The HTMLTextAreaElement
interface provides special properties and methods for manipulating the layout and presentation of <textarea>
elements.
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a:hover text { fill: #0095DD; pointer-events: all;}
Properties
accessKey
|
string: Returns / Sets the element's accesskey attribute.
|
autocapitalize '
|
string: Returns / Sets the element's capitalization behavior for user input. Valid values are: none , off , characters , words , sentences .
|
autocomplete '
|
|
autofocus
|
boolean: Returns / Sets the element's autofocus attribute, indicating that the control should have input focus when the page loads
|
cols
|
unsigned long: Returns / Sets the element's cols attribute, indicating the visible width of the text area.
|
defaultValue
|
string: Returns / Sets the control's default value, which behaves like the Node.textContent property.
|
disabled
|
boolean: Returns / Sets the element's disabled attribute, indicating that the control is not available for interaction.
|
form Read only
|
object: Returns a reference to the parent form element. If this element is not contained in a form element, it can be the id attribute of any <form> element in the same document or the value null .
|
inputMode '
|
|
maxLength
|
long: Returns / Sets the element's maxlength attribute, indicating the maximum number of characters the user can enter. This constraint is evaluated only when the value changes.
|
minLength
|
long: Returns / Sets the element's minlength attribute, indicating the minimum number of characters the user can enter. This constraint is evaluated only when the value changes.
|
name
|
string: Returns / Sets the element's name attribute, containing the name of the control.
|
placeholder
|
string: Returns / Sets the element's placeholder attribute, containing a hint to the user about what to enter in the control.
|
readOnly
|
boolean: Returns / Sets the element's readonly attribute, indicating that the user cannot modify the value of the control.
|
required
|
boolean: Returns / Sets the element's required attribute, indicating that the user must specify a value before submitting the form.
|
rows
|
unsigned long: Returns / Sets the element's rows attribute, indicating the number of visible text lines for the control.
|
selectionDirection
|
string: Returns / Sets 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: Returns / Sets the index of the end of selected text. If no text is selected, contains the index of the character that follows the input cursor. On being set, the control behaves as if setSelectionRange() had been called with this as the second argument, and selectionStart as the first argument.
|
selectionStart
|
unsigned long: Returns / Sets the index of the beginning of selected text. If no text is selected, contains the index of the character that follows the input cursor. On being set, the control behaves as if setSelectionRange() had been called with this as the first argument, and selectionEnd as the second argument.
|
tabIndex
|
long: Returns / Sets the position of the element in the tabbing navigation order for the current document.
|
textLength Read only
|
long: Returns the codepoint length of the control's value . Same as reading value.length
|
type Read only
|
string: Returns the string textarea .
|
validationMessage Read only
|
string: Returns 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 object: Returns the validity states that this element is in.
|
value
|
string: Returns / Sets the raw value contained in the control.
|
willValidate Read only
|
boolean: Returns whether the element is a candidate for constraint validation. false if any conditions bar it from constraint validation, including its readOnly or disabled property is true .
|
wrap
|
string: Returns / Sets the wrap HTML attribute, indicating how the control wraps text.
|
HTMLTextAreaElement.labels Read only
|
NodeList : Returns a list of label elements associated with this element.
|
The two properties tabIndex
and accessKey
are inherited from HTMLElement
from HTML5 on, but were defined on HTMLTextAreaElement
in DOM Level 2 HTML and earlier specifications.
Methods
blur()
|
Removes focus from the control; keystrokes will subsequently go nowhere. |
focus()
|
Gives focus to the control; keystrokes will subsequently go to this element. |
select()
|
Selects the contents of the control. |
setRangeText()
|
Replaces a range of text in the element with new text. |
setSelectionRange()
|
Selects a range of text in the element (but does not focus it). |
checkValidity()
|
Returns false if the element is a candidate for constraint validation, and it does not satisfy its constraints. In this case, it also fires a cancelable invalid event at the control. It returns true if the control is not a candidate for constraint validation, or if it satisfies its constraints.
|
reportValidity()
|
This method reports the problems with the constraints on the element, if any, to the user. If there are problems, it fires a cancelable invalid event at the element, and returns false ; if there are no problems, it returns true .
|
setCustomValidity(DOMstring)
|
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. |
The two methods blur()
and focus()
are inherited from HTMLElement
from HTML5 on, but were defined on HTMLTextAreaElement
in DOM Level 2 HTML and earlier specifications.
Events
Listen to these events using addEventListener()
or by assigning an event listener to the oneventname
property of this interface:
input
event- Fires when the
value
of an<input>
,<select>
, or<textarea>
element has been changed.
