<time>

The HTML <time> element represents a specific period in time. It may include the datetime attribute to translate dates into machine-readable format, allowing for better search engine results or custom features such as reminders.

It may represent one of the following:

Content categories Flow content, phrasing content, palpable content.
Permitted content Phrasing content.
Tag omission None, both the starting and ending tag are mandatory.
Permitted parents Any element that accepts phrasing content.
Implicit ARIA role No corresponding role
Permitted ARIA roles Any
DOM interface HTMLTimeElement

Attributes

Like all other HTML elements, this element supports the global attributes.

datetime
This attribute indicates the time and/or date of the element and must be in one of the formats described below.

Usage notes

This element is for presenting dates and times in a machine readable format. For example, this can help a user agent offer to add an event to a user's calendar.

This element should not be used for dates prior to the introduction of the Gregorian calendar (due to complications in calculating those dates).

The datetime value (the machine-readable value of the datetime) is the value of the element’s datetime attribute, which must be in the proper format (see below). If the element does not have a datetime attribute, it must not have any element descendants, and the datetime value is the element’s child text content.

Valid datetime Values

a valid year string
2011
a valid month string
2011-11
a valid date string
2011-11-18
a valid yearless date string
11-18
a valid week string
2011-W47
a valid time string
14:54
14:54:39
14:54:39.929
a valid local date and time string
2011-11-18T14:54:39.929
2011-11-18 14:54:39.929
a valid global date and time string
2011-11-18T14:54:39.929Z
2011-11-18T14:54:39.929-0400
2011-11-18T14:54:39.929-04:00
2011-11-18 14:54:39.929Z
2011-11-18 14:54:39.929-0400
2011-11-18 14:54:39.929-04:00
a valid duration string
PT4H18M3S

Examples

Simple example

HTML

<p>The concert starts at <time datetime="2018-07-07T20:00:00">20:00</time>.</p>

Output

datetime example

HTML

<p>The concert took place on <time
  datetime="2001-05-15T19:00">May 15</time>.</p>

Output

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
HTML Living Standard
The definition of '<time>' in that specification.
Living Standard No change from HTML 5.1
HTML 5.1
The definition of '<time>' in that specification.
Recommendation No change from HTML5
HTML5
The definition of '<time>' in that specification.
Recommendation Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

DesktopMobile
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet
timeChrome Full support 62Edge Full support ≤18Firefox Full support 22IE No support NoOpera Full support 49
Full support 49
No support 11.5 — 12
Safari Full support 7WebView Android Full support 62Chrome Android Full support 62Firefox Android Full support 22Opera Android Full support 46
Full support 46
No support 11.5 — 12
Safari iOS Full support 4Samsung Internet Android Full support 8.0
datetimeChrome Full support 62Edge Full support ≤18Firefox Full support 22IE No support NoOpera Full support 49
Full support 49
No support 11.5 — 12
Safari Full support 7WebView Android Full support 62Chrome Android Full support 62Firefox Android Full support 22Opera Android Full support 46
Full support 46
No support 11.5 — 12
Safari iOS Full support 4Samsung Internet Android Full support 8.0

Legend

Full support
Full support
No support
No support

See also

  • The <data> element, allowing to signal other kind of values.