# Window: parent property



The **`Window.parent`** property is a reference to the parent
of the current window or subframe.

If a window does not have a parent, its `parent` property is a reference to
itself.

When a window is loaded in an [iframe](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/iframe), [object](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/object), or
[frame](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/frame), its parent is the window with the element embedding the
window.

## Value

A `Window` or [iframe](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/HTML/Element/iframe) object.

## Examples

```js
if (window.parent !== window.top) {
  // We're deeper than one down
}
```

## Specifications

## Browser compatibility

## See also

- [window.frameElement](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/window/frameElement) returns the specific element (such as
  `<iframe>`) the `window` is embedded into.
- [window.top](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/window/top) returns a reference to the top-level window.