How to View Source Code

Read a website's source code on Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari, & More

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: December 13, 2024 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to view the source code of a website, which is the code behind any website (such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript), on most common browsers. Excluding a Safari trick, you cannot view a website's source code while using a mobile browser.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Internet Explorer

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The process for viewing source code on Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Internet Explorer is the same.
It should be a page whose source code you wish to view.

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3
Right-click the page. If you're using a Mac computer with a one-button mouse, you can hold down Control and click instead. If you are on a laptop with a trackpad, you can use two fingers to click the page instead. This will create a drop-down menu.
- Don't right-click a link or a photo when doing this or else the wrong menu will appear.
4
Click View page source or View Source. Doing so will display your browser's source code in a new window or at the bottom of the current window.
- You'll see View page source for Chrome and Firefox, and View Source for Microsoft Edge and Internet Explorer.
- You can also press Ctrl+U (PC) or ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+U (Mac) to display the source code.^{[1]
  X
  Research source}

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Safari

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This is a blue, compass-shaped app.
It's in the top-left side of your Mac's menu bar. Doing so invokes a drop-down menu.^{[2]
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Research source}
This option is in the middle of the drop-down menu.^{[3]
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Research source}
It's in the top-right corner of the Preferences window.^{[4]
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Research source}
This option is near the bottom of the Preferences window. You should see a Develop menu appear in your Mac's menu bar.^{[5]
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It should be a page whose source code you wish to view.
This menu is to the left of the Window menu in your Mac's menu bar.^{[6]
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8
Click Show Page Source. It's near the bottom of the drop-down menu. Clicking this option will prompt Safari to display the webpage's source code.^{[7]
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- You can also press ⌥ Option+⌘ Command+U to display the source code.

Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

On Wikis

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Community Q&A

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Question

The view source doesn't exist on my Mac, where do I find it?

Community Answer

To be able to view the source code of a webpage under Safari, you first need to enable the Developer menu: Click on Safari menu > Preferences > Advanced. Check "Show Develop menu in menu bar" Close the Preferences window Go to the Develop menu > Show Page Source

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Question

How do I view the source code of an image on a page without seeing the code for the whole page?

Community Answer

Right-click on the image and select "Inspect" from the available options.

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Question

How do I create HTML source code for an image that I have on my computer?

Community Answer

Add the image location on your computer to the source code. Make sure the file is available and then run.

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Tips

While you can't usually view source code on a mobile browser, you can save a Safari bookmark on iPhone or iPad to view mobile Safari source code.

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