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HTML <frameset> Tag

The <frameset> tag in HTML was used to define a set of frames within the browser window. It allowed you to divide the window into multiple sections (frames), each displaying a separate HTML document. ⚠️ Important: The <frameset> element is not supported in HTML5. It was used in older versions (HTML 4.01) and has been [&hellip;]

Nov 2, 2025HTMLHTML TagsTutorials

The <frameset> tag in HTML was used to define a set of frames within the browser window. It allowed you to divide the window into multiple sections (frames), each displaying a separate HTML document.

⚠️ Important: The <frameset> element is not supported in HTML5. It was used in older versions (HTML 4.01) and has been replaced by modern layout methods such as CSS Grid, Flexbox, or iframes.

Syntax

<frameset rows="value" cols="value">
  <frame src="URL1">
  <frame src="URL2">
</frameset>

Attributes

AttributeDescription
rowsSpecifies the number and size of horizontal frames (comma-separated values).
colsSpecifies the number and size of vertical frames (comma-separated values).
borderDefines the width of the border between frames.
frameborderSpecifies whether a border should be displayed between frames (1 or 0).
framespacingDefines the space between frames (non-standard, used in older browsers).
onloadEvent handler triggered when the frameset has finished loading.
onunloadEvent handler triggered when the frameset is unloaded.

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>HTML Frameset Example</title>
  </head>
  <frameset cols="50%,50%">
    <frame src="https://wikipedia.com" name="leftFrame">
    <frame src="https://hindigems.com" name="rightFrame">
  </frameset>
</html>

Output

Browser Output

This example divides the browser window into two vertical frames:
  • The left frame loads frame1.html.
  • The right frame loads frame2.html.

(Note: In modern browsers, this will not work, as <frameset> and <frame> are deprecated.)

Browser Support

Chrome
Chrome		Firefox
Firefox		Edge
Edge		Safari
Safari		Opera
Opera		IE
IE9+
❌No⚠️Partial❌No⚠️Partial⚠️Partial✅Yes

The <frameset> tag is partially supported by few browser’s older version but most of the browser dosn’t support this tag.

Notes

  • The <frameset> tag replaced the <body> tag in documents that used frames.
  • Each frame could display a different webpage.
  • Frames often caused usability and bookmarking problems.
  • In HTML5, use <iframe> or modern CSS for layout and embedding.

Conclusion

The <frameset> tag was once a useful feature for creating multi-document layouts, but it is deprecated and obsolete in modern web development. Developers should now use CSS layout techniques or iframes for embedding content instead of using framesets.