You might see <ins> Element reference while reading someone else’s HTML, or need it while building a page of your own. Instead of memorizing a definition, look at a working example and see when the element makes sense.
The Idea in Plain English
Marks inserted content in an edited document. Use it for genuine changes, optionally recording a datetime.
For a reference page, pay attention to where the element is allowed, whether it needs a closing tag, and what other elements it can contain.
A Working Example
Read the sample once before copying it. Notice the element names and attribute values, then compare them with the explanation below.
<p>Meeting starts at <del>4 PM</del> <ins datetime="2026-10-09">5 PM</ins>.</p>What Each Part Does
- The ins element records inserted content in an edited document.
- A paragraph keeps one idea together as readable text.
- The del element records deleted content in an edited document.
- datetime stores a date or time in a machine-readable format.
The updated time is identified as added content.
Try It Yourself
Try replacing the example content with your own while keeping the valid HTML structure.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Using ins to create an underline for text with no editorial change.
- Changing several parts of the example at once, making it difficult to see which part caused a different result.
- Choosing a tag only because its default appearance looks right, without checking whether it describes the content correctly.
Key Takeaways
- Marks inserted content in an edited document. Use it for genuine changes, optionally recording a datetime.
- The updated time is identified as added content.
- Test the markup in a browser, and check accessibility and real-world behavior where relevant.