2024 Tutorial: How To Copy HTML Code From Website

People often ask how to copy HTML code from a website for a variety of reasons. Though this has become a regular practice among Netizens, this still may be a puzzle for new business owners who have zero knowledge of programming. Let me first identify some common reasons people practice this.

Why do people copy HTML code from a Website?

Decades after Hyper Text Markup Language came into existence, internet users have become acquainted with its use for their professional, academic, and personal needs. The use of HTML has become so ordinary along with copying it from various sources such as a website they fancy or use as reference.

The common reasons people copy HTML code from a website are: to archive it, to mimic a unique feature or effect in their website, and to clone someone’s website. Another reason could be to send the code to someone else through email.

Business owners often copy HTML code out of the need to back up their website, which most likely has been commissioned to a third-party developer. Some also archive websites for the sake of studying how it is was structured or created. This is particularly true for web designers, web developers, and students in the same industry for school purposes.

Another reason business owners copy HTML code is for it to be uploaded to their website. (If you need help on this particular procedure, you may wish to read an earlier blog post I made on it.)

Beyond good intentions, some people copy HTML code to clone a website and mislead people into believing it is real. These are scammers whose intention is to phish personal information from online consumers to steal their identity and money.

Some website developers, on the other hand, copy HTML code on a unique effect or cool feature they intend to integrate into their projects, especially if their clients requested it. What particular effects or features could this be?

What HTML codes are cool to copy?

MakeUseOf.Com identifies eight cool HTML effects that can be copied to make a website stand out even if one does not have any knowledge of programming. These are the HTML Parallax Effect, the scrollable HTML comment box, highlighted text, background image to a text, tooltip, falling or scrolling text, switchmenu, and spreadsheet.

Of these effects, a highlighted text would be most useful to business owners to emphasize a product or service, as well as, its important qualities. Though this effect works in limited browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, and Google Chrome.

But if your website is hosted and made in WordPress you don’t need to memorize how to do this. All it takes is to follow the steps in the Tutorials and you’re set!

(In case you’re copying an HTML code from a website because you’d like to implement its design in yours, you don’t have to go through all the fuzz of it at all. Just send me a message and I’ll be happy to help you with your website’s design minus all the codes!)

Is it legal to copy HTML content from a website?

Now that it is clear why HTML codes are copied from websites, you might wonder if it is even legal to do so.

According to New Media Law, HTML codes are regarded as literary work and are, therefore, covered by copyright laws. The legal company clarified that the copyright does not cover a website’s design or layout but its HTML code may be.

Though they did not specifically define what situations make an HTML code copyrightable except when it is a publicly known “copyrightable subject matter.”

While PageCloud asserted that there are two legal ways one can copy HTML code from a website. Specifically, avoid making a direct copy and outsource the copying through applications like HTTrack or signing up for their service. These two steps will help businesses to keep from copyright infringement.

The service provider elaborates that copying HTML codes as it is from websites is generally okay. But when you have to use it on your website, it is a must to modify it to suit your basic needs and design. This procedure avoids a violation of copyright.

With the legalities clear, let’s now go to the subject at hand: a tutorial on how to copy HTML code from a website.

How to copy HTML code from a website?

There are several methods you can use for copying codes. There’s the simple method, the browser’s Menu,

A. The Simple Method

For this tutorial, let’s use a blank page of a browser such as Google Chrome to demonstrate the basic step to do this. Note that you can do this procedure for any browser.

1. Open Google Chrome

2. Place your mouse anywhere on the page.

3. Right-click and choose “View Page Source”

4. This will open a new browser that contains the HTML code of Google’s blank page.

5. Highlight the HTML code and right-click. Choose copy and paste into a notepad.

6. You may save it as a text file or as .html so it will automatically become one and open in Chrome. And you’re done!

B. The Browser’s Menu

Now let me share how it is done with a Mozilla Firefox browser:

1. Click “Tools” from the menu and choose “Web Developer” before clicking “Page Source”

2. This will open a new page that contains the HTML code. Simply highlight the code and copy it. You may also use Ctrl+C from your keyboard as a shortcut to copy the code.

3. Paste the code into a notepad and save it as a text file.

With an Apple Safari, here are the steps to copy the code:

1. From the menu, choose “Preferences” to open a pop-up window.

2. Click on “Advanced” and uncheck “Show Develop”

3. Close the pop-up and go back to the menu. Click “Preferences” again.

4. Next, click on “Develop” and “Show Page Source”. This will open a new window containing the HTML code you need.

5. Simply highlight the code, copy it, and paste it into a notepad. You may also opt to use your keyboard by pressing CTRL+A to select all and CTRL+C to copy the selected code. Then press CTRL+V to paste it into a notepad.

Wrap Up

There are several ways on how to copy HTML code from a website, which may be dependent on the type of browser you use to some extent. One does need to be careful in copying code from a website to avoid violating intellectual property rights that do protect HTML in some cases.

FAQs

What’s the easiest way of copying HTML code from a website?

The easiest way to copy an HTML code from any website using any type of browser or device is by using the Right-Click + “View Page Source” option. Simply place your mouse anywhere on the page—make sure it is not hovering on an image or particular object—then right-click to open the menu. Choose “View Page Source” from the options to open a new window. Then copy the code from the new window as you normally do in copying any text online.

Are there applications I can use to copy HTML code from a website?

Yes, there are applications you can use to copy HTML code from a website. Some examples are HTTracker, View Source, and HTML Source Code Viewer Website by Cloudstoreworks.