jQuery .wrap(): Wrap Each Element Separately

jQuery Reference

.wrap() places a separate HTML structure around each matched element. Selecting two elements normally creates two wrappers, unlike .wrapAll(), which creates one shared wrapper.

Syntax and behavior

$(".item").wrap("<div class='group'></div>");
$(".item").wrap("<div class='outer'><div class='inner'></div></div>");

Supply an HTML string, DOM element, jQuery object, or selector for the wrapper. If a selector or collection has several elements, jQuery uses the first. A nested wrapper should have one innermost insertion element. The return value is the original selection, not the new parents. A jQuery object is a collection that exposes jQuery methods for its selected elements.

The official jQuery .wrap() documentation describes additional call signatures and argument types.

Complete runnable example

Save the following code as a UTF-8 example.html file and open it in a browser. It loads the full jQuery 4.0.0 build from an external URL, so an internet connection is required. The $(function () { ... }) callback waits for the document to be ready before running the example.

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>jQuery wrap example</title>
  <style>
    body { margin: 24px; font-family: sans-serif; line-height: 1.6; }
    .marked { background: #fff0b3; border: 2px solid #835b00; }
    .active { color: #a00000; font-weight: bold; }
    button, input, select { font: inherit; }
    #output { white-space: pre-wrap; overflow-wrap: anywhere; }
  </style>
  <script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-4.0.0.min.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
<div id="container">
  <p class="item">First paragraph</p>
  <p class="item">Second paragraph</p>
</div>
  <p id="output" aria-live="polite"></p>
  <script>
    $(function () {
      $(".item").wrap("<div class='group marked'></div>");
      $("#output").text("Parents: " + $("#container > .group").length +
        " / Paragraphs per parent: " + $(".group").map(function () { return $(this).children("p").length; }).get().join(", "));
    });
  </script>
</body>
</html>

Expected result

Each paragraph receives a separate border. The output is Parents: 2 / Paragraphs per parent: 1, 1. In the Elements panel, confirm that container has two group children, each containing one paragraph.

Important details and troubleshooting

Running the wrapping code again adds another nested parent. Check for the intended existing wrapper before running it repeatedly on dynamic content.
An id in the wrapper can be duplicated across several parents. Use a class for repeated structures.
Choose a wrapper that can contain the selected elements in valid HTML. Avoid wrapping whole paragraphs in a span or another p.
Use .wrapAll() to collect all targets into one parent. To remove the created parents, call .unwrap(".group") on their children.

Compare the behavior with .unwrap() and parent removal, .wrapAll() with one shared wrapper.

jQuery Reference

jQuery .removeClass(): Remove Specific or All Classes

Remove selected class names or clear all classes, while distinguishing class removal from clearing inline styles.

jQuery .after(): Insert Content as the Next Sibling

Insert or move content immediately after a target, and compare after with inside insertion and insertAfter syntax.

jQuery .addBack(): Include the Previous Traversal Selection

Include the previous traversal collection and understand which elements the optional selector filters.

jQuery .attr(): Read and Set HTML Attributes

Read and set attributes, distinguish them from current field properties, and understand Boolean and ARIA handling in jQuery 4.0.

jQuery :contains(): Match Elements by Text Content

Explore case-sensitive substring matching, descendant text, and a safer way to handle dynamic search strings without constructing selectors.

jQuery .add(): Combine Element Selections

Combine selections without changing the original collection, and distinguish selecting elements from inserting them into the document.

jQuery .has(): Select Elements with Matching Descendants

Filter the original selection by matching descendants, and see why has and find return different elements.

jQuery .unwrap(): Remove a Parent and Keep Its Children

Remove matching immediate parents while preserving their children, and understand layout, event, and restoration implications.

jQuery .find(): Select Matching Descendants

Search through descendant levels while excluding the container, and compare find with children, filter, and has.

jQuery :button Selector: Which Elements Does It Match?

Check how :button treats button elements, ordinary button inputs, and submit or reset inputs, with a working selection example.