HTML <br> Element
The <br> element creates a line break within text. It is useful when the division of lines is meaningful, such as in a postal address, poem, or other content where specific line breaks should be preserved.
Syntax
First line<br>
Second lineThe <br> element is a void element. It does not contain content and does not use a closing tag.
Attributes
The <br> element supports the global HTML attributes. It does not have any element-specific attributes.
The older clear attribute is obsolete and should not be used. CSS should be used when control over text flow or layout is needed.
Example
The following example uses <br> elements to preserve the individual lines of a postal address:
<p>
KD Web Hosting Design<br>
Prineville, Oregon<br>
United States
</p>Each <br> element causes the following text to begin on a new line without creating a separate paragraph.
Try It Yourself
Add, remove, or move the <br> elements to see how they control where the text begins on a new line.
Usage Notes
Use <br> when a line break is part of the content itself. Common examples include postal addresses, poems, song verses, and similar text where preserving individual lines is meaningful.
Do not use repeated <br> elements to create vertical space between paragraphs or other page elements. Use separate <p> elements for paragraphs and CSS properties such as margin for visual spacing.
HTML source code line breaks and spaces are normally collapsed when text is displayed in the browser. Use <br> when an actual line break needs to appear as part of the rendered content.
Accessibility
Use <br> only where a line break has meaning within the content. Using multiple line breaks to imitate paragraphs or create visual spacing can make the structure of the page less clear to people using assistive technologies.
For separate thoughts or paragraphs, use semantic elements such as <p> rather than inserting several <br> elements.
Browser Support
Baseline: Widely available indicates a feature has been supported by core browsers for at least 30 months. At this stage, the feature is considered stable and safe for most websites to use without needing to worry about compatibility issues or fallbacks, as it is supported by the vast majority of users' devices and browser versions.
For detailed browser compatibility information, see Can I Use: HTML <br> Element .
Related Elements
<p> - Represents a paragraph of text rather than a simple line break.
<wbr> - Identifies a location where the browser may optionally break a line when needed.
<address> - Represents contact information, which may contain meaningful line breaks.