---
title: HTMLIFrameElement
slug: Web/API/HTMLIFrameElement
tags:
  - API
translation_of: Web/API/HTMLIFrameElement
---
<div>
<div>{{APIRef("HTML DOM")}}</div>
</div>

<p>The <strong><code>HTMLIFrameElement</code></strong> interface provides special properties and methods (beyond those of the {{domxref("HTMLElement")}} interface it also has available to it by inheritance) for manipulating the layout and presentation of inline frame elements.</p>

<h2 id="Properties">Properties</h2>

<p><em>Inherits properties from its parent, {{domxref("HTMLElement")}}</em>.</p>

<dl>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.align")}} {{obsolete_inline}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} that specifies the alignment of the frame with respect to the surrounding context.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.allowfullscreen")}} {{experimental_inline}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("Boolean")}} that indicates whether or not the inline frame is willing to be placed into full screen mode. See <a href="/en-US/docs/DOM/Using_full-screen_mode" title="https://developer.mozilla.org/en/DOM/Using_full-screen_mode">Using full-screen mode</a> for details.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.contentDocument")}} {{readonlyInline}}</dt>
 <dd>Returns a {{domxref("Document")}}, the active document in the inline frame's nested browsing context.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.contentWindow")}} {{readonlyInline}}</dt>
 <dd>Returns a {{domxref("WindowProxy")}}, the window proxy for the nested browsing context.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.frameborder")}} {{obsolete_inline}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} that indicates whether to create borders between frames.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.height")}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} that reflects the {{htmlattrxref("height", "iframe")}} HTML attribute, indicating the height of the frame.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.longDesc")}} {{obsolete_inline}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} that contains the URI of a long description of the frame.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.marginHeight")}} {{obsolete_inline}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} being the height of the frame margin.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.marginWidth")}} {{obsolete_inline}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} being the width of the frame margin.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.name")}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} that reflects the {{htmlattrxref("name", "iframe")}} HTML attribute, containing a name by which to refer to the frame.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.sandbox")}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("DOMSettableTokenList")}} that reflects the {{htmlattrxref("sandbox", "iframe")}} HTML attribute, indicating extra restrictions on the behavior of the nested content.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.scrolling")}} {{obsolete_inline}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} that indicates whether the browser should provide scrollbars for the frame.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.seamless")}} {{experimental_inline}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("Boolean")}} that reflects the {{htmlattrxref("seamless", "iframe")}} HTML attribute, indicating that the inline frame should be rendered seamlessly within the parent document.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.src")}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} that reflects the {{htmlattrxref("src", "iframe")}} HTML attribute, containing the address of the content to be embedded.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.srcdoc")}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} that represents the content to display in the frame.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.width")}}</dt>
 <dd>Is a {{domxref("DOMString")}} that reflects the {{htmlattrxref("width", "iframe")}} HTML attribute, indicating the width of the frame.</dd>
</dl>

<h2 id="Methods">Methods</h2>

<p><em>No specific method; inherits properties from its parent, {{domxref("HTMLElement")}}</em>.</p>

<h2 id="Specifications">Specifications</h2>

<table class="standard-table">
 <tbody>
  <tr>
   <th scope="col">Specification</th>
   <th scope="col">Status</th>
   <th scope="col">Comment</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td>{{SpecName('HTML WHATWG', "the-iframe-element.html#the-iframe-element", "HTMLIFrameElement")}}</td>
   <td>{{Spec2('HTML WHATWG')}}</td>
   <td>The following property has been added: <code>allowFullscreen</code>.</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td>{{SpecName('HTML5 W3C', "embedded-content-0.html#the-iframe-element", "HTMLIFrameElement")}}</td>
   <td>{{Spec2('HTML5 W3C')}}</td>
   <td>The following properties are now obsolete: <code>scrolling</code>, <code>marginWidth</code>, <code>marginHeight</code>, <code>longDesc</code>, <code>frameBorder</code>, and <code>align</code>.<br>
    The following properties have been added: <code>srcdoc</code>, <code>sandbox</code>, <code>seamless</code>, and <code>contentWindow</code>.</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td>{{SpecName('DOM2 HTML', 'html.html#ID-50708718', 'HTMLIFrameElement')}}</td>
   <td>{{Spec2('DOM2 HTML')}}</td>
   <td>The <code>contentDocument</code> property has been added.</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td>{{SpecName('DOM1', 'level-one-html.html#ID-50708718', 'HTMLIFrameElement')}}</td>
   <td>{{Spec2('DOM1')}}</td>
   <td>Initial definition.</td>
  </tr>
 </tbody>
</table>

<h2 id="Browser_compatibility">Browser compatibility</h2>

<div>{{CompatibilityTable}}</div>

<div id="compat-desktop">
<table class="compat-table">
 <tbody>
  <tr>
   <th>Feature</th>
   <th>Chrome</th>
   <th>Firefox (Gecko)</th>
   <th>Internet Explorer</th>
   <th>Opera</th>
   <th>Safari (WebKit)</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td>Basic support</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatGeckoDesktop(1.0)}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td><code>srcdoc</code></td>
   <td>4</td>
   <td>{{CompatGeckoDesktop(25)}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td><code>sandbox</code></td>
   <td>4</td>
   <td>{{CompatGeckoDesktop(17)}} [1]</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td><code>seamless</code> {{experimental_inline}}</td>
   <td>4</td>
   <td>{{CompatNo}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td><code>contentDocument</code></td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>8.0 (for older version use <code>HTMLIFrameElement.contentWindow.document</code> instead)</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td><code>contentWindow</code></td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td><code>allowFullScreen</code> {{experimental_inline}}</td>
   <td>17 {{property_prefix("-webkit")}}<br>
    <em>Daily test builds only</em></td>
   <td>{{compatGeckoDesktop(9.0)}} {{property_prefix("-moz")}}<br>
    {{compatGeckoDesktop(18.0)}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatNo}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatNo}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatNo}}</td>
  </tr>
 </tbody>
</table>
</div>

