References

Beginner-friendly references for web development, with live, editable examples.

The HTML download attribute

Attribute All modern browsers Updated
Quick answer

The HTML download attribute tells the browser to download the linked URL instead of navigating to it, optionally with a suggested filename. It is used on the <a> and <area> elements.

Overview

The download attribute tells the browser to download the linked URL instead of navigating to it, optionally with a suggested filename. It applies to the <a> and <area> elements.

A bare download keeps the original filename; download="2026-report.pdf" suggests a new one. For cross-origin URLs the filename hint is ignored for security.

Syntax

<a href="/report.pdf" download>Download</a>

Values

Value
Empty (use the resource's name) — or a string giving a suggested filename.

Example

Live example 
<a href="https://codeshack.io/downloads/guide.pdf" download>Download the guide (PDF)</a>

Best practices

  • Write descriptive link text — avoid "click here", which is meaningless out of context.
  • When using target="_blank", modern browsers add rel="noopener" for you, but set it explicitly for older ones.
  • Use rel values like nofollow, noreferrer and canonical deliberately for SEO and privacy.
  • Make sure links are distinguishable by more than color alone.

Frequently asked questions

What does the download attribute do?
Prompts the browser to download the linked file.
How do I open a link in a new tab?
Add target="_blank". Pair it with rel="noopener" for security in older browsers.
What does the rel attribute do on a link?
It states the relationship to the linked resource — for example nofollow, noreferrer, stylesheet or canonical.
Which elements use the download attribute?
It is an element-specific attribute, used on the <a> and <link> elements.
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