Flash cards
Review the key moves
What is the main idea behind HTML Input Types?
Lesson checks
Practice each idea before moving on
Short Mimo-style checks built from this lesson's code, terms, and sequence.
Which statement best captures the main point of this lesson?
Complete the missing token from the example code.
<label ___="fname">First name:</label><br>Put the learning moves in the order that makes the concept easiest to apply.
This chapter describes the different types for the HTML <input> element.
HTML Input Types
Here are the different input types you can use in HTML:
- <input type="button">
- <input type="checkbox">
- <input type="color">
- <input type="date">
- <input type="datetime-local">
- <input type="email">
- <input type="file">
- <input type="hidden">
- <input type="image">
- <input type="month">
- <input type="number">
- <input type="password">
- <input type="radio">
- <input type="range">
- <input type="reset">
- <input type="search">
- <input type="submit">
- <input type="tel">
- <input type="text">
- <input type="time">
- <input type="url">
- <input type="week">
Tip
The default value of the type attribute is "text".
Input Type Text
<input type="text"> defines a single-line text input field :
Example
<form>
<label for="fname">First name:</label><br>
<input
type="text" id="fname" name="fname"><br>
<label for="lname">Last
name:</label><br>
<input type="text" id="lname" name="lname">
</form>Live preview
This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
Input Type Password
<input type="password"> defines a password field :
Example
<form>
<label for="username">Username:</label><br>
<input type="text"
id="username" name="username"><br>
<label for="pwd">Password:</label><br>
<input type="password" id="pwd" name="pwd">
</form>Live preview
This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
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 data 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">
<label for="fname">First
name:</label><br>
<input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"
value="John"><br>
<label for="lname">Last name:</label><br>
<input type="text" id="lname" name="lname" value="Doe"><br><br>
<input type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>Live preview
This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
If you omit the submit button's value attribute, the button will get a default text:
Example
<form action="/action_page.php">
<label for="fname">First
name:</label><br>
<input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"
value="John"><br>
<label for="lname">Last name:</label><br>
<input type="text" id="lname" name="lname" value="Doe"><br><br>
<input type="submit">
</form>Live preview
Input Type Reset
<input type="reset"> defines a reset button that will reset all form values to their default values:
Example
<form action="/action_page.php">
<label for="fname">First
name:</label><br>
<input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"
value="John"><br>
<label for="lname">Last name:</label><br>
<input type="text" id="lname" name="lname" value="Doe"><br><br>
<input type="submit" value="Submit">
<input type="reset"
value="Reset">
</form>Live preview
This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
If you change the input values and then click the "Reset" button, the form-data will be reset to the default values.
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
<p>Choose your favorite Web language:</p>
<form>
<input type="radio" id="html" name="fav_language"
value="HTML">
<label for="html">HTML</label><br>
<input
type="radio" id="css" name="fav_language" value="CSS">
<label
for="css">CSS</label><br>
<input type="radio" id="javascript"
name="fav_language" value="JavaScript">
<label for="javascript">JavaScript</label>
</form>Live preview
This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
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" id="vehicle1" name="vehicle1" value="Bike">
<label for="vehicle1"> I have a bike</label><br>
<input
type="checkbox" id="vehicle2" name="vehicle2" value="Car">
<label for="vehicle2">
I have a car</label><br>
<input type="checkbox"
id="vehicle3" name="vehicle3"
value="Boat">
<label for="vehicle3"> I have a boat</label>
</form>Live preview
This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
Input Type Button
<input type="button"> defines a button :
Example
<input type="button" onclick="alert('Hello World!')" value="Click Me!">Live preview
This is how the HTML code above will be displayed in a browser:
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>
<label for="favcolor">Select your favorite
color:</label>
<input type="color" id="favcolor" name="favcolor">
</form>Live preview
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.
