HTML Tags
HTML <object> Tag
The
<object>element embeds an external resource such as a PDF or image and can provide accessible fallback HTML when the resource cannot be displayed.
For audio, video, or another webpage, prefer the dedicated<audio>,<video>, or<iframe>element.
Syntax
html
<object data="URL" type="MIME-type" width="value" height="value">
Alternative content displayed if the object cannot be loaded.
</object>Attributes
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| data | Specifies the URL of the resource to be embedded. |
| type | Defines the MIME type of the embedded content (e.g., application/pdf). |
| width | Sets the width of the embedded object. |
| height | Sets the height of the embedded object. |
| form | Associates the object with a form element. |
| name | Assigns a name to the embedded object. |
Example
Embedding a PDF File Using <object> Tag
html
<object data="https://ik.imagekit.io/html5andcss3/lesson-samples/sample.pdf" type="application/pdf" width="600" height="400">
<p>Your browser does not support embedded PDF files. <a href="https://ik.imagekit.io/html5andcss3/lesson-samples/sample.pdf">Download PDF</a> instead.</p>
</object>Browser Support
Chrome | Edge | Firefox | Safari | Opera | IE9+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The <object> tag is supported by all modern browsers, including Internet Explorer 9 and above.
However, the actual rendering depends on the content type and whether the browser supports that MIME type (e.g., PDF or image).
Notes
- The
<object>tag can embed images, PDFs, multimedia, and even web pages. - If the browser doesn’t support the specified media type, the fallback content between
<object>and</object>will be shown. - Use the
typeattribute to specify the correct MIME type - this helps browsers determine how to handle the content. - For embedding multimedia like audio and video, prefer
<audio>and<video>tags for better compatibility and control. <object>can be nested to provide multiple fallback sources.- Security note: avoid embedding untrusted external content directly to prevent potential script injection.
Conclusion
Use <object> when you need to embed a supported external resource and provide fallback HTML.
Use dedicated elements for audio, video, and webpages, and do not use obsolete <param> children.