descriptor, not a CSS length:

<img
  alt="A landscape photo"
  sizes="860w"
  srcset="photo-small.jpg 430w, photo-large.jpg 860w"
  src="photo-large.jpg">

✅ Correct: using px in sizes

Replace the w value with a CSS length that reflects the image’s actual display size:

<img
  alt="A landscape photo"
  sizes="860px"
  srcset="photo-small.jpg 430w, photo-large.jpg 860w"
  src="photo-large.jpg">

✅ Correct: responsive sizes with media conditions

Use media conditions to specify different display sizes at different viewport widths:

<img
  alt="A landscape photo"
  sizes="(min-width: 1024px) 860px, (min-width: 568px) 430px, 100vw"
  srcset="photo-small.jpg 430w, photo-large.jpg 860w"
  src="photo-large.jpg">

This tells the browser:

• On viewports 1024px and wider, the image displays at 860px wide.
• On viewports 568px and wider, the image displays at 430px wide.
• On smaller viewports, the image fills the full viewport width (100vw).

✅ Correct: using calc() in sizes

When the image width depends on padding or margins, calc() provides precise sizing:

<img
  alt="A landscape photo"
  sizes="(min-width: 768px) calc(50vw - 2rem), calc(100vw - 1rem)"
  srcset="photo-small.jpg 400w, photo-medium.jpg 800w, photo-large.jpg 1200w"
  src="photo-medium.jpg">

Key takeaways

• The w descriptor belongs only in srcset, where it describes the intrinsic width of each image file.
• The sizes attribute uses CSS length units (px, vw, em, calc(), etc.) to describe how wide the image will appear on screen.
• If your image always displays at a fixed width, a simple value like sizes="300px" is sufficient.
• If your image width varies by viewport, use media conditions with appropriate CSS lengths to give the browser the information it needs to select the best source.

Learn more:

MDN Reference

MDN Web Docs: img sizes attribute

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web.dev Article

Web.dev: Responsive Images | sizes attribute explained

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