Contents
HTML Default Font: Main Tips
- The
<basefont>
element used to determine the HTML default font, its size and color. - HTML 4.01 deprecated the
<basefont>
element. HTML5 fully removed it. - You should use CSS to manipulate the font style.
How basefont Was Used
<basefont>
element defined the HTML font size and color. However, the use of this element for font setting is no longer effective as the most popular browsers do not support it.
Example
<head>
<basefont color="green" size="6" face="verdana">
</head>
Here are the options to control fonts without using the HTML <basefont>
element:
- To set HTML text color, apply the CSS color property.
- To set HTML font size, use the CSS font-size property.
- To style fonts by indicating font-related properties, use the CSS font property.
- To set a list of fonts from the highest priority to lowest, use the CSS font-family property.
The example below shows the proper way of setting font style with CSS properties:
Example
<p>Don’t worry: if Plan A doesn’t work,
there are 25 more letters in the alphabet. </p>
Theory is great, but we recommend digging deeper!
Deprecated Attributes
color
It defined the default text color in a document. Not supported in HTML5.
Example
<head>
<basefont color="green">
</head>
face
It set the default text font in a document. Not supported in HTML5.
Example
<head>
<basefont face="verdana">
</head>
size
It indicated the HTML default font size of text in a document. Not supported in HTML5.
Example
<head>
<basefont size="6">
</head>
Browser support

Chrome
-

Edge
All

Firefox
-

IE
All

Opera
-

Safari
-
Mobile browser support

Chrome
-

Firefox
-

Opera
-

Safari
-