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The HTMLInputElement interface provides special properties and methods (beyond the regular HTMLElement interface it also has available to it by inheritance) for manipulating the layout and presentation of input elements.

Properties

Inherits properties from its parent, HTMLElement.

Name Type Description
accept DOMString Reflects the accept HTML attribute, containing comma-separated list of file types accepted by the server when type is file.
accessKey DOMString A single character that switches input focus to the control.
align DOMString Alignment of the element.
alt DOMString Reflects the alt HTML attribute, containing alternative text to use when type is image.
autocapitalize  DOMString Defines capitalization behavior for user input. Valid values are none, off, characters, words, or sentences.
autocomplete DOMString Reflects the autocomplete HTML attribute, indicating whether the value of the control can be automatically completed by the browser. Ignored if the value of the type attribute is hidden, checkbox, radio, file, or a button type (button, submit, reset, image). Possible values are:
  • off: The user must explicitly enter a value into this field for every use, or the document provides its own auto-completion method; the browser does not automatically complete the entry.
  • on: The browser can automatically complete the value based on values that the user has entered during previous uses.
autofocus Boolean Reflects the autofocus HTML attribute, which specifies that a form control should have input focus when the page loads, unless the user overrides it, for example by typing in a different control. Only one form element in a document can have the autofocus attribute. It cannot be applied if the type attribute is set to hidden (that is, you cannot automatically set focus to a hidden control).
checked Boolean The current state of the element when type is checkbox or radio.
defaultChecked Boolean The default state of a radio button or checkbox as originally specified in HTML that created this object.
defaultValue DOMString The default value as originally specified in HTML that created this object.
dirName    
disabled Boolean Reflects the disabled HTML attribute, indicating that the control is not available for interaction. The input values will not be submitted with the form. See also readonly 
files Read only FileList A list of selected files.
form Read only HTMLFormElement The containing form element, if this element is in a form. If this element is not contained in a form element:
  • HTML5 this can be the id attribute of any <form> element in the same document. Even if the attribute is set on <input>, this property will be null, if it isn't the id of a <form> element.
  • HTML 4 this must be null.
formAction DOMString Reflects the formaction HTML attribute, containing the URI of a program that processes information submitted by the element. If specified, this attribute overrides the action attribute of the <form> element that owns this element.
formEncType DOMString Reflects the formenctype HTML attribute, containing the type of content that is used to submit the form to the server. If specified, this attribute overrides the enctype attribute of the <form> element that owns this element.
formMethod DOMString Reflects the formmethod HTML attribute, containing the HTTP method that the browser uses to submit the form. If specified, this attribute overrides the method attribute of the <form> element that owns this element.
formNoValidate Boolean Reflects the formnovalidate HTML attribute, indicating that the form is not to be validated when it is submitted. If specified, this attribute overrides the novalidate attribute of the <form> element that owns this element.
formTarget DOMString Reflects the formtarget HTML attribute, containing a name or keyword indicating where to display the response that is received after submitting the form. If specified, this attribute overrides the target attribute of the <form> element that owns this element.
height DOMString Reflects the height HTML attribute, which defines the height of the image displayed for the button, if the value of type is image.
indeterminate Boolean Indicates that a checkbox is neither on nor off.
labels Read only NodeList A list of <label> elements that are labels for this element.
list HTMLElement Identifies a list of pre-defined options to suggest to the user. The value must be the id of a <datalist> element in the same document. The browser displays only options that are valid values for this input element. This attribute is ignored when the type attribute's value is hidden, checkbox, radio, file, or a button type.
max DOMString Reflects the max HTML attribute, containing the maximum (numeric or date-time) value for this item, which must not be less than its minimum (min attribute) value.
maxLength  long Reflects the maxlength HTML attribute, containing the maximum length of text (in Unicode code points) that the value can be changed to. The constraint is evaluated only when the value is changed
Note: If you set maxLength to a negative value programmatically, an exception will be thrown.
min DOMString Reflects the min HTML attribute, containing the minimum (numeric or date-time) value for this item, which must not be greater than its maximum (max attribute) value.
multiple   Reflects the multiple HTML attribute, indicating whether more than one value is possible (e.g., multiple files).
name DOMString Reflects the name HTML attribute, containing a name that identifies the element when submitting the form.
pattern DOMString Reflects the pattern HTML attribute, containing a regular expression that the control's value is checked against. The pattern must match the entire value, not just some subset. Use the title attribute to describe the pattern to help the user. This attribute applies when the value of the type attribute is text, search, tel, url or email; otherwise it is ignored.
placeholder DOMString Reflects the placeholder HTML attribute, containing a hint to the user of what can be entered in the control. The placeholder text must not contain carriage returns or line-feeds. This attribute applies when the value of the type attribute is text, search, tel, url or email; otherwise it is ignored.
readOnly Boolean

