2021 Update
Bootstrap 5 (beta)
Bootstrap 5 also has a flexbox Navbar, and introduces new RTL support. For this reason the concept of “left” and “right” has been replaced with “start” and “end”. Therefore the margin utilities changed for Bootstrap 5 beta:
ml-auto => ms-auto
mr-auto => me-auto
Also note that data-toggle and data-target have changed too:
data-toggle => data-bs-toggle
data-target => data-bs-target
Navbar Demo for Bootstrap 5
Bootstrap 4
Now that Bootstrap 4 has flexbox, Navbar alignment is much easier. Here are updated examples for left, right and center in the Bootstrap 4 Navbar, and many other alignment scenarios demonstrated here.
The flexbox, auto-margins, and ordering utility classes can be used to align Navbar content as needed. There are many things to consider including the order and alignment of Navbar items (brand, links, toggler) on both large screens and the mobile/collapsed views. Don’t use the grid classes (row,col) for the Navbar.
Here are various examples…
Left, center(brand) and right links:
http://codeply.com/go/qhaBrcWp3v
Another BS4 Navbar option with center links and overlay logo image:
Or, these other Bootstrap 4 alignment scenarios:
brand left, dead center links, (empty right)
brand and links center, icons left and right
More Bootstrap 4 examples:
toggler left on mobile, brand right
center brand and links on mobile
right align links on desktop, center links on mobile
left links & toggler, center brand, search right
Also see: Bootstrap 4 align navbar items to the right
Bootstrap 4 navbar right align with button that doesn’t collapse on mobile
Center an element in Bootstrap 4 Navbar
Bootstrap 3
Option 1 – Brand center, with left/right nav links:
.navbar-brand
{
position: absolute;
width: 100%;
left: 0;
text-align: center;
margin:0 auto;
}
.navbar-toggle {
z-index:3;
}
http://bootply.com/98314 (3.x)
Option 2 – Left, center and right nav links:
@media (min-width: 768px) {
.navbar-nav.navbar-center {
position: absolute;
left: 50%;
transform: translatex(-50%);
}
}
http://bootply.com/SGYC6BWeBK
Option 3 – Center both brand and links
.navbar .navbar-header,
.navbar-collapse {
float:none;
display:inline-block;
vertical-align: top;
}
@media (max-width: 768px) {
.navbar-collapse {
display: block;
}
}
http://codeply.com/go/1lrdvNH9GI
More examples:
Left brand, center links
Left toggler, center brand
For 3.x also see nav-justified: Bootstrap center navbar
Center Navbar in Bootstrap
Bootstrap 4 align navbar items to the right
Bootstrap 4
We have many ways to align navBars Items.
For Left Align
class = “navbar-nav mr-auto”
For Right Align
class = “navbar-nav ml-auto”
For Center Align
class = “navbar-nav mx-auto”