The <a> HTML element (or anchor element), with its href attribute, creates a hyperlink to web pages, files, email addresses, locations in the same page, or anything else a URL can address.

Content within each <a> should indicate the link's destination. If the href attribute is present, pressing the enter key while focused on the <a> element will activate it.

Definition and Usage

The <a> tag defines a hyperlink, which is used to link from one page to another.

The most important attribute of the <a> element is the href attribute, which indicates the link's destination.

By default, links will appear as follows in all browsers:

  • An unvisited link is underlined and blue
  • A visited link is underlined and purple
  • An active link is underlined and red

Tips and Notes

Tip: If the <a> tag has no href attribute, it is only a placeholder for a hyperlink.

Tip: A linked page is normally displayed in the current browser window, unless you specify another target.

Tip: Use CSS to style links: CSS Links and CSS Buttons.

Browser Support

Element          
<a> Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes

Attributes

Attribute Value Description
download filename Specifies that the target will be downloaded when a user clicks on the hyperlink
href URL Specifies the URL of the page the link goes to
hreflang language_code Specifies the language of the linked document
media media_query Specifies what media/device the linked document is optimized for
ping list_of_URLs Specifies a space-separated list of URLs to which, when the link is followed, post requests with the body ping will be sent by the browser (in the background). Typically used for tracking.
referrerpolicy no-referrer
no-referrer-when-downgrade
origin
origin-when-cross-origin
same-origin
strict-origin-when-cross-origin
unsafe-url		 Specifies which referrer information to send with the link
rel alternate
author
bookmark
external
help
license
next
nofollow
noreferrer
noopener
prev
search
tag		 Specifies the relationship between the current document and the linked document
target _blank
_parent
_self
_top		 Specifies where to open the linked document
type media_type Specifies the media type of the linked document

Global Attributes

The <a> tag also supports the Global Attributes in HTML.

Event Attributes

The <a> tag also supports the Event Attributes in HTML.