Moving images on a webpage used to be the kind of thing you’d see in the early 2000s—blinking banners sliding across the screen. That magic was often done with something called the <marquee> tag. But here’s the thing: web standards changed. Today, there are better ways to make things move—especially images. Still, let’s dive in and see how to do it both the old-school way and the smart way.

Key Takeaway:
The easiest way to move an image in HTML is by using the <marquee> tag, but it’s outdated and not recommended for modern websites. Instead, use CSS animations—they’re cleaner, more flexible, mobile-friendly, and fully supported in all major browsers. Whether you’re scrolling an image across the screen or adding hover effects, CSS gives you more control without compromising performance or SEO.

Can You Still Use <marquee> for Moving Images in HTML?

The <marquee> tag was once a quick fix to make text or images scroll. Just drop the tag in and boom—instant animation. It didn’t need extra CSS or JavaScript, which made it tempting for beginners. But fast-forward to today, and this tag is considered outdated. It’s no longer part of the official HTML5 specification. Most browsers still support it for now, but relying on it means you’re betting on something that could break tomorrow.

Think of it like floppy disks—still remembered, rarely used.

How to Use <marquee> to Move an Image in HTML

If you’re curious how it works, here’s the classic way:

<marquee behavior="scroll" direction="left">
  <img src="your-image.jpg" alt="Scrolling Image">
</marquee>

This little snippet makes the image scroll from right to left. Want to go the other way? Just switch the direction to "right". You can even scroll vertically by changing it to "up" or "down".

Here are some attributes that tweak the motion:

• behavior – controls how it moves: scroll, slide, or alternate
• scrollamount – sets speed in pixels per move
• loop – how many times it scrolls (use infinite with care)

It’s all pretty straightforward—until it isn’t.

Limitations of the <marquee> Tag

Let’s not sugarcoat it—using <marquee> today is like trying to power a Tesla with coal. It still works… kind of. But here’s why you should think twice:

• Deprecated in HTML5, which means future support isn’t guaranteed
• Doesn’t play well with screen readers—big red flag for accessibility
• Mobile responsiveness? Forget it. It doesn’t adjust to screen size
• Limited styling control compared to CSS
• Can slow down page rendering, especially on mobile networks

If you’re building anything more than a classroom demo, you’re better off with modern tools.

Modern Alternatives to <marquee> for Image Animation

Now we’re talking. Today, if you want images to slide, bounce, or glide, use CSS animations or a pinch of JavaScript.

CSS Animation

This is the go-to method for smooth and responsive movement. You can make an image move endlessly, pause on hover, and even follow a custom path.

JavaScript or GSAP

Want more control or interactive effects? Libraries like GSAP (GreenSock Animation Platform) are a dream for front-end developers. You can trigger movement on scroll, tap, or anything else.

Example: Moving an Image Using CSS Animation

Here’s how to animate an image across the screen with just CSS:

<style>
  .slide-image {
    position: absolute;
    animation: moveImage 10s linear infinite;
  }

  @keyframes moveImage {
    from {
      left: 100%;
    }
    to {
      left: -200px;
    }
  }
</style>

<img class="slide-image" src="your-image.jpg" alt="Animated Image">

This snippet makes your image move from right to left and loop forever. It’s clean, responsive, and works well on every modern browser.

You can even add this:

.slide-image:hover {
  animation-play-state: paused;
}

Now the image stops moving when you hover over it. Pretty neat, right?

When Should You Still Use <marquee> (If Ever)?

Let’s be honest—there are very few good reasons. Maybe you’re:

• Working with legacy code
• Making a retro-styled project for fun
• Teaching HTML basics in a classroom

But if you’re building anything public-facing or professional, don’t risk it. CSS does everything marquee can do—and more—without the baggage.

SEO & Accessibility: Why Modern Code Matters

Search engines care about clean, semantic HTML. Using deprecated tags like <marquee> might not get you blacklisted, but it definitely won’t win you points either.

Worse, <marquee> can confuse assistive technologies. If your site needs to meet accessibility standards (and it should), you’ll want to avoid tags that don’t communicate well with screen readers or mobile devices.

Clean code equals better SEO, faster load times, and happier users.

Conclusion: Use <marquee> for Nostalgia, Not Production

To wrap it up: yes, you can still move images in HTML using the <marquee> tag. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should. CSS animation offers more control, better browser support, and won’t break your layout on mobile.

If you’re building something for fun or testing concepts, play around with <marquee>. For everything else—stick with modern HTML and CSS techniques.

FAQs

Is <marquee> still supported? Mostly, yes—but it’s not guaranteed. Chrome, Edge, and Firefox still render it, but don’t count on long-term support.

Can I animate multiple images? Yes. Wrap each image in a <div> and animate using CSS or JS.

Is <marquee> bad for SEO? It doesn’t help. Clean, semantic HTML is better for indexing and user experience.

What’s the best way to animate an image today? CSS keyframes are lightweight, responsive, and widely supported. Add JavaScript if you need more interaction.

How do I stop the animation on hover? In CSS, use animation-play-state: paused; on hover to freeze the movement.