# EPUBCheck HTM_062: deprecated SVG xlink:href, how to fix it

Source: https://epubcc.com/epubcheck/htm_062/ (updated 2026-11-04)

EPUBCheck HTM_062 is a usage message: “SVG "xlink:href" attribute is deprecated; an "href" attribute should be used instead.” An SVG element uses xlink:href, which is deprecated in favour of plain href. EPUBCheck reports two usage notes about it. HTM_062 means xlink:href is used. HTM_063 means an element has both xlink:href and href with different values, so different apps may load different targets.

- Official message (EPUBCheck 5.4.0): SVG "xlink:href" attribute is deprecated; an "href" attribute should be used instead.
- Default severity: Usage

## Typical causes

- SVG produced by older editors, which write xlink:href on image, use and a elements (HTM_062).
- One of the two attributes updated and the other forgotten, for example after replacing an image (HTM_063).

## How to fix it

1. Open the file EPUBCheck names (the message gives the path, line and column) in a text or EPUB editor such as Sigil, or unzip the EPUB and open it there.
2. Replace xlink:href with href on the elements EPUBCheck lists.
3. If you keep both for older reading apps, give them exactly the same value.
4. Remove the xmlns:xlink declaration once no xlink attribute remains.
5. Rebuild the EPUB and run EPUBCheck again to confirm the message is gone.

## When it's not this

If the link target itself is missing from the EPUB, the message is RSC-007, whichever attribute points to it.

## Sources

- EPUBCheck 5.4.0 message texts (MessageBundle.properties, w3c/epubcheck on GitHub): https://github.com/w3c/epubcheck/blob/v5.4.0/src/main/resources/com/adobe/epubcheck/messages/MessageBundle.properties (read 2026-11-04)

Message text and severity: EPUBCheck (W3C, BSD-3-Clause). Explanation: EpubCC.