<small>: the side comment element

The HTML <small> element represents side-comments and small print, like copyright and legal text, independent of its styled presentation. By default, it renders text within it one font-size small, such as from small to x-small.

Content categories Flow content, phrasing content
Permitted content Phrasing content
Tag omission None, must have both a start tag and an end tag.
Permitted parents Any element that accepts phrasing content, or any element that accepts flow content.
Permitted ARIA roles Any
DOM interface HTMLElement

Attributes

This element only includes the global attributes.

Examples

Example 1

<p>This is the first sentence. 
 <small>This whole sentence is in small letters.</small>
</p>

Result

This is the first sentence. This whole sentence is in small letters.

Example 2 (CSS alternative)

<p>This is the first sentence.
  <span style="font-size:0.8em">This whole sentence is in small
  letters.</span>
</p>

Result

This is the first sentence. This whole sentence is in small letters.

Specifications

Specification Status Comments
HTML Living Standard
The definition of '<small>' in that specification.		 Living Standard
HTML5
The definition of '<small>' in that specification.		 Recommendation
HTML 4.01 Specification
The definition of '<small>' in that specification.		 Recommendation

Notes

Although the <small> element, like the <b> and <i> elements, may be perceived to violate the principle of separation between structure and presentation, all three are valid in HTML5. Authors are encouraged to use their best judgement when determining whether to use <small> or CSS.

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub
DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
smallChrome Full support YesEdge Full support YesFirefox Full support 1IE Full support YesOpera Full support YesSafari Full support YesWebView Android Full support YesChrome Android Full support YesFirefox Android Full support 4Opera Android Full support YesSafari iOS Full support YesSamsung Internet Android Full support Yes

Legend

Full support  
Full support

See also

Related Topics
  1. <a>
  2. <abbr>
  3. <b>
  4. <bdi>
  5. <bdo>
  6. <br>
  7. <cite>
  8. <code>
  9. <data>
  10. <dfn>
  11. <em>
  12. <i>
  13. <kbd>
  14. <mark>
  15. <q>
  16. <rb>
  17. <rp>
  18. <rt>
  19. <rtc>
  20. <ruby>
  21. <s>
  22. <samp>
  23. <small>
  24. <span>
  25. <strong>
  26. <sub>
  27. <sup>
  28. <time>
  29. <tt>
  30. <u>
  31. <var>
  32. <wbr>
  33. 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>