Obsolete elements

Do not use. WHATWG Use abbr instead.

MDN The <acronym> HTML element allows authors to clearly indicate a sequence of characters that compose an acronym or abbreviation for a word.

<p>
  The <acronym title="World Wide Web">WWW</acronym> is only a component of the
  Internet.
</p>

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use embed or object instead.

Specification ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use appropriate elements or CSS instead. Where the tt element would have been used for marking up keyboard input, consider the kbd element; for variables, consider the var element; for computer code, consider the code element; and for computer output, consider the samp element. Similarly, if the big element is being used to denote a heading, consider using the h1 element; if it is being used for marking up important passages, consider the strong element; and if it is being used for highlighting text for reference purposes, consider the mark element. See also the text-level semantics usage summary for more suggestions with examples.

Specification ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use audio instead.

Specification ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use appropriate elements or CSS instead. Where the tt element would have been used for marking up keyboard input, consider the kbd element; for variables, consider the var element; for computer code, consider the code element; and for computer output, consider the samp element. Similarly, if the big element is being used to denote a heading, consider using the h1 element; if it is being used for marking up important passages, consider the strong element; and if it is being used for highlighting text for reference purposes, consider the mark element. See also the text-level semantics usage summary for more suggestions with examples.

MDN The <big> HTML deprecated element renders the enclosed text at a font size one level larger than the surrounding text (medium becomes large, for example). The size is capped at the browser's maximum permitted font size.

<p>
  This is the first sentence.
  <big>This whole sentence is in bigger letters.</big>
</p>

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use appropriate elements or CSS instead. Where the tt element would have been used for marking up keyboard input, consider the kbd element; for variables, consider the var element; for computer code, consider the code element; and for computer output, consider the samp element. Similarly, if the big element is being used to denote a heading, consider using the h1 element; if it is being used for marking up important passages, consider the strong element; and if it is being used for highlighting text for reference purposes, consider the mark element. See also the text-level semantics usage summary for more suggestions with examples.

Specification ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use appropriate elements or CSS instead. Where the tt element would have been used for marking up keyboard input, consider the kbd element; for variables, consider the var element; for computer code, consider the code element; and for computer output, consider the samp element. Similarly, if the big element is being used to denote a heading, consider using the h1 element; if it is being used for marking up important passages, consider the strong element; and if it is being used for highlighting text for reference purposes, consider the mark element. See also the text-level semantics usage summary for more suggestions with examples.

MDN The <center> HTML element is a block-level element that displays its block-level or inline contents centered horizontally within its containing element. The container is usually, but isn't required to be, <body>.

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use ul instead.

MDN The <dir> HTML element is used as a container for a directory of files and/or folders, potentially with styles and icons applied by the user agent. Do not use this obsolete element; instead, you should use the <ul> element for lists, including lists of files.

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use appropriate elements or CSS instead. Where the tt element would have been used for marking up keyboard input, consider the kbd element; for variables, consider the var element; for computer code, consider the code element; and for computer output, consider the samp element. Similarly, if the big element is being used to denote a heading, consider using the h1 element; if it is being used for marking up important passages, consider the strong element; and if it is being used for highlighting text for reference purposes, consider the mark element. See also the text-level semantics usage summary for more suggestions with examples.

MDN The <font> HTML element defines the font size, color and face for its content.

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Either use iframe and CSS instead, or use server-side includes to generate complete pages with the various invariant parts merged in.

MDN The <frame> HTML element defines a particular area in which another HTML document can be displayed. A frame should be used within a <frameset>.

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Either use iframe and CSS instead, or use server-side includes to generate complete pages with the various invariant parts merged in.

MDN The <frameset> HTML element is used to contain <frame> elements.

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use an explicit form and text control combination instead.

Specification ↗

Do not use. WHATWG For enterprise device management use cases, use native on-device management capabilities. For certificate enrollment use cases, use the Web Cryptography API to generate a keypair for the certificate, and then export the certificate and key to allow the user to install them manually. [WEBCRYPTO]

Specification ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use pre and code instead.

Specification ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use appropriate elements or CSS instead. Where the tt element would have been used for marking up keyboard input, consider the kbd element; for variables, consider the var element; for computer code, consider the code element; and for computer output, consider the samp element. Similarly, if the big element is being used to denote a heading, consider using the h1 element; if it is being used for marking up important passages, consider the strong element; and if it is being used for highlighting text for reference purposes, consider the mark element. See also the text-level semantics usage summary for more suggestions with examples.

MDN The <marquee> HTML element is used to insert a scrolling area of text. You can control what happens when the text reaches the edges of its content area using its attributes.

<marquee>This text will scroll from right to left</marquee>

<marquee direction="up">This text will scroll from bottom to top</marquee>

<marquee
  direction="down"
  width="250"
  height="200"
  behavior="alternate"
  class="outlined">
  <marquee behavior="alternate">This text will bounce</marquee>
</marquee>

.outlined {
  border: solid;
}

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG To implement a custom context menu, use script to handle the contextmenu event.

Specification ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use appropriate elements or CSS instead. Where the tt element would have been used for marking up keyboard input, consider the kbd element; for variables, consider the var element; for computer code, consider the code element; and for computer output, consider the samp element. Similarly, if the big element is being used to denote a heading, consider using the h1 element; if it is being used for marking up important passages, consider the strong element; and if it is being used for highlighting text for reference purposes, consider the mark element. See also the text-level semantics usage summary for more suggestions with examples.

