# HTML <link> Tag

## Example

Link to an external style sheet:

<head>
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="theme.css">
</head>
Try it Yourself »

## Definition and Usage

The <link> tag defines a link between a document and an external resource.

The <link> tag is used to link to external style sheets.

## Browser Support

When used for style sheets, the <link> tag is supported in all major browsers. No real support for anything else.

Element |  |  |  |  |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
<link> | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes

Note: The <link> element is an empty element, it contains attributes only.

Note: This element goes only in the head section, but it can appear any number of times.

## Differences Between HTML 4.01 and HTML5

Some HTML 4.01 attributes are not supported in HTML5.

The "sizes" attribute is new in HTML5.

## Differences Between HTML and XHTML

In HTML the <link> tag has no end tag.

In XHTML the <link> tag must be properly closed.

## Attributes

= New in HTML5.

Attribute | Value | Description
--- | --- | ---
charset | char_encoding | Not supported in HTML5. Specifies the character encoding of the linked document
crossorigin | anonymous use-credentials | Specifies how the element handles cross-origin requests
href | URL | Specifies the location of the linked document
hreflang | language_code | Specifies the language of the text in the linked document
media | media_query | Specifies on what device the linked document will be displayed

rel

alternate
archives
author
bookmark
external
first
help
icon
last
license
next
nofollow
noreferrer
pingback
prefetch
prev
search
sidebar
stylesheet
tag
up

Required. Specifies the relationship between the current document and the linked document

rev | reversed relationship | Not supported in HTML5. Specifies the relationship between the linked document and the current document
sizes | HeightxWidth any | Specifies the size of the linked resource. Only for rel="icon"
target | _blank _self _top _parent frame_name | Not supported in HTML5. Specifies where the linked document is to be loaded
type | media_type | Specifies the media type of the linked document

## Global Attributes

The <link> tag also supports the Global Attributes in HTML.

## Event Attributes

The <link> tag also supports the Event Attributes in HTML.

## Related Pages

HTML tutorial: HTML Styles

HTML DOM reference: Link Object

## Default CSS Settings

Most browsers will display the <link> element with the following default values:

link {
display: none;
}

### WEB HOSTING

UK Reseller Hosting

### WEB BUILDING

FREE Website BUILDER Free HTML5 Templates

### W3SCHOOLS EXAMS

HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, jQuery, XML, and ASP Certifications

### SHARE THIS PAGE

### Color Picker

### HTML/CSS

HTML Tutorial HTML5 Tutorial CSS Tutorial CSS3 Tutorial Bootstrap Tutorial

### JavaScript

JavaScript Tutorial jQuery Tutorial jQuery Mobile Tutorial AngularJS Tutorial AJAX Tutorial JSON Tutorial

### Graphics

Canvas Tutorial SVG Tutorial Google Maps Tutorial

### Server Side

SQL Tutorial PHP Tutorial ASP Tutorial ASP.NET Tutorial VBScript Tutorial AppML Tutorial

### Web

Web Building Web Statistics Web Certification

### XML

XML Tutorial DTD Tutorial Schema Tutorial XML DOM Tutorial XPath Tutorial XSLT Tutorial XQuery Tutorial XSL-FO Tutorial RSS Tutorial WSDL Tutorial

### HTML/CSS

HTML Tag Reference HTML Event Reference HTML Color Reference CSS 1,2,3 Reference Bootstrap Reference

### JavaScript

JavaScript Reference HTML DOM Reference jQuery Reference jQuery Mobile Reference Google Maps Reference

### Server Side

PHP Reference SQL Reference ASP Reference VBScript Reference Razor Reference ASP.NET Reference

### XML

XML DOM Reference XSLT Reference XSL-FO Reference XPath Reference XQuery Reference Schema Reference RSS Reference SVG Reference

### HTML Charsets

HTML Character Sets HTML ASCII HTML ANSI HTML Windows-1252 HTML ISO-8859-1 HTML Symbols HTML UTF-8

### HTML/CSS

HTML Examples CSS Examples

### Browser Scripting

JavaScript Examples HTML DOM Examples jQuery Examples jQuery Mobile Examples AngularJS Examples AJAX Examples

### Server Scripting

PHP Examples ASP Examples VBScript Examples Razor Examples .NET Examples

### XML Languages

XML Examples DTD Examples XML DOM Examples XSL Examples XSLT Examples XPath Examples XQuery Examples Schema Examples RSS Examples SVG Examples