HTML Images (2024)

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Images can improve the design and the appearance of a web page.

HTML Images Syntax

The HTML <img> tag is used to embed an image in a web page.

Images are not technically inserted into a web page; images are linked to web pages. The <img> tag creates a holding space for the referenced image.

The <img> tagis empty, it contains attributes only, and does not have a closing tag.

The <img> tag has two required attributes:

src - Specifies the path to the image
alt - Specifies an alternate text for the image

Syntax

The src Attribute

The required src attribute specifies the path (URL) to the image.

Note: When a web page loads, it is the browser, at that moment, that gets the image from a web server and inserts it into the page. Therefore, make sure that the image actually stays in the same spot in relation to the web page, otherwise your visitors will get a broken link icon. The broken link icon and the alt text are shown if the browser cannot find the image.

Example

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The alt Attribute

The required alt attribute provides an alternate text for an image, if the user for some reason cannot view it (because of slow connection, an error in the src attribute, or if the user uses a screen reader).

The value of the alt attribute should describe the image:

Example

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If a browser cannot find an image, it will display the value of the alt attribute:

Example

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Tip: A screen reader is a software program that reads the HTML code, and allows the user to "listen" to the content. Screen readers are useful for people who are visually impaired or learning disabled.

Image Size - Width and Height

You can use the style attribute to specify the width and height of an image.

Example

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Alternatively, you can use the width and height attributes:

Example

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The width and height attributes always define the width and height of the image in pixels.

Note: Always specify the width and height of an image. If width and height are not specified, the web page might flicker while the image loads.

Width and Height, or Style?

The width, height, and style attributes are all valid in HTML.

However, we suggest using the style attribute. It prevents styles sheets from changing the size of images:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
img {
width: 100%;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>

</body>
</html>

Images in Another Folder

If you have your images in a sub-folder, you must include the folder name in the src attribute:

Example

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Images on Another Server/Website

Some web sites point to an image on another server.

To point to an image on another server, you must specify an absolute (full) URL in the src attribute:

Example

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Notes on external images: External images might be under copyright. If you do not get permission to use it, you may be in violation of copyright laws. In addition, you cannot control external images; they can suddenly be removed or changed.

Animated Images

HTML allows animated GIFs:

Example

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Image as a Link

To use an image as a link, put the <img> tag inside the <a> tag:

Example

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Image Floating

Use the CSS float property to let the image float to the right or to the left of a text:

Example

<p><img src="smiley.gif" alt="Smiley face"style="float:right;width:42px;height:42px;">
The image will float to the right of the text.</p>

<p><img src="smiley.gif" alt="Smiley face"style="float:left;width:42px;height:42px;">
The image will float to the left of the text.</p>

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Tip: To learn more about CSS Float, read our CSS Float Tutorial.

Common Image Formats

Here are the most common image file types, which are supported in all browsers (Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, Opera):

Abbreviation	File Format	File Extension
APNG	Animated Portable Network Graphics	.apng
GIF	Graphics Interchange Format	.gif
ICO	Microsoft Icon	.ico, .cur
JPEG	Joint Photographic Expert Group image	.jpg, .jpeg, .jfif, .pjpeg, .pjp
PNG	Portable Network Graphics	.png
SVG	Scalable Vector Graphics	.svg

Chapter Summary

Use the HTML <img> element to define an image
Use the HTML src attribute to define the URL of the image
Use the HTML alt attribute to define an alternate text for an image, if it cannot be displayed
Use the HTML width and height attributes or the CSS width and height properties to define the size of the image
Use the CSS float property to let the image float to the left or to the right

Note: Loading large images takes time, and can slow down your web page. Use images carefully.

HTML Exercises

HTML Image Tags

Tag	Description
<img>	Defines an image
<map>	Defines an image map
<area>	Defines a clickable area inside an image map
<picture>	Defines a container for multiple image resources

For a complete list of all available HTML tags, visit our HTML Tag Reference.

Video: HTML Images

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FAQs

How do you add an image in HTML? ›

The HTML <img> tag is used to embed an image in a web page. Images are not technically inserted into a web page; images are linked to web pages. The <img> tag creates a holding space for the referenced image. The <img> tag is empty, it contains attributes only, and does not have a closing tag.

Read On ›

How to display different images in HTML? ›

Example

<picture>
<source srcset="img_avatar.png">
<source srcset="img_girl.jpg">
<img src="img_beatles.gif" alt="Beatles" style="width:auto;">
</picture>

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How do I link an image in HTML? ›

Place the <img> tag inside an <a> tag and provide href . As others mentioned in comments you want to surround the image in an anchor <a> tag and apply the href attribute to the anchor tag as you would a normal hyperlink.

How to display data as image in HTML? ›

For an image, the data type would be “data:image/[format]; base64,” where [format] is the format of the image file (e.g. PNG, JPEG, GIF). Embed the data URL into your HTML: To display the image, you can use an HTML image tag (<img>) and set the “src” attribute to the data URL.

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How do I add a local image in HTML? ›

In order to insert an image in HTML from a folder you will need to use the <img> tag. The src attribute is used to specify the location of the image. You can link to an image using either an absolute or relative file path.

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How to insert image in input tag in HTML? ›

The <input type="image"> defines an image as a submit button. The path to the image is specified in the src attribute.

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How do I pass an image to a URL in HTML? ›

There are two ways to specify the URL in the src attribute: 1. Absolute URL - Links to an external image that is hosted on another website. Example: src="https://www.w3schools.com/images/img_girl.jpg".

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How do I hyperlink an image? ›

Put the anchor tag <a href=””> before the image url, and </a> after. Paste the destination URL you want to add within the quotation marks for <a href=””>. Make sure you put “http://” before the link. Now enjoy the hyperlink in your customized image if you have followed these steps properly.

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How do I put an image anywhere in HTML? ›

You can use the float property to position images and text side by side, or use the position property to place them in a specific location on the page. This code will make images float to the left with a 10 pixel margin between the image and text, and make the text flow around the image.

Why is my image not showing up in HTML? ›

First, make sure that the file is in the same folder as the HTML. If the file is in another folder, you will need to provide the relative path from your HTML file to the image. Make sure that the file type is supported by the browser (e.g. supported types include PNG, JPEG, and GIF).

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How do I display a selected image in HTML? ›

In this method, we will set the display property inside the <img> tag using the style attribute. We have to set “display: none” for the image. After that, when the user clicks on the button. We will call a JavaScript function that will access the image to change its display property to block.

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How do I put an image somewhere in HTML? ›

You can use the float property to position images and text side by side, or use the position property to place them in a specific location on the page.

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How to add image in button using HTML? ›

Inside the div, we will add an email <input> field to get the email of the user. To make an image button in HTML, we will use the <img> tag inside the <button> tag. So in this way, the image will behave like a button. In the src attribute of the image tag, we write the address of the image we want to use.

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What is the correct HTML for inserting a background image? ›

Within the starting <body> tag in your Html file, type <Body background=” “> Give the path of the image we want to add.

How do I upload an image to a user in HTML? ›

The foundation of file uploading in HTML lies in the <input type="file"> element. This simple yet powerful element creates a button on your webpage, enabling users to securely select files from their device's storage.