Reflects the readonly HTML attribute, indicating that the user cannot modify the value of the control.
HTML5This is ignored if the value of the type attribute is hidden, range, color, checkbox, radio, file, or a button type.
required Boolean Reflects the required HTML attribute, indicating that the user must fill in a value before submitting a form.
selectionDirection DOMString The direction in which selection occurred. This is "forward" if selection was performed in the start-to-end direction of the current locale, or "backward" for the opposite direction. This can also be "none" if the direction is unknown."
selectionEnd unsigned long The index of the end of selected text.
selectionStart unsigned long The index of the beginning of selected text. When nothing is selected, this is also the caret position inside of the <input> element.
size unsigned long Reflects the size HTML attribute, containing size of the control. This value is in pixels unless the value of type is text or password, in which case, it is an integer number of characters. HTML5 Applies only when type is set to text, search, tel, url, email, or password; otherwise it is ignored.
src DOMString Reflects the src HTML attribute, which specifies a URI for the location of an image to display on the graphical submit button, if the value of type is image; otherwise it is ignored.
step DOMString Reflects the step HTML attribute, which works with min and max to limit the increments at which a numeric or date-time value can be set. It can be the string any or a positive floating point number. If this is not set to any, the control accepts only values at multiples of the step value greater than the minimum.
tabIndex long The position of the element in the tabbing navigation order for the current document.
type DOMString Reflects the type HTML attribute, indicating the type of control to display. See type attribute of <input> for possible values.
useMap DOMString A client-side image map.
validationMessage Read only DOMString A localized message that describes the validation constraints that the control does not satisfy (if any). This is the empty string if the control is not a candidate for constraint validation (willvalidate is false), or it satisfies its constraints.
validity Read only ValidityState The validity state that this element is in. 
value DOMString

Current value in the control.

Note: for certain input types the returned value might not match the value the user has entered. For example, if the user enters a non-numeric value into an <input type="number">, the returned value might be an empty string instead.
valueAsDate Date The value of the element, interpreted as a date, or null if conversion is not possible.
valueAsNumber double The value of the element, interpreted as one of the following in order:
  1. a time value
  2. a number
  3. NaN if conversion is not possible
width DOMString Reflects the width HTML attribute, which defines the width of the image displayed for the button, if the value of type is image.
willValidate Boolean Indicates whether the element is a candidate for constraint validation. It is false if any conditions bar it from constraint validation.

Methods

Inherits methods from its parent, HTMLElement.

Name & Arguments Return Description
blur() void Removes focus from input; keystrokes will subsequently go nowhere.
checkValidity() Boolean Returns false if the element is a candidate for constraint validation, and it does not satisfy its constraints. In this case, it also fires an invalid event at the element. It returns true if the element is not a candidate for constraint validation, or if it satisfies its constraints.
click() void Simulates a click on the element.
focus() void Focus on input; keystrokes will subsequently go to this element.
mozSetFileArray(files) void Sets the files selected on the input to the given array of File objects.  This is an alternative to mozSetFileNameArray which can be used in frame scripts: a chrome script can open files as File objects and send them via message manager.
mozGetFileNameArray(length, filenames) void Returns an array of all the file names from the input.
mozSetFileNameArray(filenames, length) void Sets the filenames for the files selected on the input.  Not for use in frame scripts, because it accesses the filesystem.
select() void Selects the input text in the element, and focuses it so the user can subsequently replace the whole entry.
setCustomValidity(error) void Sets a custom validity message for the element. If this message is not the empty string, then the element is suffering from a custom validity error, and does not validate.
setSelectionRange(selectionStart, selectionEnd, [optional] selectionDirection) void Selects a range of text in the element (but does not focus it). The optional selectionDirection parameter may be "forward" or "backward" to establish the direction in which selection was set, or "none" if the direction is unknown or not relevant. The default is "none". Specifying a selectionDirection parameter sets the value of the selectionDirection property.
setRangeText(replacement, [optional] start, [optional] end, [optional] selectMode) void Replaces a range of text with the new text. Supported input types: text, search, url, tel, password.
stepDown(n) void Decrements the value by (step * n), where n defaults to 1 if not specified. Throws an INVALID_STATE_ERR exception:
  • if the method is not applicable to for the current type value.
  • if the element has no step value.
  • if the value cannot be converted to a number.
  • if the resulting value is above the max or below the min. 
stepUp(n) void Increments the value by (step * n), where n defaults to 1 if not specified. Throws an INVALID_STATE_ERR exception:
  • if the method is not applicable to for the current type value.
  • if the element has no step value.
  • if the value cannot be converted to a number.
  • if the resulting value is above the max or below the min.

