<!doctype html> <body style="position: relative"> <div id="container" style="position: relative; height: 300px"> <div style="position:absolute; top: 0; left: 0"> <textarea rows="6"> You should be seeing the "Should see me" text. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u Should see me. </textarea> </div> </div> <script> var textarea = document.querySelector("textarea"); textarea.scrollTop = textarea.scrollHeight document.getElementById("container").style.overflow = "hidden"; </script> </body>