<bdo>: The Bidirectional Text Override element

The HTML Bidirectional Text Override element (<bdo>) overrides the current directionality of text, so that the text within is rendered in a different direction.

The text's characters are drawn from the starting point in the given direction; the individual characters' orientation is not affected (so characters don't get drawn backward, for example).

Content categories Flow content, phrasing content, palpable content.
Permitted content Phrasing content.
Permitted parents Any element that accepts phrasing content.
Permitted ARIA roles Any


This element's attributes include the global attributes.

The direction in which text should be rendered in this element's contents. Possible values are:
  • ltr: Indicates that the text should go in a left-to-right direction.
  • rtl: Indicates that the text should go in a right-to-left direction.


<!-- Switch text direction -->
<p>This text will go left to right.</p>
<p><bdo dir="rtl">This text will go right
to left.</bdo></p>



The HTML 4 specification did not specify events for this element; they were added in XHTML. This is most likely an oversight.


Specification Status Comment
HTML Living Standard
The definition of '<bdo>' in that specification.
Living Standard  
The definition of '<bdo>' in that specification.
HTML 4.01 Specification
The definition of '<bdo>' in that specification.

Browser compatibility

Update compatibility data on GitHub
ChromeEdgeFirefoxInternet ExplorerOperaSafariAndroid webviewChrome for AndroidFirefox for AndroidOpera for AndroidSafari on iOSSamsung Internet


Full support  
Full support