HTML ins Tag: How to Mark Inserted Text in a Document

The <ins> tag in HTML shows text that the author added after the original content. This helps readers know what is new in a document. Many sites use this tag when they update articles, legal papers, or user guides.

The tag can also appear with the <del> tag to show both removed and added parts.

Understand the <ins> Tag in HTML

The <ins> tag marks text as an addition to existing content. Browsers show this text with an underline by default. It can also hold the date and reason for the change.

You can write the <ins> tag with two optional attributes.

• cite points to a link that explains the reason for the change.
• datetime records when the change happened.

<ins cite="URL" datetime="YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SSZ">Inserted text here</ins>

It shows the text with a style that marks it as new when a browser finds the <ins> tag. The default style is underline, but CSS can change this look.

Readers can hover on the text if you use the cite attribute to see the link with details.

The Differences Between <ins> Tag vs <del> Tag

The <ins> tag shows new text that you add to the content, while the <del> tag marks text that you remove from the content.

Both tags can work together to show changes in one place. Here is a table that shows you key differences:

Here is the use case for each one:

• Use <ins> when you add rules to a contract or update a guide.
• You can use the <del> when you remove wrong or outdated text from a report.

Examples of the <ins> Tag in HTML

Basic Inserted Text:

<p>This is my original text. <ins>Here is the new part.</ins></p>

This example adds a short piece to the sentence. The <ins> tag makes it easy for the reader to notice the change.

Inserted Text with Date:

<p>We meet every week. <ins datetime="2025-08-11">Now we meet every two weeks.</ins></p>

This example records the date of the update. Readers know exactly when the new meeting rule took effect.

Inserted Text with a Reason Link:

<p>All staff must follow the rules. <ins cite="https://example.com/rules-update">New rules were added for safety.</ins></p>

This example gives a source for the update. The link in cite shows the document that explains the new safety rules.

Wrapping Up

In this article, you learned the purpose of the <ins> tag and how it works in HTML. You also saw how it differs from the <del> tag, and how to write both with attributes for date and source. Here is a quick recap:

• <ins> shows added text in a document.
• It can have cite and datetime attributes.
• <del> marks removed text.
• You can use both tags together for edits.

FAQs

<p>This is <ins>new</ins> text.</p>

ins {
  color: red;
  text-decoration: underline;
}

<p>I like <del>tea</del> <ins>coffee</ins>.</p>

<ins datetime="2025-08-11">Updated text</ins>

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