HTML <picture> Tag

Definition and Usage

The <picture> tag gives web developers more flexibility in specifying image resources.

The most common use of the <picture> element will be for art direction in responsive designs. Instead of having one image that is scaled up or down based on the viewport width, multiple images can be designed to more nicely fill the browser viewport.

The <picture> element contains two tags: one or more <source> tags and one <img> tag.

The browser will look for the first <source> element where the media query matches the current viewport width, and then it will display the proper image (specified in the srcset attribute). The <img> element is required as the last child of the <picture> element, as a fallback option if none of the source tags matches.

Tip: The <picture> element works "similar" to <video> and <audio>. You set up different sources, and the first source that fits the preferences is the one being used.

Browser Support

The numbers in the table specify the first browser version that fully supports the element.

Global Attributes

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

Event Attributes

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

Related Pages

HTML Tutorial: HTML <picture> Element

CSS Tutorial: CSS Responsive Design - Images