HTML <input> Tag

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The <input> tag is used within the <form> element and defines fields for user input. The type of the field (text, checkbox, radio button, password field, etc.) is determined by the value of the type attribute. The tag doesn’t have a text content, it contains only attributes.

It belongs to a tag group called form elements.

To associate text with a specific element, we use the <label> tag which sets a text label for it.

Syntax

The <input> tag is empty, which means that the closing tag isn’t required. But in XHTML, the (<input>) tag must be closed (<input/>).

Example of the HTML <input> tag:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <form action="/form/submit" method="get">
      <input type="email" name="user_email" placeholder="Enter your email" />
      <input type="submit" value="Submit" />
    </form>
  </body>
</html>

Try it Yourself »

Example of the HTML <input> tag with the HTML <label> tag:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Title of the document</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <form action="/form/submit" method="get">
      <label>Your Name:</label>
      <input type="text" name="first_name" />
      <br/>
      <br/>
      <label>Your Surname:</label>
      <input type="text" name="last_name" />
      <br/>
      <br/>
      <label>Enter Your E-Mail:</label>
      <input type="email" name="user_email" />
      <br/>
      <br/>
      <input type="submit" value="Submit" />
    </form>
  </body>
</html>

Try it Yourself »

Result

Attributes

The main attribute that determines the type of input field is type. If the attribute is missing, the default value is "text".

Attribute	Value	Description
accept	audio/* video/* image/* MIME_type	Specifies the types of files you can send via the file upload field. (Used with the type="file").
align	left right top middle bottom	Defines the alignment type of the image. (Used only with images). Not supported in HTML5.
alt	text	Defines the alternate text for the image. (Used only with images).
autocomplete	on off	Enables/disables autocomplete. New attribute in HTML5.
autofocus	autofocus	Indicates that the form field should receive focus after the page loads. New attribute in HTML5.
checked	checked	Indicates that the element should be preselected when the page loads. (Used only for <input type = "checkbox"> and <input type = "radio">).
disabled	disabled	Indicates that the element must be not available for user interaction.
form	form_id	Indicates the form (specified by the <form> element) of the control element. The value is the form identifier (id) in the same document. New attribute in HTML5.
formaction	URL	Specifies the address where the form data will be sent when clicking on the button. (Used only for <input type = "image"> and <input type = "submit">).
formenctype	application/x-www-form- urlencoded multipart/form-data text/plain	Determines how to encode the form data before sending it to the server. (Used only for <input type = "image"> and <input type = "submit">) All symbols are encoded before being sent (default value). Symbols aren’t being encoded. Spaces are replaced with the "+" sign, but symbols aren’t encoded.
formmethod		Indicates HTTP Request Method, which will be used when sending the form data. (Used only for <input type = "image"> and <input type = "submit">)
	get	It sends form data in the address bar (“name = value”), which is added to the page URL after the question mark and are separated by an ampersand (&). (http://example.ru/doc/?name=Ivan&password=vanya)
	post	The browser connects to the server and sends the data for processing.
formnovalidate	formnovalidate	Indicates, that it is not necessary to check the data for correctness. (Used only for <input type = "submit">).
formtarget		Specifies, where to display the response after submitting the form. (Used only for <input type = "image"> and <input type = "submit">).
	-blank	Opens the response in a new window.
	_self	Opens the response in the current window.
	_parent	Opens the response in the parent frame.
	_top	Opens the response to the full width of the window.
height	pixels	Defines the height of the element (Used only for <input type = "image">).
inputmode	verbatim latin latin-name latin-prose full-width-latin kana katakana numeric tel email url	Defines the keyboard layout.
list	datalist_id	Defines a list of options from which the user can choose. The value for the attribute is the id of the <datalist> element.
max	number date	Sets the upper value for entering a number or a date.
maxlength	number	Defines the maximal number of symbols, that the user can input.
min	number date	Sets the minimal value for entering a number or a date.
multiple	multiple	Indicates that the user can input more than one value in the element (only for <input type = "file"> and <input type = "email">).
name	text	Defines the name of the element. (Used for form identification).
pattern	regexp	Specifies a regular expression, according to which you need to enter and verify data in the form field. (Only for control elements text, search, tel, url, email and password).
placeholder	text	Defines a short prompt that describes the expected value for the input field. The user sees a hint in the input field. It disappears when the user starts entering data or when the field receives focus.
readonly	readonly	Defines that the input field is enabled only for reading. The user cannot make changes.
required	required	Indicates that the input field must be completed before submitting the form.
selectionDirection	forward backward none	Defines the direction of the selection.
size	number	Defines the size of the text field. (Only for text, search, tel, url, email and password). Default number of symbols in 20.
src	URL	Indicates the path to the image that is used as the "send" button. (Only used for <input type = "image">).
step	number	Sets the increment step (increment value) for numeric fields. Used with the min and max attributes which define the minimal and maximal values.
type	button checkbox color date datetime datetime-local email file hidden image month number password radio range reset search submit tel text time url week	Defines the type of the input field.
value	text	Defines the value of the element.
width	width	Defines the width of the element (only for <input type = "image">).

