How to Use HTML to Format MySpace

Not very long after the inception of MySpace in 2003, users were able to alter the appearance of their profiles using HTML. It quickly became the norm to use your profile to showcase your personal style. Very few regular MySpace users have the standard MySpace profile. In fact, most new users already know the HTML capabilities of a MySpace profile and will add photos to their page, change the background, or use pre-made layouts from other websites when they first sign up for an account.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• MySpace account

1. Decide how you want your MySpace profile to look. You can use HTML to put up a background image, change the colors of everything on your profile, change text location, size and color, as well as many other interest tricks, like hiding your Top Friends.

2. Create an HTML list as a text document. Use this list to keep track of HTML tags as you learn them. This will provide you with an easy cut-and-paste dictionary of tags until you can type them from memory. Some common tags you should include are: <font> <i> <font size="#"> <p> <br>

3. Close tags when using HTML in your profile. If you start adding code and don't close your tags, the code will be applied to parts of your profile that you didn't necessarily want changed.

4. Use layout generators for code. Once you understand basic HTML tags, you will be able to cut and paste a whole layout code from one of the millions of MySpace profile sites and use it to make your own. For example, if you want to change your extended network image, go to a site that provides codes for you to cut and paste. Paste the code into a text document, and pick it apart. Use only the parts of the code you need, and insert your own URLs for images.

5. Read constantly. If you want to make your MySpace profile completely your own, continue to read about and learn HTML. Try out new codes as you learn them, so you can see exactly how they work.

6. Paste HTML code into one of the text boxes on the Edit Profile page. Remember to click "Save," and enter the CAPTCHA to make sure changes aren't lost.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider learning CSS, too. Although there isn't a big difference between CSS and HTML for use in a MySpace profile, CSS does provide a little more wiggle room than HTML.
• You can also use HTML to keep your image comments to a polite size, so you don't mess up other users' profiles. Alternatively, you can disable HTML comments in your own profile, so no one can post giant pictures or other annoyances in your comments section.
• Remember that MySpace does not allow Javascript.
• Sometimes MySpace may experience an error when trying to update your profile. Make sure to create a backup of your profile information in a text document, so you can just cut and paste all your info back in if an error wipes it out.

Resources

• Best HTML Tutorials
• Basics of Text Editing
• Extended Network Image Code