<u>: The U Element
Last updated: 2026-10-13
<u>The U Element
Adds an underline without emphasis, often used for misspelled words or proper names needing visual distinction.
| Category | Formatting |
|---|---|
| Content Model | Phrasing content |
| Allowed Parents | Any element that accepts phrasing content |
| Content Tag | Yes — requires closing </u> tag |
| Status | Standard |
📝 Syntax
<u>underlined text</u>▶ Example
Edit the code below and see the live result in the playground:
🌐 Browser Support
| Browser |  Chrome |
 Edge |
 Firefox |
 Safari |
 Opera |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <u> | ✓ v1 | ✓ v12 | ✓ v1 | ✓ v1 | ✓ v1 |
| Supported in all major browsers | |||||
Tip： Underlines are easily confused with links; prefer CSS unless there is a real semantic need for <u>.
❓ FAQ
QIs the u tag still recommended?
AHTML5 redefined
<u>: non-textual annotation, such as proper names in Chinese or misspellings marked during proofreading. Do not use it as a decorative underline — underlines are easily confused with hyperlinks, so use it sparingly on ordinary text.QWhat is the difference between u and ins?
ABoth default to underline styling, but the semantics differ:
<u> is textual annotation (names, spelling errors), <ins> is inserted content (revision records). For additions use <ins>, which also supports the cite and datetime attributes.QWhy do many people say not to use the u tag?
AHistorical reasons:
<u> was a purely visual tag deprecated in HTML4, and underlines are easily confused with links, hurting usability. Although HTML5 restored a semantic definition, in practice <mark> (highlight) or CSS handles text annotation better, so <u> is rarely used.🏷️ Related Tags
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