Web/API/Range

The Range interface represents a fragment of a document that can contain nodes and parts of text nodes.

A range can be created by using the Document.createRange() method. Range objects can also be retrieved by using the getRangeAt() method of the Selection object or the caretRangeFromPoint() method of the Document object.

There also is the Range() constructor available.

Properties

There are no inherited properties.

Range.collapsed Read only: Returns a Boolean indicating whether the range's start and end points are at the same position.
Range.commonAncestorContainer Read only: Returns the deepest Node that contains the startContainer and endContainer nodes.
Range.endContainer Read only: Returns the Node within which the Range ends.
Range.endOffset Read only: Returns a number representing where in the endContainer the Range ends.
Range.startContainer Read only: Returns the Node within which the Range starts.
Range.startOffset Read only: Returns a number representing where in the startContainer the Range starts.

Constructor

Range() ': Returns a Range object with the global Document as its start and end.

Methods

There are no inherited methods.

Range.setStart(): Sets the start position of a Range.
Range.setEnd(): Sets the end position of a Range.
Range.setStartBefore(): Sets the start position of a Range relative to another Node.
Range.setStartAfter(): Sets the start position of a Range relative to another Node.
Range.setEndBefore(): Sets the end position of a Range relative to another Node.
Range.setEndAfter(): Sets the end position of a Range relative to another Node.
Range.selectNode(): Sets the Range to contain the Node and its contents.
Range.selectNodeContents(): Sets the Range to contain the contents of a Node.
Range.collapse(): Collapses the Range to one of its boundary points.
Range.cloneContents(): Returns a DocumentFragment copying the nodes of a Range.
Range.deleteContents(): Removes the contents of a Range from the Document.
Range.extractContents(): Moves contents of a Range from the document tree into a DocumentFragment.
Range.insertNode(): Insert a Node at the start of a Range.
Range.surroundContents(): Moves content of a Range into a new Node.
Range.compareBoundaryPoints(): Compares the boundary points of the Range with another Range.
Range.cloneRange(): Returns a Range object with boundary points identical to the cloned Range.
Range.detach(): Releases the Range from use to improve performance.
Range.toString(): Returns the text of the Range.
Range.compareNode() ' ': Returns a constant representing whether the Node is before, after, inside, or surrounding the range.
Range.comparePoint() ': Returns -1, 0, or 1 indicating whether the point occurs before, inside, or after the Range.
Range.createContextualFragment() ': Returns a DocumentFragment created from a given string of code.
Range.getBoundingClientRect() ': Returns a DOMRect object which bounds the entire contents of the Range; this would be the union of all the rectangles returned by range.getClientRects().
Range.getClientRects() ': Returns a list of DOMRect objects that aggregates the results of Element.getClientRects() for all the elements in the Range.
Range.intersectsNode() ': Returns a boolean indicating whether the given node intersects the Range.
Range.isPointInRange() ': Returns a boolean indicating whether the given point is in the Range.

Specifications

Specification	Status	Comment
DOMThe definition of 'Range' in that specification.	Living Standard	Do not use `RangeException` anymore, use `DOMException` instead. Made the second parameter of `collapse()` optional. Added the methods `isPointInRange()`, `comparePoint()`, and `intersectsNode()`. Added the constructor `Range()`.
DOM Parsing and SerializationThe definition of 'Extensions to Range' in that specification.	Working Draft	Added the method `createContextualFragment()`.
CSS Object Model (CSSOM) View ModuleThe definition of 'Extensions to Range' in that specification.	Working Draft	Added the methods `getClientRects()` and `getBoundingClientRect()`.
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 Traversal and Range SpecificationThe definition of 'Range' in that specification.	Obsolete	Initial specification.

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
`Range`	Chrome Full support 1	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4 Notes' Full support 4 Notes' Notes' Starting with Firefox 13, the `Range` object throws a `DOMException` as defined in DOM 4, instead of a `RangeException` defined in prior specifications.	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	Safari Full support 1	WebView Android Full support 1	Chrome Android Full support 18	Firefox Android Full support 4 Notes' Full support 4 Notes' Notes' Starting with Firefox 13, the `Range` object throws a `DOMException` as defined in DOM 4, instead of a `RangeException` defined in prior specifications.	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support 1	Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0
`Range()` constructor Experimental'	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support ≤18	Firefox Full support 24	IE No support No	Opera Full support 15	Safari Full support Yes	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 24	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support Yes	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`cloneContents`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`cloneRange`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`collapse`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`collapsed`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`commonAncestorContainer`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`compareBoundaryPoints`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`compareNode` Experimental'Deprecated'Non-standard'	Chrome No support No	Edge No support No	Firefox No support No	IE No support No	Opera No support No	Safari No support No	WebView Android No support No	Chrome Android No support No	Firefox Android No support No	Opera Android No support No	Safari iOS No support No	Samsung Internet Android No support No
`comparePoint` Experimental'	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 17	Firefox Full support Yes	IE No support No	Opera Full support 15	Safari Full support Yes	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support Yes	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support Yes	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`createContextualFragment` Experimental'	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support Yes	IE Full support 11	Opera Full support 15	Safari Full support 9	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support Yes	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support Yes	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`deleteContents`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`detach`	Chrome Full support Yes Notes' Full support Yes Notes' Notes' Since April 2014 this method is a no-op in Chrome.	Edge Full support 12	Firefox No support 4 — 15 Notes' No support 4 — 15 Notes' Notes' Starting in Firefox 15.0, this method is a no-op and has no effect.	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	Safari Full support Yes Notes' Full support Yes Notes' Notes' Since August 2015 this method is a no-op in WebKit-based browsers.	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android No support 4 — 15 Notes' No support 4 — 15 Notes' Notes' Starting in Firefox 15.0, this method is a no-op and has no effect.	Opera Android Full support Yes	Safari iOS Full support Yes Notes' Full support Yes Notes' Notes' Since August 2015 this method is a no-op in WebKit-based browsers.	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`endContainer`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`endOffset`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`extractContents`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`getBoundingClientRect` Experimental'	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 15	Safari Full support Yes	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support Yes	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`getClientRects` Experimental'	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 15	Safari Full support 5	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support Yes	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`insertNode`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	Safari Full support Yes	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 4	Opera Android Full support 10.1	Safari iOS Full support Yes	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`intersectsNode` Experimental'	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 17	Firefox Full support 17	IE No support No	Opera Full support 15	Safari Full support Yes	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support 19	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support Yes	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`isPointInRange` Experimental'	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 15	Firefox Full support Yes	IE No support No	Opera Full support 15	Safari Full support Yes	WebView Android Full support Yes	Chrome Android Full support Yes	Firefox Android Full support Yes	Opera Android Full support 14	Safari iOS Full support Yes	Samsung Internet Android Full support Yes
`selectNode`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`selectNodeContents`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`setEnd`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`setEndAfter`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`setEndBefore`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`setStart`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`setStartAfter`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`setStartBefore`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`startContainer`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`startOffset`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`surroundContents`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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
`toString`	Chrome Full support Yes	Edge Full support 12	Firefox Full support 4	IE Full support 9	Opera Full support 9	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

Legend

Full support: Full support
No support: No support
Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.': Experimental. Expect behavior to change in the future.
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.
See implementation notes.': See implementation notes.