Web/API/HTMLAnchorElement

The HTMLAnchorElement interface represents hyperlink elements and provides special properties and methods (beyond those of the regular HTMLElement object interface that they inherit from) for manipulating the layout and presentation of such elements. This interface corresponds to <a> element; not to be confused with <link>, which is represented by HTMLLinkElement)

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  a:hover text { fill: #0095DD; pointer-events: all;}

Properties

Inherits properties from its parent, HTMLElement, and implements those from HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.

Element.accessKey: Is a DOMString representing a single character that switches input focus to the hyperlink.
HTMLAnchorElement.download ': Is a DOMString indicating that the linked resource is intended to be downloaded rather than displayed in the browser. The value represent the proposed name of the file. If the name is not a valid filename of the underlying OS, browser will adapt it.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.hash: Is a USVString representing the fragment identifier, including the leading hash mark ('#'), if any, in the referenced URL.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.host: Is a USVString representing the hostname and port (if it's not the default port) in the referenced URL.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.hostname: Is a USVString representing the hostname in the referenced URL.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.href: Is a USVString that is the result of parsing the href HTML attribute relative to the document, containing a valid URL of a linked resource.
HTMLAnchorElement.hreflang: Is a DOMString that reflects the hreflang HTML attribute, indicating the language of the linked resource.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.password: Is a USVString containing the password specified before the domain name.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.origin Read only: Returns a USVString containing the origin of the URL, that is its scheme, its domain and its port.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.pathname: Is a USVString containing an initial '/' followed by the path of the URL, not including the query string or fragment.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.port: Is a USVString representing the port component, if any, of the referenced URL.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.protocol: Is a USVString representing the protocol component, including trailing colon (':'), of the referenced URL.
HTMLAnchorElement.referrerPolicy ': Is a DOMString that reflects the referrerpolicy HTML attribute indicating which referrer to use.
HTMLAnchorElement.rel: Is a DOMString that reflects the rel HTML attribute, specifying the relationship of the target object to the linked object.
HTMLAnchorElement.relList Read only: Returns a DOMTokenList that reflects the rel HTML attribute, as a list of tokens.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.search: Is a USVString representing the search element, including leading question mark ('?'), if any, of the referenced URL.
HTMLElement.tabindex: Is a long containing the position of the element in the tabbing navigation order for the current document.
HTMLAnchorElement.target: Is a DOMString that reflects the target HTML attribute, indicating where to display the linked resource.
HTMLAnchorElement.text: Is a DOMString being a synonym for the Node.textContent property.
HTMLAnchorElement.type: Is a DOMString that reflects the type HTML attribute, indicating the MIME type of the linked resource.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.username: Is a USVString containing the username specified before the domain name.

Obsolete properties

HTMLAnchorElement.charset ': Is a DOMString representing the character encoding of the linked resource.
HTMLAnchorElement.coords ': Is a DOMString representing a comma-separated list of coordinates.
HTMLAnchorElement.name ': Is a DOMString representing the anchor name.
HTMLAnchorElement.rev ': Is a DOMString representing that the rev HTML attribute, specifying the relationship of the link object to the target object.

Note: Currently the W3C HTML 5.2 spec states that rev is no longer obsolete, whereas the WHATWG living standard still has it labeled obsolete. Until this discrepancy is resolved, you should still assume it is obsolete.
HTMLAnchorElement.shape ': Is a DOMString representing the shape of the active area.

Methods

Inherits methods from its parent, HTMLElement, and implements those from HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.

HTMLElement.blur(): Removes the keyboard focus from the current element.
HTMLElement.focus(): Gives the keyboard focus to the current element.
HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.toString(): Returns a USVString containing the whole URL. It is a synonym for HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils.href, though it can't be used to modify the value.

The blur() and focus() methods are inherited from HTMLElement from HTML5 on, but were defined on HTMLAnchorElement in DOM Level 2 HTML and earlier specifications.

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
HTML Living StandardThe definition of 'HTMLAnchorElement' in that specification.	Living Standard	The following property has been added: `download`. Technically, the URL-related properties, `host`, `hostname`, `pathname`, `port`, `protocol`, `search`, and `hash`, have been moved to the `HTMLHyperlinkElementUtils` mixin, and `HTMLAnchorElement` implements this mixin.
HTML5The definition of 'HTMLAnchorElement' in that specification.	Recommendation	The methods `blur()` and `focus()`, as well as the properties `tabindex` and `accessKey`, are now defined on `HTMLElement`. The following properties are now obsolete: `charset`, `coords`, `name`, `rev`, and `shape`. The following properties have been added: `hash`, `host`, `hostname`, `pathname`, `port`, `protocol`, `relList`, `search`, and `text`.
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 HTML SpecificationThe definition of 'HTMLAnchorElement' in that specification.	Obsolete	No change from Document Object Model (DOM) Level 1 Specification.
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 1 SpecificationThe definition of 'HTMLAnchorElement' in that specification.	Obsolete	Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub

	Desktop						Mobile
	Chrome	Edge	Firefox	Internet Explorer	Opera	Safari	Android webview	Chrome for Android	Firefox for Android	Opera for Android	Safari on iOS	Samsung Internet
`HTMLAnchorElement`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 5.5	Opera Full support ≤12.1	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support ≤12.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`charset` Deprecated'Non-standard'	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 6	Opera Full support ≤12.1	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support ≤12.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`coords` Deprecated'Non-standard'	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 6	Opera Full support ≤12.1	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support ≤12.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`download`	Chrome Full support 15	Edge Full support 13	Firefox Full support 20	IE No support No	Opera Full support 15	Safari Full support 10.1	WebView Android Full support ≤37	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support Yes	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support 10.3	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`hreflang`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 6	Opera Full support ≤12.1	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support ≤12.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`media`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support Yes	Opera Full support Yes	Safari Full support Yes	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support Yes	Safari iOS Full support Yes	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`name` Deprecated'Non-standard'	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 5.5	Opera Full support ≤12.1	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support ≤12.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`referrerPolicy`	Chrome Full support 53	Edge Full support 79	Firefox Full support 50	IE No support No	Opera Full support 40	Safari Full support 14	WebView Android Full support 53	Chrome Android Full support 53	Firefox Android Full support 50	Opera Android Full support 41	Safari iOS Full support 14	Samsung Internet Android Full support 7.2
`rel`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 5.5	Opera Full support ≤12.1	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support ≤12.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`relList`	Chrome Full support 65	Edge Full support 18	Firefox Full support 30	IE No support No	Opera Full support 52	Safari Full support 9	WebView Android Full support 65	Chrome Android Full support 65	Firefox Android Full support 30	Opera Android Full support 47	Safari iOS Full support 9	Samsung Internet Android Full support 9.0
`rev` Deprecated'Non-standard'	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 5.5	Opera Full support ≤12.1	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support ≤12.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`shape` Deprecated'Non-standard'	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 6	Opera Full support ≤12.1	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support ≤12.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`target`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 5.5	Opera Full support ≤12.1	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support ≤12.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`text`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 10	Opera Full support ≤12.1	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support ≤12.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`type`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 1	IE Full support 6	Opera Full support ≤12.1	Safari Full support 3	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support ≤12.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0

Legend

Full support: Full support
No support: No support
Non-standard. Expect poor cross-browser support.': Non-standard. Expect poor cross-browser support.
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.': Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.