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parent property (window)

Browser support:

Returns a reference to the immediate parent window object in the window hierarchy.

The parent property is useful if the current document is placed within a frame or iframe element and you need to access the host window.
If the current document is placed within a subframe (a frame within a frame) and you need to access the topmost ancestor window, use the top property.
To get the host frame or iframe element instead of the parent window, use the frameElement property.
If you need to walk downwards in the frame window hierarchy, use the contentWindow property. It returns the window object that belongs to a frame or iframe element.

The properties mentioned above can be used when the window hierarchy is created by frame elements. If a document opens a page in a new browser window (for example by an anchor element or the open method), then the opener property can be used in the child document to access the parent window object.

Note that because of security restrictions, the contents of a document can be accessed from another document only if the two documents are located in the same domain.

Syntax:

object.parent;

You can find the related objects in the Supported by objects section below.

This property is read-only.

Possible values:

If the current document is in a frame or iframe element the value refers to the parent window, otherwise it refers to the current window.

Default: this property has no default value.

Example HTML code 1:

The contents of the file in which the iframe element is placed:

Code

window_parent.htm

<body>
    The base site
    <iframe src="window_parent.htm"></iframe>
</body>

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
    <meta charset="utf-8" />
    <title>Window parent test</title>
    <script type="text/javascript">
        function GetParentContent () {
            var parentWindow = window.parent;
            alert (parentWindow.document.body.innerHTML);
        }
    </script>
<body>
    <button onclick="GetParentContent ();">Get parent innerHTML</button>
</body>
</html>