Document.linkColor is a deprecated instance property that gets or sets the color of unvisited links in the document. Learn what it controls, how it fits with legacy vlinkColor and alinkColor, the modern :link CSS replacement, and five examples with try-it labs.
Instance property
string color
Deprecated
Unvisited link
CSS :link
vlink / alink
Early HTML pages often set global link colors with JavaScript or the obsolete <body link="..."> attribute. The Document object exposed matching properties: linkColor (unvisited), vlinkColor (visited), and alinkColor (active while pressed).
An unvisited link is a normal hyperlink the browser has not yet marked as visited. Once the user opens the URL, the link moves to the visited state and vlinkColor (or CSS :visited) applies instead.
Study linkColor so you can recognize legacy scripts and old tutorials. For new pages, style links with CSS pseudo-classes: :link, :visited, :hover, and :active.
Related Document tutorials: alinkColor, fgColor, Document constructor.
Document.linkColorA getter/setter instance property on Document. Reading it returns the unvisited-link color string; writing it changes the color applied to unvisited links in the document body.
blue, darkgreen) or hex (#0066CC).null — assigning null converts to "" (empty string).#0000ee) in Mozilla Firefox.:link or color on <a> instead.document.linkColorconsole.log(document.linkColor);
// e.g. "#0000ee" in Firefox (browser-dependent)document.linkColor = "blue"; // MDN example
document.linkColor = "#0066CC";
document.linkColor = null; // becomes ""| Goal | Code / note |
|---|---|
| Read unvisited color | document.linkColor |
| MDN example | document.linkColor = "blue" |
| Set hex | document.linkColor = "#0066CC" |
| Clear (legacy) | document.linkColor = null → "" |
| Modern replacement | a:link { color: ... } |
| MDN status | Deprecated |
Four facts about document.linkColor.
stringColor value
unvisitedNot yet opened
deprecatedLegacy API
:linkModern fix
linkColor vs a:linkdocument.linkColor | a:link { color: ... } | |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Document-wide legacy hook | Per-stylesheet CSS rule |
| Recommended? | No | Yes |
| MDN status | Deprecated | Standard CSS |
| Best for | Reading old code | All new styling |
Examples follow MDN Document: linkColor. Open try-it labs to see unvisited link colors where the property still applies.
Read and set the deprecated unvisited-link color.
document.linkColorLog the current unvisited-link color (browser-dependent).
console.log(document.linkColor);
// Firefox default (MDN): "#0000ee"
// Other browsers may differ or ignore the property in practiceThe returned string may be a hex code or color name depending on how the browser stores it.
"blue"MDN’s classic assignment sets unvisited links to blue.
document.linkColor = "blue";
console.log(document.linkColor);
// Unvisited links appear blue where the property is honoredNamed colors are valid legacy inputs. Only links not yet visited use this color.
Other assignment forms and the recommended replacement.
Assign a hex value for precise brand colors on unvisited links.
document.linkColor = "#0066CC";
console.log(document.linkColor);Hex colors give designers exact control, but CSS :link is the modern way to apply them.
null Becomes Empty StringMDN: assigning null is equivalent to assigning "".
document.linkColor = null;
console.log(document.linkColor === "");
console.log(JSON.stringify(document.linkColor));This null coercion is a Document property quirk—not something to rely on in new CSS-based styling.
a:linkMDN’s recommended approach—style unvisited links in CSS.
a:link { color: #2563eb; }
a:visited { color: #7c3aed; }
a:active { color: #dc2626; }CSS gives per-site control, theming, and media queries—without deprecated Document color properties.
:focus styles for keyboard users.Hyperlinks start in the unvisited state.
document.linkColor (where supported) tints unvisited links.
The browser marks the URL visited; vlinkColor or :visited takes over.
:linkDefine unvisited (and :visited, :hover, :focus) styles in stylesheets for new projects.
linkColor is deprecated in the HTML specification (MDN).:hover; linkColor only targets the unvisited state.#0000ee per MDN; other engines may differ.vlinkColor, alinkColor, fgColor, bgColor.Document.linkColor is deprecated but may still exist for compatibility in some browsers. MDN recommends CSS :link instead. Logos use the shared browser-image-sprite.png sprite from this project.
Legacy unvisited-link color getter/setter — use CSS :link in new code.
Bottom line: Recognize linkColor in old scripts. For new styling, use a:link, a:visited, a:hover, and a:active in CSS — never document.linkColor.
Document.linkColor is a deprecated way to control the color of unvisited links in a document. It is useful for understanding legacy pages and migrating them to CSS—not for new features.
Continue with vlinkColor, links, ownerDocument, alinkColor, preferredStyleSheetSet, or the JavaScript hub.
:link, :visited, :hover, :active:focus styles for keyboard userslinkColor when updating legacy filesdocument.linkColor in new production codelinkColor for accessibility contrastlinkColorDeprecated unvisited-link color — prefer CSS :link.
string color
APIdeprecated
Legacyunvisited
Statea:link
CSSbecomes ""
QuirkOld HTML used <body link="" vlink="" alink=""> attributes for the same three link colors. JavaScript document.linkColor, vlinkColor, and alinkColor mirrored those attributes—all superseded today by CSS pseudo-classes.
Learn the deprecated visited-link color property and the CSS :visited replacement.
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