<menuitem>

This is an experimental technology
Because this technology's specification has not stabilized, check the compatibility table for usage in various browsers. Also note that the syntax and behavior of an experimental technology is subject to change in future versions of browsers as the specification changes.

The HTML <menuitem> element represents a command that a user is able to invoke through a popup menu. This includes context menus, as well as menus that might be attached to a menu button.

A command can either be defined explicitly, with a textual label and optional icon to describe its appearance, or alternatively as an indirect command whose behavior is defined by a separate element. Commands can also optionally include a checkbox or be grouped to share radio buttons. (Menu items for indirect commands gain checkboxes or radio buttons when defined against elements <input type="checkbox"> and <input type="radio">.)

Content categories None.
Permitted content None, it is an empty element.
Tag omission Must have a start tag and must not have an end tag.
Permitted parents The <menu> element, where that element is in the popup menu state. (If specified, the type attribute of the <menu> element must be popup; if missing, the parent element of the <menu> must itself be a <menu> in the popup menu state.)
Permitted ARIA roles None
DOM interface HTMLMenuItemElement

Attributes

This element includes the global attributes; in particular title can be used to describe the command, or provide usage hints.

checked
Boolean attribute which indicates whether the command is selected. May only be used when the type attribute is checkbox or radio.
command
Specifies the ID of a separate element, indicating a command to be invoked indirectly. May not be used within a menu item that also includes the attributes checked, disabled, icon, label, radiogroup or type.
default
This Boolean attribute indicates use of the same command as the menu's subject element (such as a button or input).
disabled
Boolean attribute which indicates that the command is not available in the current state. Note that disabled is distinct from hidden; the disabled attribute is appropriate in any context where a change in circumstances might render the command relevant.
icon
Image URL, used to provide a picture to represent the command.
label
The name of the command as shown to the user. Required when a command attribute is not present.
radiogroup
This attribute specifies the name of a group of commands to be toggled as radio buttons when selected. May only be used where the type attribute is radio.
type
This attribute indicates the kind of command, and can be one of three values.
  • command: A regular command with an associated action. This is the missing value default.
  • checkbox: Represents a command that can be toggled between two different states.
  • radio: Represent one selection from a group of commands that can be toggled as radio buttons.

Example

HTML content

<!-- A <div> element with a context menu -->
<div contextmenu="popup-menu">
  Right-click to see the adjusted context menu
</div>
<menu type="context" id="popup-menu">
  <menuitem type="checkbox" onclick="toggleOption()"
    checked="true">Checkbox</menuitem>
  <menuitem type="command" label="Command" icon="icon.png"
    onclick="doSomething()">Checkbox</menuitem>
  <menuitem type="radio" name="group1" onclick="option()"
    checked="true">Radio button 1</menuitem>
  <menuitem type="radio" name="group1"
    onclick="option()">Radio button 2</menuitem>
</menu>

CSS content

div {
  width: 300px;
  height: 80px;
  background-color: lightgreen;
}

Result

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
WHATWG HTML Living Standard
The definition of '<menuitem>' in that specification.
Living Standard  
HTML 5.1
The definition of '<menuitem>' in that specification.
Recommendation  

Browser compatibility

Feature Chrome Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Edge Opera Safari
Basic support No support[1] 8 (8)[2] No support No support (Yes)[3] ?
Feature Android Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Mobile Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support No support 8.0 (8) No support No support No support

[1] Not anymore due to compatibility issues. Only with commandline flag --enable-blink-features=ContextMenu. See Chromium bug.

[2] Only works for <menuitems> defined within a <menu> element assigned to an element via the contextmenu attribute. Furthermore, the element requires a closing tag.

[3] This is implemented behind the preference Enable experimental Web Platform features and only supports type="command".

See also

Document Tags and Contributors

 Last updated by: sideshowbarker,