HTML <audio> tag

Updated: 11/13/2018 by Computer Hope

When writing in HTML (hypertext markup language), the <audio> tag is an inline element used to embed sound files into a web page. It is useful when you want to add any audio, such as a song or interview, to your web pages. The following sections contain information about this tag, including an example of it in use, and related attributes and browser compatibility.

Example code

<audio controls="controls">
  Your browser does not support the &lt;audio&gt; tag. 
  <source src="https://www.computerhope.com/jargon/m/example.mp3" />
</audio>

The above code, rendered in a web browser:

File formats and browser support

When utilizing the <audio> tag, ensure the sound file is in the proper format. There are three accepted formats which include MP3, Ogg, and WAV. The table below shows which Internet browsers support the three file formats.

Browser	MP3	Ogg	WAV
Chrome	Yes	Yes	Yes
Internet Explorer	Yes	No	No
Firefox	Yes	Yes	Yes
Safari	Yes	No	Yes
Opera	Yes	Yes	Yes

Attributes

All HTML tags support standard attributes that define the settings of an HTML element. In addition to the standard settings, the <audio> tag has the following unique attributes.

Attribute	Description
autoplay	Designates that the audio file will play immediately after it loads.
controls	Designates what controls to display with the audio player.
loop	Designates that the audio file should continuously repeat.
muted	Designates that the audio file should be muted.
preload	Designates how and when the audio file should load.
src	Designates the URL (uniform resource locator) of the audio file.

Compatibility

Edge	Internet Explorer	Firefox	Safari	Opera	Chrome
9.0+	8.0+	3.5+	4.0+	10.5+	4.0+

Browser, Compatibility, Container tag, Loop, Mute, Web design terms, Web page