The :visited
CSS pseudo-class represents links that the user has already visited. For privacy reasons, the styles that can be modified using this selector are very limited.
/* Selects any <a> that has been visited */ a:visited { color: green; }
Styles defined by the :visited
pseudo-class will be overridden by any subsequent link-related pseudo-class (:link
, :hover
, or :active
) that has at least equal specificity. To style links appropriately, put the :visited
rule after the :link
rule but before the :hover
and :active
rules, as defined by the LVHA-order: :link
— :visited
— :hover
— :active
.
Styling restrictions
For privacy reasons, browsers strictly limit which styles you can apply using this pseudo-class, and how they can be used:
- Allowable CSS properties are
color
,background-color
,border-color
,border-bottom-color
,border-left-color
,border-right-color
,border-top-color
,column-rule-color
,outline-color
,text-decoration-color
, andtext-emphasis-color
. - Allowable SVG attributes are
fill
andstroke
. - The alpha component of the allowed styles will be ignored. The alpha component of the element's non-
:visited
state will be used instead, except when that component is0
, in which case the style set in:visited
will be ignored entirely. - Although these styles can be change the appearance of colors to the end user, the
window.getComputedStyle
method will lie and always return the value of the non-:visited
color.
Note: For more information on these limitations and the reasons behind them, see Privacy and the :visited selector.
Syntax
:visited
Examples
Properties that would otherwise have no color or be transparent cannot be modified with :visited
. Of the properties that can be set with this pseudo-class, your browser probably has a default value for color
and column-rule-color
only. Thus, if you want to modify the other properties, you'll need to give them a base value outside the :visited
selector.
HTML
<a href="#test-visited-link">Have you visited this link yet?</a><br> <a href="">You've already visited this link.</a>
CSS
a { /* Specify non-transparent defaults to certain properties, allowing them to be styled with the :visited state */ background-color: white; border: 1px solid white; } a:visited { background-color: yellow; border-color: hotpink; color: hotpink; }
Result
Specifications
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
HTML Living Standard The definition of ':visited' in that specification. |
Living Standard | |
Selectors Level 4 The definition of ':visited' in that specification. |
Working Draft | No change. |
Selectors Level 3 The definition of ':visited' in that specification. |
Recommendation | No change. |
CSS Level 2 (Revision 1) The definition of ':visited' in that specification. |
Recommendation | Lifts the restriction to only apply :visited to the <a> element. Lets browsers restrict its behavior for privacy reasons. |
CSS Level 1 The definition of ':visited' in that specification. |
Recommendation | Initial definition. |
Browser compatibility
Desktop | Mobile | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
:visited | Chrome Full support 1 | Edge Full support 12 | Firefox Full support 1 | IE Full support 4 | Opera Full support 3.5 | Safari Full support 1 | WebView Android Full support 4.4 | Chrome Android Full support 18 | Firefox Android Full support 4 | Opera Android Full support 10.1 | Safari iOS Full support 1 | Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0 |
:visited no longer matches <link> elements | Chrome
Full support
1
| Edge Full support 12 | Firefox Full support 70 | IE No support No | Opera
Full support
15
| Safari Full support 12 | WebView Android
Full support
4.4
| Chrome Android
Full support
18
| Firefox Android No support No | Opera Android
Full support
14
| Safari iOS Full support 12 | Samsung Internet Android
Full support
1.0
|
Restrict CSS properties allowed in a statement using :visited for privacy | Chrome Full support 6 | Edge Full support 12 | Firefox Full support 4 | IE Full support 8 | Opera Full support 15 | Safari Full support 5 | WebView Android Full support 37 | Chrome Android Full support 18 | Firefox Android Full support 4 | Opera Android Full support 14 | Safari iOS Full support 4.2 | Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0 |
Legend
- Full support
- Full support
- No support
- No support
- See implementation notes.
- See implementation notes.
See also
- Privacy and the :visited selector
- Link-related pseudo-classes:
:link
,:active
,:hover