Examples
Autogrowing textarea example
Make a textarea autogrow while typing:
JavaScript
function autoGrow (oField) {
if (oField.scrollHeight > oField.clientHeight) {
oField.style.height = oField.scrollHeight + "px";
}
}
CSS
textarea.noscrollbars {
overflow: hidden;
width: 300px;
height: 100px;
}
HTML
<form>
<fieldset>
<legend>Your comments</legend>
<p><textarea class="noscrollbars" onkeyup="autoGrow(this);"></textarea></p>
<p><input type="submit" value="Send" /></p>
</fieldset>
</form>
Insert HTML tags example
Insert some HTML tags or smiles or any custom text in a textarea.
JavaScript
function insertMetachars(sStartTag, sEndTag) {
var bDouble = arguments.length > 1, oMsgInput = document.myForm.myTxtArea, nSelStart = oMsgInput.selectionStart, nSelEnd = oMsgInput.selectionEnd, sOldText = oMsgInput.value;
oMsgInput.value = sOldText.substring(0, nSelStart) + (bDouble ? sStartTag + sOldText.substring(nSelStart, nSelEnd) + sEndTag : sStartTag) + sOldText.substring(nSelEnd);
oMsgInput.setSelectionRange(bDouble || nSelStart === nSelEnd ? nSelStart + sStartTag.length : nSelStart, (bDouble ? nSelEnd : nSelStart) + sStartTag.length);
oMsgInput.focus();
}
CSS
CSS to decorate the internal span to behave like a link:
.intLink {
cursor: pointer;
text-decoration: underline;
color: #0000ff;
}
HTML:
<form name="myForm">
<p>[ <span class="intLink" onclick="insertMetachars('<strong>','<\/strong>');"><strong>Bold</strong></span> | <span class="intLink" onclick="insertMetachars('<em>','<\/em>');"><em>Italic</em></span> | <span class="intLink" onclick="var newURL=prompt('Enter the full URL for the link');if(newURL){insertMetachars('<a href=\u0022'+newURL+'\u0022>','<\/a>');}else{document.myForm.myTxtArea.focus();}">URL</span> | <span class="intLink" onclick="insertMetachars('\n<code>\n','\n<\/code>\n');">code</span> | <span class="intLink" onclick="insertMetachars(' :-)');">smile</span> | etc. etc. ]</p>
<p><textarea name="myTxtArea" rows="10" cols="50">Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut facilisis, arcu vitae adipiscing placerat, nisl lectus accumsan nisi, vitae iaculis sem neque vel lectus. Praesent tristique commodo lorem quis fringilla. Sed ac tellus eros. Sed consectetur eleifend felis vitae luctus. Praesent sagittis, est eget bibendum tincidunt, ligula diam tincidunt augue, a fermentum odio velit eget mi. Phasellus mattis, elit id fringilla semper, orci magna cursus ligula, non venenatis lacus augue sit amet dui. Pellentesque lacinia odio id nisi pulvinar commodo tempus at odio. Ut consectetur eros porttitor nunc mollis ultrices. Aenean porttitor, purus sollicitudin viverra auctor, neque erat blandit sapien, sit amet tincidunt massa mi ac nibh. Proin nibh sem, bibendum ut placerat nec, cursus et lacus. Phasellus vel augue turpis. Nunc eu mauris eu leo blandit mollis interdum eget lorem. </textarea></p>
</form>
Maximum length and number of lines example
Create a textarea with a maximum number of characters per line and a maximum number of lines:
First, create a function that takes the text field and a key event as input and determines if any of the limits have been reached. If the limit has not been reached, it will return the key.
