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The HTMLElement interface represents any HTML element. Some elements directly implement this interface, others implement it via an interface that inherits it.

Properties

Inherits properties from its parent, Element, and implements those from GlobalEventHandlers and TouchEventHandlers.

HTMLElement.accessKey
Is a DOMString representing the access key assigned to the element.
HTMLElement.accessKeyLabel Read only
Returns a DOMString containing the element's assigned access key.
HTMLElement.contentEditable
Is a DOMString, where a value of "true" means the element is editable and a value of "false" means it isn't.
HTMLElement.isContentEditable Read only
Returns a Boolean that indicates whether or not the content of the element can be edited.
HTMLElement.contextMenu
Is a HTMLMenuElement representing the contextual menu associated with the element. It may be null
HTMLElement.dataset Read only
Returns a DOMStringMap that allows access to read and write the element custom data attributes (data-*) .
HTMLElement.dir
Is a DOMString, reflecting the dir global attribute, representing the directionality of the element. Possible values are "ltr", "rtl", and "auto".
HTMLElement.draggable
Is a Boolean indicating if the element can be dragged.
HTMLElement.dropzone Read only
Returns a DOMSettableTokenList reflecting the dropzone global attribute and describing the behavior of the element regarding a drop operation.
HTMLElement.hidden
Is a Boolean indicating if the element is hidden or not.
HTMLElement.itemScope
Is a Boolean representing the item scope.
HTMLElement.itemType Read only
Returns a DOMSettableTokenList
HTMLElement.itemId
Is a DOMString representing the item ID.
HTMLElement.itemRef Read only
Returns a DOMSettableTokenList
HTMLElement.itemProp Read only
Returns a DOMSettableTokenList
HTMLElement.itemValue
Returns a Object representing the item value.
HTMLElement.lang
Is a DOMString representing the language of an element's attributes, text, and element contents.
HTMLElement.offsetHeight Read only
Returns a double containing the height of an element, relative to the layout.
HTMLElement.offsetLeftRead only
Returns a double, the distance from this element's left border to its offsetParent's left border.
HTMLElement.offsetParentRead only
Returns a Element that is the element from which all offset calculations are currently computed.
HTMLElement.offsetTopRead only
Returns a double, the distance from this element's top border to its offsetParent's top border.
HTMLElement.offsetWidthRead only
Returns a double containing the width of an element, relative to the layout.
HTMLElement.properties Read only
Returns a HTMLPropertiesCollection
HTMLElement.spellcheck
Is a Boolean that controls spell-checking. It is present on all HTML elements, though it doesn't have an effect on all of them.
HTMLElement.style
Is a CSSStyleDeclaration, an object representing the declarations of an element's style attributes.
HTMLElement.tabIndex
Is a long representing the position of the element in the tabbing order.
HTMLElement.title
Is a DOMString containing the text that appears in a popup box when mouse is over the element.
HTMLElement.translate
Is a Boolean representing the translation.

Event handlers

Most events properties, of the form onXYZ, are defined on the GlobalEventHandlers or TouchEventHandlers, implemented by HTMLElement. A few more are specific to HTMLElement.

HTMLElement.oncopy 
Returns the event handling code for the copy event (bug 280959).
HTMLElement.oncut 
Returns the event handling code for the cut event (bug 280959).
HTMLElement.onpaste
Returns the event handling code for the paste event (bug 280959).
TouchEventHandlers.ontouchstart
Returns the event handling code for the touchstart event.
TouchEventHandlers.ontouchend
Returns the event handling code for the touchend event.
TouchEventHandlers.ontouchmove
Returns the event handling code for the touchmove event.
TouchEventHandlers.ontouchenter
Returns the event handling code for the touchenter event.
TouchEventHandlers.ontouchleave
Returns the event handling code for the touchleave event.
TouchEventHandlers.ontouchcancel
Returns the event handling code for the touchcancel event.

Methods

Inherits methods from its parent, Element.

HTMLElement.blur()
Removes keyboard focus from the currently focused element.
HTMLElement.click()
Sends a mouse click event to the element.
HTMLElement.focus()
Makes the element the current keyboard focus.
HTMLElement.forceSpellCheck()
Makes the spell checker runs on the element.

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
CSS Object Model (CSSOM) View Module
The definition of 'HTMLElement' in that specification.
Working Draft Added the following properties: offsetParent, offsetTop, offsetLeft, offsetWidth, and offsetHeight.
WHATWG HTML Living Standard
The definition of 'HTMLElement' in that specification.
Living Standard Added the following properties: translate, itemScope, itemType, itemId, itemRef, itemProp, properties, and itemValue.
Added the following method: forceSpellcheck().
Moved the onXYZ attributes to the GlobalEventHandlers interface and added an inheritance from it.
HTML5
The definition of 'HTMLElement' in that specification.
Recommendation Added the following properties: dataset, hidden, tabindex, accessKey, accessKeyLabel, draggable, dropzone, contentEditable, isContentEditable, contextMenu, spellcheck, commandType, commandLabel, commandIcon, commandHidden, commandDisabled, commandChecked, style, and all the onXYZ properties.
Moved the id and className properties to the Element interface.
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 HTML Specification
The definition of 'HTMLElement' in that specification.
Recommendation No change from Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 HTML Specification
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 1 Specification
The definition of 'HTMLElement' in that specification.
Recommendation Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Feature Firefox (Gecko) Chrome Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) ? ? ? ?
accessKey 5.0 (5.0) 17.0 ? ? 6.0
accessKeyLabel 8.0 (8.0) ? ? ? No supportWebKit bug 72715
blur() 5.0 (5.0) ? 9 ? ?
click() 5.0 (5.0) ?9 9 ? 6.0
dataset 6.0 (6.0) 8 11 11.10 5.1
focus() 5.0 (5.0) ? 9 ? ?
contentEditable 3.0 (1.9) (Yes) 5.5 9 (Yes)
spellcheck 2.0 (1.8.1) ? ? ? ?
style (Yes) (returns a CSS2Properties, rather than a CSSStyleDeclaration) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
forceSpellCheck() No support No support No support No support No support
draggable (Yes) ? ? 12.0 ?
dropzone No support No support No support 12.0 No support
offsetLeft, offsetTop, offsetParent, offsetHeight and offsetWidth (Yes) ? (Yes) ? ?
translate No support No support No support No support No support
itemScope, itemType, itemRef, itemId, itemProp, and itemValue 6.0 (6.0) No support No support 11.60
(Removed in Opera 15)
No support
properties (Yes) ? ? ? ?
HTMLElement.ontouchstart, HTMLElement.ontouchend, HTMLElement.ontouchmove, HTMLElement.ontouchenter, HTMLElement.ontouchleave, and HTMLElement.ontouchcancel (Yes) (Yes) No support ? (Yes)
HTMLElement.oncopy, HTMLElement.oncut, and HTMLElement.onpaste 3.0 (1.9) ? ? ? ?
Feature Firefox Mobile (Gecko) Android IE Mobile Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support

1.0 (1.0)

? ? ? ?
accessKey 5.0 (5.0)
accessKeyLabel 8.0 (8.0)
blur() 5.0 (5.0)
click() 5.0 (5.0)
dataset 6.0 (6.0)
focus() 5.0 (5.0)
HTMLElement.oncopy, HTMLElement.oncut, and HTMLElement.onpaste 1.0 (1.9) ? ? ? ?

See also

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 Last updated by: slimsag,