Does `display:none` Really Prevent Image Loading on Mobile Devices?

Deceptive Claims about Image Loading and "display:none" in Responsive Design

Many web development tutorials advocate using the "display:none" CSS property to conceal content from mobile browsers and accelerate page loading. However, the reality is more nuanced.

Impact of "display:none" on Image Loading

Contrary to popular belief, "display:none" does not automatically prevent image loading in mobile browsers. Modern browsers have become adept at optimizing content loading based on relevance. While the image may be hidden, the browser may still load it if it deems it necessary.

In certain circumstances, such as when the image's parent element is hidden (as demonstrated in the provided JSFiddle), newer versions of Chrome will skip the loading process. However, this is not universal behavior across all browsers or all image scenarios.

Alternative Approaches for Preventing Unnecessary Loading

If the primary goal is to prevent unnecessary image loading on mobile browsers, consider these alternatives:

• Avoiding Initial Element Inclusion: Do not include the IMG element in the HTML altogether, or assign an empty "src" attribute to it.
• Lazy Loading Images: Utilize JavaScript-based lazy loading techniques that dynamically load images as the user scrolls down the page.

Impact of "display:none" in Other Scenarios

It's important to note that "display:none" has a different effect on images above the initial viewport. For images that are not lazy loaded and appear on the first screen, "display:none" will prevent display but not loading.

The above is the detailed content of Does `display:none` Really Prevent Image Loading on Mobile Devices?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!