The
<td>tag in HTML defines a standard data cell within a table.
Each<td>element represents a single piece of data in a table row (<tr>). It is one of the most commonly used tags for displaying tabular data such as numbers, text, or links.
Syntax
<td attribute="value">Content</td>Attributes
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
colspan | Specifies the number of columns a cell should span. |
rowspan | Specifies the number of rows a cell should span. |
headers | Associates the cell with one or more header cells (id of related <th> elements). |
abbr | Provides an abbreviated version of the content for screen readers. |
align | (Deprecated) Specifies horizontal alignment (left, right, or center). |
valign | (Deprecated) Specifies vertical alignment (top, middle, bottom). |
Example
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>HTML td Tag Example</title>
<style>
table {
border-collapse: collapse;
width: 50%;
}
td, th {
border: 1px solid #333;
padding: 8px;
text-align: center;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h2>Example of the <td> Tag</h2>
<table>
<tr>
<th>Month</th>
<th>Savings</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>January</td>
<td>$100</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>February</td>
<td>$150</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td colspan="2">Total Savings: $250</td>
</tr>
</table>
</body>
</html>Output
Browser Output
There is visible output for this tag — it displays data cells that form the core content of the table.
Use our TryIt Editor to see how cell alignment and spanning work.
Browser Support
Chrome | Firefox | Edge | Safari | Opera | IE9+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ✅Yes | ✅Yes |
💡 Tip: Modern HTML prefers using CSS for alignment and presentation instead of deprecated attributes like align or valign.
Notes
<td>elements are always nested inside a<tr>(table row).- Can be used with
colspanorrowspanto merge cells horizontally or vertically. - Default cell alignment: left-aligned and middle vertically aligned.
- To improve readability and accessibility, combine with
<th>headers for data labeling.
Conclusion
- The
<td>tag is used to display table data within rows. - It represents the main data content of any table structure.
- Use CSS for better styling and layout instead of deprecated alignment attributes.
- Proper use of
<td>ensures your data tables are clear, consistent, and responsive.