<div id="compat-mobile">
<table class="compat-table">
 <tbody>
  <tr>
   <th>Feature</th>
   <th>Android</th>
   <th>Firefox Mobile (Gecko)</th>
   <th>IE Phone</th>
   <th>Opera Mobile</th>
   <th>Safari Mobile</th>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td>Basic support</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatGeckoMobile(1.0)}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td><code>srcdoc</code></td>
   <td>4</td>
   <td>{{CompatGeckoMobile(25)}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td><code>sandbox</code></td>
   <td>4</td>
   <td>{{CompatGeckoMobile(17)}} [1]</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td><code>seamless</code> {{experimental_inline}}</td>
   <td>4</td>
   <td>{{CompatNo}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td><code>contentDocument</code></td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatVersionUnknown}}</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td><code>contentWindow</code></td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatUnknown}}</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
   <td><code>allowFullScreen</code> {{experimental_inline}}</td>
   <td>17 {{property_prefix("-webkit")}}<br>
    <em>Daily test builds only</em></td>
   <td>{{compatGeckoMobile(9.0)}} {{property_prefix("-moz")}}<br>
    {{compatGeckoMobile(18.0)}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatNo}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatNo}}</td>
   <td>{{CompatNo}}</td>
  </tr>
 </tbody>
</table>
</div>

<p>[1] Previously, the type of <code>sandbox</code> was a {{domxref("DOMString")}} instead of a {{domxref("DOMSettableTokenList")}}. This has been fixed with <a href="/en-US/Firefox/Releases/29/Site_Compatibility">Gecko 29.0</a> {{geckoRelease(29)}}) ({{bug(845067)}}). Other browsers may still implement the property as <code>DOMString</code> since it was a late change in the specification.</p>

<h3 id="Firefox_OS_notes">Firefox OS notes</h3>

<p>Firefox OS extend the <code>HTMLIFrameElement</code> interface to support browser iframes. Those extra methods are made for <a href="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Firefox_OS/Security/Application_security" title="https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Mozilla/Firefox_OS/Security/Application_security">privileged applications</a> which want to implement a browser like application for Firefox OS devices. Not that in that context, the <code>HTMLIFrameElement</code> also inherit methods from the {{domxref("EventTarget")}} interface. To learn how to implement such applications, see the <a href="/en-US/docs/WebAPI/Browser" title="/en-US/docs/WebAPI/Browser">Using the Browser API</a> article.</p>

<dl>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.setVisible()","HTMLIFrameElement.setVisible(visible)")}}</dt>
 <dd>Allows the parent to explicitly change the visibility state of the browser iframes.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.getVisible()","HTMLIFrameElement.getVisible()")}}</dt>
 <dd>Returns the current visibility state of the browser iframe. Returns a {{domxref("DOMRequest")}}.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.sendMouseEvent()","HTMLIFrameElement.sendMouseEvent(type, x, y, button, clickCount, modifiers)")}}</dt>
 <dd>Send a mouse event to the browser iframe.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.sendTouchEvent()","HTMLIFrameElement.sendTouchEvent(type, identifiers, touchesX, touchesY,radiisX, radiisY, rotationAngles, forces,count, modifiers)")}}</dt>
 <dd>Send a touch event to the browser iframe.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.goBack()","HTMLIFrameElement.goBack()")}}</dt>
 <dd>Navigate the browser iframe back.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.goForward()","HTMLIFrameElement.goForward()")}}</dt>
 <dd>Navigate the browser iframe forward.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.reload()","HTMLIFrameElement.reload()")}}</dt>
 <dd>Reload the browser iframe.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.stop()","HTMLIFrameElement.stop()")}}</dt>
 <dd>Stop loading the browser iframe content.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.purgeHistory()","HTMLIFrameElement.purgeHistory()")}}</dt>
 <dd>Allows to remove the all browsing history of the browser iframe.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.getScreenshot()","HTMLIFrameElement.getScreenshot(maxWidth, maxHeight)")}}</dt>
 <dd>Allows to take a screenshot of the browser iframe's content, scaled to fit within <code>maxWidth</code> and <code>maxHeight</code> pixels. Returns a {{domxref("DOMRequest")}}.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.addNextPaintListener()","HTMLIFrameElement.addNextPaintListener()")}}</dt>
 <dd>Add a listener to recieve an event the first time the browser iframe is ready to paint (This listener is sent an event after the first {{event("MozAfterPaint")}} event is dispacted in the iframe.)</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.removeNextPaintListener()","HTMLIFrameElement.removeNextPaintListener()")}}</dt>
 <dd>Remove the listener added by the previous function.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.getCanGoBack()","HTMLIFrameElement.getCanGoBack()")}}</dt>
 <dd>Returns a {{domxref("DOMRequest")}} which <code>result</code> is a boolean indicating wether the browser iframe can be navigate backward.</dd>
 <dt>{{domxref("HTMLIFrameElement.getCanGoForward()","HTMLIFrameElement.getCanGoForward()")}}</dt>
 <dd>Returns a {{domxref("DOMRequest")}} which <code>result</code> is a boolean indicating wether the browser iframe can be navigate forward.</dd>
</dl>

<h2 id="See_also">See also</h2>

<ul>
 <li>The HTML element implementing this interface: {{HTMLElement("iframe")}}</li>
</ul>