HTML br Tag: Line Breaks

The br tag adds a single line break in HTML. It is an empty tag that does not need a closing tag. Use it to break lines of text where needed.

How the <br> Tag Works in HTML

In forms or contact sections, <br> is useful for breaking text like addresses into readable lines.

Use <br> to format lines in poems or lyrics where each line starts on a new row.

Here is the tag:

<br>

It can be written with or without the closing slash (<br />). Both work in modern HTML.

Use <br> when a break occurs within the same paragraph or content block. If the content should be a separate idea or block, use <p> instead.

Here is a quick example:

<p>Line one<br>Line two</p>

This will show “Line one” followed by “Line two” on a new line inside the same paragraph.

Do not use <br> to create space between elements. Use CSS for layout and spacing to keep structure clean and accessible.

Browsers treat <br> as a newline without adding extra space like <p> or <div>. It creates a simple break within content flow.

Instead of using <br><br>, use CSS margin or padding for vertical spacing. It keeps content more semantic and cleaner to manage.

Examples

Break Address in Contact Info:

<address>
  John Doe<br>
  1234 Main St.<br>
  Anytown, USA
</address>

This example uses <br> inside the <address> tag to place each part of the address on a new line. It improves readability.

Multiline Form Label:

<label for="bio">
  Tell us about yourself:<br>
  (Max 500 characters)
</label>
<textarea id="bio"></textarea>

The <br> tag separates the main label from the note. This makes it easier to scan without using multiple label elements.

Formatting a Short Poem:

<p>
  Roses are red,<br>
  Violets are blue,<br>
  I write HTML,<br>
  And so do you.
</p>

This formats each line of the poem separately using <br>. Each line appears on a new row inside the same paragraph block.

Custom Signature in Emails:

<p>
  Regards,<br>
  <strong>Jane Smith</strong><br>
  Front-End Developer<br>
  jane@example.com
</p>

This signature layout uses <br> to separate the name, title, and email. It keeps the structure in a single paragraph for styling.

Wrapping Up

In this article, you learned what the <br> tag does and how to use it in different situations like forms, poems, or contact info.
Here is a quick recap:

• <br> adds a line break without a new block
• It works inside inline or block-level elements
• Avoid using it for layout — use CSS instead
• Use it wisely to improve text flow where a new paragraph is not needed

FAQs

<p>Line 1<br><br>Line 2</p>

<li>Item A<br>Item B</li>

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