How do you add a class to the <html> root element using Javascript?

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Editorial Team

Asked: June 16, 20262026-06-16T06:02:17+00:00 2026-06-16T06:02:17+00:00

How do you add a class to the <html> root element using Javascript?

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Editorial Team · Answer 1 · 2026-06-16T06:02:19+00:00

Like this:

var root = document.getElementsByTagName( 'html' )[0]; // '0' to assign the first (and only `HTML` tag)

root.setAttribute( 'class', 'myCssClass' );

Or use this as your ‘setter’ line to preserve any previously applied classes: (thanks @ama2)

root.className += ' myCssClass';

Or, depending on the required browser support, you can use the classList.add() method:

root.classList.add('myCssClass');

UPDATE:

A more elegant solution for referencing the HTML element might be this:

var root = document.documentElement;
root.className += ' myCssClass';
// ... or:
//  root.classList.add('myCssClass');
//

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