The hidden attribute in HTML is used to hide elements that are not currently relevant; 1. It visually hides the element like display: none in CSS; 2. The element remains in the DOM and can be accessed via JavaScript; 3. It is typically ignored by screen readers, aiding accessibility; 4. It is a boolean attribute, so no value is needed; 5. It can be toggled in JavaScript by setting the hidden property to true or false; 6. Unlike visibility: hidden or opacity: 0, it removes the element from layout; 7. It is semantically meaningful, indicating temporary irrelevance; 8. Common use cases include inactive tabs, loading states, and conditionally revealed content; 9. It can be styled in CSS using [hidden] { display: none !important; }, though this is applied by default; 10. It should not be used to hide sensitive data, as the content remains in the source code.
The hidden attribute in HTML is a global attribute that allows you to indicate that an element is not yet, or no longer, relevant to the page. When added to an element, it tells the browser to hide the element from rendering, making it invisible to users on the screen.

How It Works
When you add hidden
to an HTML element:
<div hidden> This content is hidden and won't be displayed. </div>
- The element is not displayed visually (similar to
display: none
in CSS). - It is still present in the DOM — meaning JavaScript can access and manipulate it.
- It is typically ignored by screen readers and other assistive technologies, improving accessibility by signaling irrelevance.
Key Points About the Hidden Attribute
It’s a boolean attribute: Just including
hidden
is enough — no need to set a value.<p hidden>Hidden paragraph</p>
Can be toggled with JavaScript:
document.getElementById("myDiv").hidden = false; // Makes it visible
Different from
visibility: hidden
oropacity: 0
:hidden
removes the element from layout (likedisplay: none
).visibility: hidden
keeps the space reserved but makes content invisible.
Better than CSS for semantic hiding: Using
hidden
conveys intent — that the content is temporarily irrelevant — which can help with code readability and accessibility.
When to Use It
- Content that’s not ready to be shown (e.g., loading states, incomplete forms).
- Tabs or panels that are inactive.
- Elements conditionally revealed via JavaScript (e.g., modals, dropdowns).
- Hiding elements based on user actions or device type.
Example: Toggle Visibility
<button onclick="show()">Show Message</button> <p id="msg" hidden>Hello! I was hidden.</p> <script> function show() { document.getElementById("msg").hidden = false; } </script>
Notes
You can style the
hidden
attribute in CSS if needed:[hidden] { display: none !important; }
(Note: Browsers apply this by default, but you can customize it — though
display: none
is standard.)Avoid using
hidden
for sensitive data — it’s not a security feature. The content is still in the HTML source.
Basically, the hidden
attribute is a clean, semantic way to hide elements that aren’t currently relevant — simple to use, accessible, and widely supported.
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