The <input> tag also supports the Global attributes and the Event Attributes.

Values of the type attribute

Value	Description
button	Defines the active button.
checkbox	Check the boxes (the user can select more than one of the options).
color	Specifies a color palette (user can select color values in hexadecimal).
date	Defines the input field for calendar date.
datetime	Defines the input field for date and time.
datetime-local	Defines the input field for date and time without a time zone.
e-mail	Defines the input field for e-mail.
file	Sets the control with the Browse button, clicking on which you can select and load the file.
hidden	Defines a hidden input field. It is not visible to the user.
image	Indicates that an image is used instead of a button to send data to the server. The path to the image is indicated by the src attribute. The alt attribute can also be used to specify alternative text, the height and width attributes to specify the height and width of the image.
month	Defines the field of selecting a month, after which the data will be displayed as year-month (for example: 2018-07).
number	Defines the input field for numbers.
password	Defines a field for entering a password (the entered characters are displayed as asterisks, dots or other characters).
radio	Creates radio button (when choosing one radio button all others will be disabled).
range	Creates a slider to select numbers in the specified range. The default range is from 0 to 100. The range of numbers is specified by the min and max attributes.
reset	Defines a button for resetting information.
search	Creates a text field for search.
submit	Creates a button of submitting the form data (“submit” button).
text	Creates a single line text field.
time	Specifies a numeric field for entering time in a 24-hour format (for example, 13:45).
url	Creates an input field for URL.
week	Creates a field for selecting the week, after which the data will be displayed as year-week (for example: 2018-W25).

How to style <input> tag?

Common properties to alter the visual weight/emphasis/size of text in <input> tag:

CSS font-style property sets the style of the font. normal | italic | oblique | initial | inherit.
CSS font-family property specifies a prioritized list of one or more font family names and/or generic family names for the selected element.
CSS font-size property sets the size of the font.
CSS font-weight property defines whether the font should be bold or thick.
CSS text-transform property controls text case and capitalization.
CSS text-decoration property specifies the decoration added to text, and is a shorthand property for text-decoration-line, text-decoration-color, text-decoration-style.

Coloring text in <input> tag:

CSS color property describes the color of the text content and text decorations.
CSS background-color property sets the background color of an element.

Text layout styles for <input> tag:

CSS text-indent property specifies the indentation of the first line in a text block.
CSS text-overflow property specifies how overflowed content that is not displayed should be signalled to the user.
CSS white-space property specifies how white-space inside an element is handled.
CSS word-break property specifies where the lines should be broken.

Other properties worth looking at for <input> tag:

CSS text-shadow property adds shadow to text.
CSS text-align-last property sets the alignment of the last line of the text.
CSS line-height property specifies the height of a line.
CSS letter-spacing property defines the spaces between letters/characters in a text.
CSS word-spacing property sets the spacing between words.