Specifications

Specification Status Comment
WHATWG HTML Living Standard
The definition of 'HTMLInputElement' in that specification.		 Living Standard No change from HTML5
HTML5
The definition of 'HTMLInputElement' in that specification.		 Recommendation Technically, the  tabindex and accesskey properties, as well as the blur(), click(), and focus() methods, are now defined on HTMLElement.
The following properties are now obsolete: align and useMap.
The following properties have been added: autocomplete, autofocus, dirName, files, formAction, formEncType, formMethod, formNoValidate, formTarget, height, indeterminate, labels, list, max, min, multiple, pattern, placeholder, required, selectionDirection, selectionEnd, selectionStart, step, validationMessage, validity, valueAsDate, valueAsNumber, width, and willValidate.
The following methods have been added: checkValidity(), setCustomValidity(), setSelectionRange(), stepUp(), and stepDown().
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 HTML Specification
The definition of 'HTMLInputElement' in that specification.		 Recommendation The size property is now an unsigned long. The type property must be entirely given in lowercase characters.
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 1 Specification
The definition of 'HTMLInputElement' in that specification.		 Recommendation Initial definition.

Browser compatibility

Feature Chrome Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Opera Safari (WebKit)
Basic support (Yes) 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
autocomplete & autofocus properties (Yes) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
files property (Yes) 3.0 (1.9) ? ? ?
multiple property (Yes) 3.6 (1.9.2) ? ? ?
indeterminate property ? (Yes) ? ? ?
list property ? (Yes) ? ? ?
formAction, formEncType, formMethod, formTarget properties (Yes) 4.0 (2) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
formNoValidate, validationMessage, validity, willValidate properties and setCustomValidity() and checkValidity() methods. (Yes) 4.0 (2) 10 (Yes) (Yes)
pattern, placeholder, required properties (Yes) 4.0 (2) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
height and weight properties (Yes) 16 (16) ? ? ?
labels property 14.0 No support (bug 556743) ? ? ?
min, max, and step for <input type="number"> (Yes) Experimental, and without specific UI, since 16 (16): behind the pref dom.experimental_forms ? ? (Yes)
stepUp and stepDown methods ? Experimental since 16 (16): behind the pref dom.experimental_forms

There are still differences with the latest spec: bug 835773		 ? ? ?
min, max, and step properties for <input type="range"> (Yes) 23 (23) ? ? (Yes)
min, max, and step properties for <input type="date"> (Yes) Experimental, and without specific UI, since 20 (20): behind the pref dom.experimental_forms ? ? (Yes)
min, max, and step properties for other date-related type values (Yes) No support ? ? (Yes)
mozGetFileNameArray() and mozSetFileNameArray() methods No support 3.6 (1.9.2) No support No support No support
mozSetFileArray() method No support 38 (38) No support No support No support
autocapitalize 43.0 ? ? ? ?
Feature Android Android Webview Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Phone Opera Mobile Safari Mobile Chrome for Android
Basic support (Yes) (Yes) 1.0 (1.0) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
autocapitalize No support 43.0 ? ? ? ? 43.0

See also

  • HTML element implementing this interface: <input>.

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