<image>: The obsolete Image element

Obsolete
This feature is obsolete. Although it may still work in some browsers, its use is discouraged since it could be removed at any time. Try to avoid using it.

Non-standard
This feature is non-standard and is not on a standards track. Do not use it on production sites facing the Web: it will not work for every user. There may also be large incompatibilities between implementations and the behavior may change in the future.

The obsolete HTML Image element (<image>) is an obsolete remnant of an ancient version of HTML lost in the mists of time; use the standard <img> element instead. Seriously, the specification even literally uses the words "Don't ask" when describing this element.

Do not use this! In order to display images, use the standard <img> element.

While some browsers will attempt to automatically convert this into an <img> element, they won't always do so, and won't always succeed when they try, due to various ways in which the options can be interpreted. So just don't use it if you like your users.

Specifications

This might have once been part of a specification, but nobody seems to remember. It certainly isn't anymore. Just avoid it like the plague.

Browser compatibility

In general, browsers will attempt to map this to <img>, but only if the src attribute is specified as well.  Creating an <image> element without a src attribute results in an HTMLElement object with the local element name "image". However, if the element is created with a src attribute, the result is instead an HTMLImageElement and its local element name is changed to "img".

However, that doesn't mean this is a good idea to use. It's not.

Update compatibility data on GitHub
DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
image
DeprecatedNon-standard
Chrome ? Edge ? Firefox Full support Yes
Notes
Full support Yes
Notes
Notes Before Firefox 22, creating an <image> element incorrectly resulted in an HTMLSpanElement object, instead of the expected HTMLElement.
IE ? Opera ? Safari ? WebView Android ? Chrome Android ? Firefox Android Full support Yes
Notes
Full support Yes
Notes
Notes Before Firefox 22, creating an <image> element incorrectly resulted in an HTMLSpanElement object, instead of the expected HTMLElement.
Opera Android ? Safari iOS ? Samsung Internet Android ?

Legend

Full support  
Full support
Compatibility unknown  
Compatibility unknown
Non-standard. Expect poor cross-browser support.
Non-standard. Expect poor cross-browser support.
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.
Deprecated. Not for use in new websites.
See implementation notes.
See implementation notes.

See also

  • <img>: The correct way to display an image in a document
  • <picture>: A more powerful correct way to display an image in a document
Related Topics
  1. <image>
  2. HTML Elements
    1. A
      1. <a>
      2. <abbr>
      3. <acronym>
      4. <address>
      5. <applet>
      6. <area>
      7. <article>
      8. <aside>
      9. <audio>
    2. B
      1. <b>
      2. <base>
      3. <basefont>
      4. <bdi>
      5. <bdo>
      6. <bgsound>
      7. <big>
      8. <blink>
      9. <blockquote>
      10. <body>
      11. <br>
      12. <button>
    3. C
      1. <canvas>
      2. <caption>
      3. <center>
      4. <cite>
      5. <code>
      6. <col>
      7. <colgroup>
      8. <content>
    4. D
      1. <data>
      2. <datalist>
      3. <dd>
      4. <del>
      5. <details>
      6. <dfn>
      7. <dialog>
      8. <dir>
      9. <div>
      10. <dl>
      11. <dt>
    5. E
      1. <em>
      2. <embed>
    6. F
      1. <fieldset>
      2. <figcaption>
      3. <figure>
      4. <font>
      5. <footer>
      6. <form>
      7. <frame>
      8. <frameset>
    7. G H
      1. <h1>
      2. <h2>
      3. <h3>
      4. <h4>
      5. <h5>
      6. <h6>
      7. <head>
      8. <header>
      9. <hgroup>
      10. <hr>
      11. <html>
    8. I
      1. <i>
      2. <iframe>
      3. <img>
      4. <input>
      5. <ins>
      6. <isindex>
    9. J K
      1. <kbd>
      2. <keygen>
    10. L
      1. <label>
      2. <legend>
      3. <li>
      4. <link>
      5. <listing>
    11. M
      1. <main>
      2. <map>
      3. <mark>
      4. <marquee>
      5. <menu>
      6. <menuitem>
      7. <meta>
      8. <meter>
    12. N
      1. <nav>
      2. <nobr>
      3. <noframes>
      4. <noscript>
    13. O
      1. <object>
      2. <ol>
      3. <optgroup>
      4. <option>
      5. <output>
    14. P
      1. <p>
      2. <param>
      3. <picture>
      4. <plaintext>
      5. <pre>
      6. <progress>
    15. Q
      1. <q>
    16. R
      1. <rp>
      2. <rt>
      3. <rtc>
      4. <ruby>
    17. S
      1. <s>
      2. <samp>
      3. <script>
      4. <section>
      5. <select>
      6. <shadow>
      7. <slot>
      8. <small>
      9. <source>
      10. <spacer>
      11. <span>
      12. <strike>
      13. <strong>
      14. <style>
      15. <sub>
      16. <summary>
      17. <sup>
    18. T
      1. <table>
      2. <tbody>
      3. <td>
      4. <template>
      5. <textarea>
      6. <tfoot>
      7. <th>
      8. <thead>
      9. <time>
      10. <title>
      11. <tr>
      12. <track>
      13. <tt>
    19. U
      1. <u>
      2. <ul>
    20. V
      1. <var>
      2. <video>
    21. W
      1. <wbr>
    22. X Y Z
      1. <xmp>