Summary
The HTML element line break <br> produces a line break in text (carriage-return). It is useful for writing a poem or an address, where the division of lines is significant.
Do not use <br> to increase the gap between lines of text; use the CSS margin property or the <p> element.
| Content categories | Flow content, phrasing content. |
|---|---|
| Permitted content | None, it is an empty element. |
| Tag omission | Must have a start tag, and must not have an end tag. In XHTML documents, write this element as <br />. |
| Permitted parent elements | Any element that accepts phrasing content. |
| DOM interface | HTMLBRElement |
Attributes
This element includes the global attributes.
clearDeprecated since HTML4.01 Obsolete since HTML5- Indicates where to begin the next line after the break.
Example
Mozilla Foundation<br> 1981 Landings Drive<br> Building K<br> Mountain View, CA 94043-0801<br> USA
The HTML above outputs:
Mozilla Foundation
1981 Landings Drive
Building K
Mountain View, CA 94043-0801
USA
Specifications
| Specification | Status | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| WHATWG HTML Living Standard The definition of '<br>' in that specification. |
Living Standard | |
| HTML5 The definition of '<br>' in that specification. |
Recommendation | |
| HTML 4.01 Specification The definition of '<br>' in that specification. |
Recommendation |
Browser compatibility
| Feature | Chrome | Firefox (Gecko) | Internet Explorer | Opera | Safari (WebKit) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic support | 1.0 | (Yes) | (Yes) | (Yes) | (Yes) |
| Feature | Android | Firefox Mobile (Gecko) | IE Phone | Opera Mobile | Safari Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic support | (Yes) | (Yes) | (Yes) | (Yes) | (Yes) |