Input Types
This chapter describes the input types of the <input> element.
Input Type: text
<input type="text"> defines a one-line input field for text input:
Example
<form>
First name:<br>
<input type="text" name="firstname"><br>
Last name:<br>
<input type="text" name="lastname">
</form>
Try it Yourself »This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
First name:
Last name:
Input Type: password
<input type="password"> defines a password field:
Example
<form>
User name:<br>
<input type="text" name="username"><br>
User password:<br>
<input type="password" name="psw">
</form>
Try it Yourself »This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
User name:
User password:
The characters in a password field are masked (shown as asterisks or circles).
Input Type: submit
<input type="submit"> defines a button for submitting form input to a form-handler.
The form-handler is typically a server page with a script for processing input data.
The form-handler is specified in the form's action attribute:
Example
<form action="action_page.php">
First name:<br>
<input type="text" name="firstname" value="Mickey"><br>
Last name:<br>
<input type="text" name="lastname" value="Mouse"><br><br>
<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>
Try it Yourself »This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
First name:
Last name:
If you omit the submit button's value attribute, the button will get a default text:
Example
<form action="action_page.php">
First name:<br>
<input type="text" name="firstname" value="Mickey"><br>
Last name:<br>
<input type="text" name="lastname" value="Mouse"><br><br>
<input type="submit">
</form>
Try it Yourself »Input Type: radio
<input type="radio"> defines a radio button.
Radio buttons let a user select ONLY ONE of a limited number of choices:
Example
<form>
<input type="radio" name="gender" value="male" checked> Male<br>
<input type="radio" name="gender" value="female"> Female<br>
<input type="radio" name="gender" value="other"> Other
</form>
Try it Yourself »This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
Male
Female
Other
Input Type: checkbox
<input type="checkbox"> defines a checkbox.
Checkboxes let a user select ZERO or MORE options of a limited number of choices.
Example
<form>
<input type="checkbox" name="vehicle1" value="Bike"> I have a bike<br>
<input type="checkbox" name="vehicle2" value="Car"> I have a car
</form>
Try it Yourself »This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
I have a bike
I have a car
Input Type: button
<input type="button"> defines a button:
This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
HTML5 Input Types
HTML5 added several new input types:
- color
- date
- datetime
- datetime-local
- month
- number
- range
- search
- tel
- time
- url
- week
Input types, not supported by old web browsers, will behave as input type text.
Input Type: number
The <input type="number"> is used for input fields that should contain a numeric value.
You can set restrictions on the numbers.
Depending on browser support, the restrictions can apply to the input field.
Example
<form>
Quantity (between 1 and 5):
<input type="number" name="quantity" min="1" max="5">
</form>
Try it Yourself »Input Restrictions
Here is a list of some common input restrictions (some are new in HTML5):
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| disabled | Specifies that an input field should be disabled |
| max | Specifies the maximum value for an input field |
| >maxlength | Specifies the maximum number of character for an input field |
| min | Specifies the minimum value for an input field |
| pattern | Specifies a regular expression to check the input value against |
| readonly | Specifies that an input field is read only (cannot be changed) |
| required | Specifies that an input field is required (must be filled out) |
| size | Specifies the width (in characters) of an input field |
| step | Specifies the legal number intervals for an input field |
| value | Specifies the default value for an input field |
You will learn more about input restrictions in the next chapter.
Example
<form>
Quantity:
<input type="number" name="points" min="0" max="100" step="10" value="30">
</form>
Try it Yourself »Input Type: date
The <input type="date"> is used for input fields that should contain a date.
Depending on browser support, a date picker can show up in the input field.
You can add restrictions to the input:
Example
<form>
Enter a date before 1980-01-01:
<input type="date" name="bday" max="1979-12-31"><br>
Enter a date after 2000-01-01:
<input type="date" name="bday" min="2000-01-02"><br>
</form>
Try it Yourself »Input Type: color
The <input type="color"> is used for input fields that should contain a color.
Depending on browser support, a color picker can show up in the input field.
Example
<form>
Select your favorite color:
<input type="color" name="favcolor">
</form>
Try it Yourself »Input Type: range
The <input type="range"> is used for input fields that should contain a value within a range.
Depending on browser support, the input field can be displayed as a slider control.
You can use the following attributes to specify restrictions: min, max, step, value.
Input Type: month
The <input type="month"> allows the user to select a month and year.
Depending on browser support, a date picker can show up in the input field.
Example
<form>
Birthday (month and year):
<input type="month" name="bdaymonth">
</form>
Try it Yourself »Input Type: week
The <input type="week"> allows the user to select a week and year.
Depending on browser support, a date picker can show up in the input field.
Input Type: time
The <input type="time"> allows the user to select a time (no time zone).
Depending on browser support, a time picker can show up in the input field.
Input Type: datetime
The <input type="datetime"> allows the user to select a date and time (with time zone).
Example
<form>
Birthday (date and time):
<input type="datetime" name="bdaytime">
</form>
Try it Yourself » |
The input type datetime is removed from the HTML standard. Use datetime-local instead. |
|---|
Input Type: datetime-local
The <input type="datetime-local"> allows the user to select a date and time (no time zone).
Depending on browser support, a date picker can show up in the input field.
Example
<form>
Birthday (date and time):
<input type="datetime-local" name="bdaytime">
</form>
Try it Yourself »Input Type: email
The <input type="email"> is used for input fields that should contain an e-mail address.
Depending on browser support, the e-mail address can be automatically validated when submitted.
Some smartphones recognize the email type, and adds ".com" to the keyboard to match email input.
Input Type: search
The <input type="search"> is used for search fields (a search field behaves like a regular text field).
Input Type: tel
The <input type="tel"> is used for input fields that should contain a telephone number.
The tel type is currently supported only in Safari 8.
Input Type: url
The <input type="url"> is used for input fields that should contain a URL address.
Depending on browser support, the url field can be automatically validated when submitted.
Some smartphones recognize the url type, and adds ".com" to the keyboard to match url input.
Test Yourself with Exercises!
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