Example
<form>
<label for="birthday">Birthday:</label>
<input
type="date" id="birthday" name="birthday">
</form>Live preview
You can also use the min and max attributes to add restrictions to dates:
Example
<form>
<label for="datemax">Enter a date before
1980-01-01:</label>
<input type="date" id="datemax" name="datemax"
max="1979-12-31"><br><br>
<label for="datemin">Enter a date after
2000-01-01:</label>
<input type="date" id="datemin" name="datemin"
min="2000-01-02">
</form>Live preview
Input Type Datetime-local
The <input type="datetime-local"> specifies a date and time input field, with no time zone.
Depending on browser support, a date picker can show up in the input field.
Example
<form>
<label for="birthdaytime">Birthday (date and
time):</label>
<input type="datetime-local" id="birthdaytime" name="birthdaytime">
</form>Live preview
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 add ".com" to the keyboard to match email input.
Example
<form>
<label for="email">Enter your email:</label>
<input type="email" id="email" name="email">
</form>Live preview
Input Type Image
The <input type="image"> defines an image as a submit button.
The path to the image is specified in the src attribute.
Example
<form>
<input type="image" src="img_submit.gif" alt="Submit"
width="48" height="48">
</form>Live preview
Input Type File
The <input type="file"> defines a file-select field and a "Browse" button for file uploads.
Example
<form>
<label for="myfile">Select a file:</label>
<input type="file" id="myfile" name="myfile">
</form>Live preview
Input Type Hidden
The <input type="hidden"> defines a hidden input field (not visible to a user).
A hidden field lets web developers include data that cannot be seen or modified by users when a form is submitted.
A hidden field often stores what database record that needs to be updated when the form is submitted.
Note
While the value is not displayed to the user in the page's content, it is visible (and can be edited) using any browser's developer tools or "View Source" functionality. Do not use hidden inputs as a form of security!
Example
<form>
<label for="fname">First name:</label>
<input type="text" id="fname" name="fname"><br><br>
<input
type="hidden" id="custId" name="custId" value="3487">
<input
type="submit" value="Submit">
</form>Live preview
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>
<label for="bdaymonth">Birthday (month and
year):</label>
<input type="month" id="bdaymonth" name="bdaymonth">
</form>Live preview
Input Type Number
The <input type="number"> defines a numeric input field.
You can also set restrictions on what numbers are accepted.
The following example displays a numeric input field, where you can enter a value from 1 to 5:
Example
<form>
<label for="quantity">Quantity (between 1 and
5):</label>
<input type="number" id="quantity" name="quantity"
min="1" max="5">
</form>Live preview
Input Restrictions
Here is a list of some common input restrictions:
| Attribute | Description |
|---|---|
| checked | Specifies that an input field should be pre-selected when the page loads (for type="checkbox" or type="radio") |
| 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.
The following example displays a numeric input field, where you can enter a value from 0 to 100, in steps of 10. The default value is 30:
Example
<form>
<label for="quantity">Quantity:</label>
<input
type="number" id="quantity" name="quantity" min="0" max="100" step="10"
value="30">
</form>Live preview
Input Type Range
The <input type="range"> defines a control for entering a number whose exact value is not important (like a slider control). Default range is 0 to 100. However, you can set restrictions on what numbers are accepted with the min , max , and step attributes:
Example
<form>
<label for="vol">Volume (between 0 and 50):</label>
<input type="range" id="vol" name="vol" min="0" max="50">
</form>Live preview
Input Type Search
The <input type="search"> is used for search fields (a search field behaves like a regular text field).
Example
<form>
<label for="gsearch">Search Google:</label>
<input type="search" id="gsearch" name="gsearch">
</form>Live preview
Input Type Tel
The <input type="tel"> is used for input fields that should contain a telephone number.
Example
<form>
<label for="phone">Enter your phone number:</label>
<input type="tel" id="phone" name="phone"
pattern="[0-9]{3}-[0-9]{2}-[0-9]{3}">
</form>Live preview
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.
Example
<form>
<label for="appt">Select a time:</label>
<input type="time" id="appt" name="appt">
</form>Live preview
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.
Example
<form>
<label for="homepage">Add your homepage:</label>
<input type="url" id="homepage" name="homepage">
</form>Live preview