address
This article explains the HTML <address> element. It marks contact information for the page or article author or owner; it is not a generic element for every postal address.
What you will learn
- What information the
addresselement represents - How to choose page-level or article-level scope
- Why a postal address or an arbitrary contact block should not be wrapped automatically
What does address mean?
<address> represents contact information for the nearest <article> or for the whole page when it is outside an article. The information may include an email address, a contact link, or the name of a person or organization.
Basic examples
<address>
Contact: <a href="mailto:[email protected]">[email protected]</a>
</address>Inside an article, the element can identify the article author or a way to contact them:
<article>
<h2>A short article</h2>
<p>Article content...</p>
<address>Written by <a href="/authors/yuki">Yuki</a></address>
</article>Address does not mean only a street address
The name is easy to misread. A postal address can be ordinary text, or you can use the more specific p, div, or structured data appropriate to the content. Use address when the content is contact information for the page or article.
Common mistakes
- Wrapping every postal address in
address - A street address is not automatically author or owner contact information. Choose the element based on meaning, not the word “address.”
- Using it for any unrelated contact block
- Keep the element tied to the page or article’s author, owner, or contact route.
- Putting an article’s author contact outside the article
- Place it inside that
articlewhen it belongs specifically to the article; otherwise it may describe the whole page.