HTML <audio> tag
HTML <audio> tag: Definition
Before HTML5 arrived on the scene, there was no standard for playing audio files on a web page, Therefore, the only way to play audio files was to use a plug-in such as flash. Now, the HTML5 <audio> element specifies a standard way to embed audio in a web page. Moreover, playback may be controlled using JavaScript.
It may contain one or more audio sources, represented using the src attribute or the <source> element: the browser will choose the most suitable one. It can also be the destination for streamed media, using a MediaStream.
Audio tag example:
Result :
Note: The audio tag is not supported in Internet Explorer 8 and earlier versions.
Attribute | Value | Description |
---|---|---|
autoplay |
autoplay |
This Boolean attribute specifies that the audio will automatically start playing as soon as it can do so without stopping to finish loading the data. |
controls |
controls |
If specified, the browsers will display controls to allow the user to control audio playback, such as play/pause, volume, etc. |
loop |
loop |
This Boolean attribute specifies that the audio will automatically start over again, upon reaching the end. |
muted |
muted |
This Boolean attribute specifies whether the audio will be initially silenced. The default value is false, meaning that the audio will be played. |
preload |
auto |
Provides a hint to the browser about whether to download of the audio itself or its metadata. The autoplay attribute can override this attribute, because if you want to automatically play a audio, the browser will obviously need to download it. |
src |
URL | Specifies the location of the audio file. Alternatively, you can use the preferred <source> tag as it allows for multiple options. |