Can one alternate link combine hreflang with media or other attributes?

Definition: For Google Search, keep each language alternate in its own <link rel="alternate" hreflang="..."> element. Google specifically tells site owners to keep hreflang separate from attributes such as media, even though the HTML Standard permits some broader combinations.

Key facts

• Google's localized versions documentation, updated 21 September 2026, says hreflang identifies localized variations of the same content.
• Google's HTML syntax places one link element for each page variant, including the current page, inside the document head.
• Google explicitly says to keep hreflang annotations separate from attributes such as media in a single link tag.
• The HTML Standard describes hreflang as advisory metadata and says its value must be a valid BCP 47 language tag.
• The HTML Standard permits hreflang and type together with rel="alternate" and gives examples that also use media="print".

What does Google recommend?

Google's HTML method uses a separate element for each language or regional version. Its syntax is:

<link rel="alternate" hreflang="lang_code" href="url_of_page" />

The same documentation then gives a specific separation rule: do not combine hreflang with another attribute such as media in one link tag. For a Google Search implementation, put the language relationship on its own element and describe a print or other representation in a separate element when that relationship is needed.

<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://example.com/en/page" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="fr" href="https://example.com/fr/page" />
<link rel="alternate" media="print" href="https://example.com/print/page" />

Google also says that every version lists itself and every other language version. Its HTML instructions require the set of links to be identical on every version, with the links inside a well-formed head section.

Why can the HTML Standard look different?

The HTML Standard defines how link attributes describe a resource to user agents. It says that hreflang gives the language of the linked resource, is purely advisory, and must contain a valid BCP 47 language tag. Under its definition of rel="alternate", a differing hreflang value indicates a translation, while type indicates a reformulation in a specified format.

The standard says that hreflang and type can be combined. Its example includes language-specific HTML and PDF links, plus English and French print versions using media="print" alongside hreflang. That describes general HTML link semantics. Google's Search documentation adds a product-specific implementation rule for language annotations, so a page can be valid HTML while still failing to follow Google's recommended hreflang arrangement.

How should you review a page?

Inspect the rendered HTML rather than only a template file. Confirm that each language entry has rel="alternate", a language or region value in hreflang, and a fully qualified href. Confirm that the language entries are separate from media and other alternate-representation attributes, then compare the set on each localized page. Google says reciprocal annotations are required for the tags to be processed between two pages.

Related terms

• hreflang
• HTML lang attribute
• HTTP Link header

FAQ

Is media allowed in HTML next to hreflang?

The HTML Standard shows media="print" alongside hreflang in an alternate example. Google's Search guidance separately instructs site owners to keep media out of the same link tag as a hreflang annotation.

Should type be combined with a Google hreflang link?

The HTML Standard permits hreflang and type together with rel="alternate". For Google's documented Search implementation, keep the language alternate focused on the language relationship and use a separate link for another representation.

Must every language page repeat the same alternate set?

Yes. Google says each variation lists itself and the other variants, and that the set is identical for every version of the page.

Sources

1. Google Search Central, "Tell Google about localized versions of your page", updated 21 September 2026
2. WHATWG, "HTML Standard: Link type alternate", updated 19 October 2026

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