Specification ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use GUIDs instead.

Specification ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use appropriate elements or CSS instead. Where the tt element would have been used for marking up keyboard input, consider the kbd element; for variables, consider the var element; for computer code, consider the code element; and for computer output, consider the samp element. Similarly, if the big element is being used to denote a heading, consider using the h1 element; if it is being used for marking up important passages, consider the strong element; and if it is being used for highlighting text for reference purposes, consider the mark element. See also the text-level semantics usage summary for more suggestions with examples.

MDN The <nobr> HTML element prevents the text it contains from automatically wrapping across multiple lines, potentially resulting in the user having to scroll horizontally to see the entire width of the text.

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use object instead of embed when fallback is necessary.

MDN The <noembed> HTML element is an obsolete, non-standard way to provide alternative, or "fallback", content for browsers that do not support the <embed> element or do not support the type of embedded content an author wishes to use. This element was deprecated in HTML 4.01 and above in favor of placing fallback content between the opening and closing tags of an <object> element.

<embed
  type="video/webm"
  src="/media/examples/flower.mp4"
  width="200"
  height="200" />
<noembed>
  <h1>Alternative content</h1>
</noembed>

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Either use iframe and CSS instead, or use server-side includes to generate complete pages with the various invariant parts merged in.

MDN The <noframes> HTML element provides content to be presented in browsers that don't support (or have disabled support for) the <frame> element. Although most commonly-used browsers support frames, there are exceptions, including certain special-use browsers including some mobile browsers, as well as text-mode browsers.

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use the data attribute of the object element to set the URL of the external resource.

MDN The <param> HTML element defines parameters for an <object> element.

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use the "text/plain" MIME type instead.

MDN The <plaintext> HTML element renders everything following the start tag as raw text, ignoring any following HTML. There is no closing tag, since everything after it is considered raw text.

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Providing the ruby base directly inside the ruby element or using nested ruby elements is sufficient.

MDN The <rb> HTML element is used to delimit the base text component of a <ruby> annotation, i.e., the text that is being annotated. One <rb> element should wrap each separate atomic segment of the base text.

<ruby>
  <rb>漢</rb><rb>字 </rb><rp>(</rp><rt>kan</rt><rt>ji</rt><rp>)</rp>
</ruby>

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Providing the ruby base directly inside the ruby element or using nested ruby elements is sufficient.

MDN The <rtc> HTML element embraces semantic annotations of characters presented in a ruby of <rb> elements used inside of <ruby> element. <rb> elements can have both pronunciation (<rt>) and semantic (<rtc>) annotations.

<ruby lang="zh-Hant">
  <rbc>
    <rb>馬</rb><rp>(</rp><rt>mǎ</rt><rp>)</rp>
    <rb>來</rb><rp>(</rp><rt>lái</rt><rp>)</rp>
    <rb>西</rb><rp>(</rp><rt>xī</rt><rp>)</rp>
    <rb>亞</rb><rp>(</rp><rt>yà</rt><rp>)</rp>
  </rbc>
  <rtc lang="en">
    <rp>(</rp><rt>Malaysia</rt><rp>)</rp>
  </rtc>
</ruby>

ruby {
  font-size: 2em;
  ruby-position: under;
}

rtc {
  ruby-position: over;
}

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use appropriate elements or CSS instead. Where the tt element would have been used for marking up keyboard input, consider the kbd element; for variables, consider the var element; for computer code, consider the code element; and for computer output, consider the samp element. Similarly, if the big element is being used to denote a heading, consider using the h1 element; if it is being used for marking up important passages, consider the strong element; and if it is being used for highlighting text for reference purposes, consider the mark element. See also the text-level semantics usage summary for more suggestions with examples.

Specification ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use del instead if the element is marking an edit, otherwise use s instead.

MDN The <strike> HTML element places a strikethrough (horizontal line) over text.

&lt;strike&gt;: <strike>Today's Special: Salmon</strike> SOLD OUT<br />
&lt;s&gt;: <s>Today's Special: Salmon</s> SOLD OUT

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use appropriate elements or CSS instead. Where the tt element would have been used for marking up keyboard input, consider the kbd element; for variables, consider the var element; for computer code, consider the code element; and for computer output, consider the samp element. Similarly, if the big element is being used to denote a heading, consider using the h1 element; if it is being used for marking up important passages, consider the strong element; and if it is being used for highlighting text for reference purposes, consider the mark element. See also the text-level semantics usage summary for more suggestions with examples.

MDN The <tt> HTML element creates inline text which is presented using the user agent's default monospace font face. This element was created for the purpose of rendering text as it would be displayed on a fixed-width display such as a teletype, text-only screen, or line printer.

<p>
  Enter the following at the telnet command prompt:
  <code>set localecho</code><br />

  The telnet client should display: <tt>Local Echo is on</tt>
</p>

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗

Do not use. WHATWG Use pre and code instead, and escape "<" and "&" characters as "<" and "&" respectively.

MDN The <xmp> HTML element renders text between the start and end tags without interpreting the HTML in between and using a monospaced font. The HTML2 specification recommended that it should be rendered wide enough to allow 80 characters per line.

Specification ↗ MDN reference ↗