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How do I insert a background image in HTML from a local folder?

Published in HTML Backgrounds 3 mins read

To insert a background image in HTML from a local folder, you'll use CSS, specifically the background-image property, and specify the correct path to your image file.

Steps to Add a Local Background Image

Here's a breakdown of how to do it:

  1. Ensure your image is in the correct location. The easiest approach is to keep the image file in the same folder as your HTML file. If it's in a subfolder, you'll need to adjust the path accordingly.

  2. Use the background-image property in your CSS. You can embed the CSS directly in the HTML file using the <style> tag, link it from an external CSS file, or apply it inline. The url() function specifies the path to your image.

Examples

Here are a few ways to implement this:

1. Using Internal CSS (within the <head> tag)

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Background Image Example</title>
<style>
body {
  background-image: url("my_background.jpg"); /* Image in the same folder */
  background-repeat: no-repeat; /* Optional: Prevents the image from repeating */
  background-size: cover; /* Optional: Scales the image to cover the entire element */
}
</style>
</head>
<body>

<h1>My Website</h1>
<p>This page has a background image.</p>

</body>
</html>

2. Using an External CSS File (recommended for larger projects)

Create a separate CSS file (e.g., style.css) with the following content:

body {
  background-image: url("my_background.jpg"); /* Image in the same folder */
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  background-size: cover;
}

Then, link the CSS file in your HTML:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Background Image Example</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="style.css">
</head>
<body>

<h1>My Website</h1>
<p>This page has a background image.</p>

</body>
</html>

3. Using Inline CSS (generally not recommended for entire backgrounds)

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Background Image Example</title>
</head>
<body style="background-image: url('my_background.jpg'); background-repeat: no-repeat; background-size: cover;">

<h1>My Website</h1>
<p>This page has a background image.</p>

</body>
</html>

Important Considerations

  • File Path: If your image is in a subfolder (e.g., images), the path would be url("images/my_background.jpg"). Make sure the path is relative to your HTML file.
  • Image Format: Common image formats are JPG, PNG, and GIF.
  • background-repeat: Determines how the image repeats (e.g., no-repeat, repeat-x, repeat-y, repeat).
  • background-size: Controls how the image is sized. cover is often used to cover the entire element, while contain scales the image to fit within the element without cropping. You can also use pixel values (e.g., background-size: 100px 200px;).
  • Performance: Large background images can impact page load times. Optimize images for web use.

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