function checkRows(oField, oKeyEvent) {
var nKey = (oKeyEvent || /* old IE */ window.event || /* check is not supported! */ { keyCode: 38 }).keyCode,
// put here the maximum number of characters per line:
nCols = 30,
// put here the maximum number of lines:
nRows = 5,
nSelS = oField.selectionStart, nSelE = oField.selectionEnd,
sVal = oField.value, nLen = sVal.length,
nBackward = nSelS >= nCols ? nSelS - nCols : 0,
nDeltaForw = sVal.substring(nBackward, nSelS).search(new RegExp("\\n(?!.{0," + String(nCols - 2) + "}\\n)")) + 1,
nRowStart = nBackward + nDeltaForw,
aReturns = (sVal.substring(0, nSelS) + sVal.substring(nSelE, sVal.length)).match(/\n/g),
nRowEnd = nSelE + nRowStart + nCols - nSelS,
sRow = sVal.substring(nRowStart, nSelS) + sVal.substring(nSelE, nRowEnd > nLen ? nLen : nRowEnd),
bKeepCols = nKey === 13 || nLen + 1 < nCols || /\n/.test(sRow) || ((nRowStart === 0 || nDeltaForw > 0 || nKey > 0) && (sRow.length < nCols || (nKey > 0 && (nLen === nRowEnd || sVal.charAt(nRowEnd) === "\n"))));
return (nKey !== 13 || (aReturns ? aReturns.length + 1 : 1) < nRows) && ((nKey > 32 && nKey < 41) || bKeepCols);
}
In the HTML we just need to hook our function to the `onkeypress` event and specify that our textarea does not accept pasting:
<form>
<p>Textarea with fixed number of characters per line:<br />
<textarea cols="50" rows="10" onkeypress="return checkRows(this, event);"
onpaste="return false;"></textarea>
</p>
</form>
Specifications
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
HTML Living StandardThe definition of 'HTMLTextAreaElement' in that specification. | Living Standard | |
HTML5The definition of 'HTMLTextAreaElement' in that specification. | Recommendation | The attributes tabindex and accesskey , as well as the methods blur() and focus() are now defined on HTMLElement .
The following attributes have been added: |
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 HTML SpecificationThe definition of 'HTMLTextAreaElement' in that specification. | Obsolete | The property defaultValue doesn't contain the initial value of the value attribute, but the initial value of the content of the <textarea> .
|
Document Object Model (DOM) Level 1 SpecificationThe definition of 'HTMLTextAreaElement' in that specification. | Obsolete | Initial definition |
Browser compatibility
The compatibility table on this page is generated from structured data. If you'd like to contribute to the data, please check out https://github.com/mdn/browser-compat-data and send us a pull request.
Update compatibility data on GitHub
Desktop | Mobile | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
HTMLTextAreaElement
|
Chrome
Full support 1 |
Edge
Full support 12 |
Firefox
Full support 1 |
IE
Full support 8 |
Opera
Full support 8 |
Safari
Full support 3 |
WebView Android
Full support 1 |
Chrome Android
Full support 18 |
Firefox Android
Full support 4 |
Opera Android
Full support 10.1 |
Safari iOS
Full support 1 |
Samsung Internet Android
Full support 1.0 |
autocapitalize
|
Chrome
Full support 43 |
Edge
Full support 79 |
Firefox
? |
IE
? |
Opera
? |
Safari
? |
WebView Android
No support No |
Chrome Android
Full support 43 |
Firefox Android
? |
Opera Android
? |
Safari iOS
? |
Samsung Internet Android
Full support 4.0 |
autocomplete
|
Chrome
Full support 66 |
Edge
Full support ≤79 |
Firefox
Full support Yes |
IE
No support No |
Opera
Full support Yes |
Safari
Full support Yes |
WebView Android
Full support 66 |
Chrome Android
Full support 66 |
Firefox Android
Full support Yes |
Opera Android
Full support Yes |
Safari iOS
Full support Yes |
Samsung Internet Android
Full support 9.0 |
labels
|
Chrome
Full support 14 |
Edge
Full support 18 |
Firefox
Full support 56 |
IE
No support No |
Opera
Full support Yes |
Safari
Full support Yes |
WebView Android
Full support Yes |
Chrome Android
Full support Yes |
Firefox Android
Full support 56 |
Opera Android
Full support Yes |
Safari iOS
Full support Yes |
Samsung Internet Android
Full support Yes |
reportValidity
|
Chrome
Full support 40 |
Edge
Full support 17 |
Firefox
Full support 49 |
IE
No support No |
Opera
Full support 27 |
Safari
Full support 10 |
WebView Android
Full support 40 |
Chrome Android
Full support 40 |
Firefox Android
Full support 64 |
Opera Android
Full support 27 |
Safari iOS
Full support 10 |
Samsung Internet Android
Full support 4.0 |
textLength
|
Chrome
Full support 47 |
Edge
Full support 17 |
Firefox
Full support 28 |
IE
No support No |
Opera
Full support 30 |
Safari
Full support 9 |
WebView Android
Full support Yes |
Chrome Android
Full support Yes |
Firefox Android
Full support Yes |
Opera Android
Full support Yes |
Safari iOS
Full support Yes |
Samsung Internet Android
Full support Yes |
Legend
- Full support
- Full support
- No support
- No support
- Compatibility unknown
- Compatibility unknown
HTMLTextAreaElement by Mozilla Contributors is licensed under CC-BY-SA 2.5.