form-control.md

layout	title	description	group	toc
docs	Form controls	Give textual form controls like `<input>`s and `<textarea>`s an upgrade with custom styles, sizing, focus states, and more.	forms	true

Example

Form controls are styled with a mix of Sass and CSS variables, allowing them to adapt to color modes and support any customization method.

{{< example >}}

Email address

Example textarea <textarea class="form-control" id="exampleFormControlTextarea1" rows="3"></textarea>

{{< /example >}}

Sizing

Set heights using classes like .form-control-lg and .form-control-sm.

{{< example >}} {{< /example >}}

Form text

Block-level or inline-level form text can be created using .form-text.

{{< callout warning >}} Form text should be explicitly associated with the form control it relates to using the aria-describedby attribute. This will ensure that assistive technologies—such as screen readers—will announce this form text when the user focuses or enters the control. {{< /callout >}}

Form text below inputs can be styled with .form-text. If a block-level element will be used, a top margin is added for easy spacing from the inputs above.

{{< example >}} Password

Your password must be 8-20 characters long, contain letters and numbers, and must not contain spaces, special characters, or emoji.

{{< /example >}}

Inline text can use any typical inline HTML element (be it a <span>, <small>, or something else) with nothing more than the .form-text class.

{{< example >}}

Password

Must be 8-20 characters long.

{{< /example >}}

Disabled

Add the disabled boolean attribute on an input to give it a grayed out appearance, remove pointer events, and prevent focusing.

{{< example >}} {{< /example >}}

Readonly

Add the readonly boolean attribute on an input to prevent modification of the input's value. readonly inputs can still be focused and selected, while disabled inputs cannot.

{{< example >}} {{< /example >}}

Readonly plain text

If you want to have <input readonly> elements in your form styled as plain text, replace .form-control with .form-control-plaintext to remove the default form field styling and preserve the correct margin and padding.

{{< example >}}

Email

Password

{{< /example >}}

{{< example >}}

Email

Password

Confirm identity

{{< /example >}}

File input

{{< example >}}

Default file input example

Multiple files input example

Disabled file input example

Small file input example

Large file input example

{{< /example >}}

Color

Set the type="color" and add .form-control-color to the <input>. We use the modifier class to set fixed heights and override some inconsistencies between browsers.

{{< example >}} Color picker {{< /example >}}

Datalists

Datalists allow you to create a group of <option>s that can be accessed (and autocompleted) from within an <input>. These are similar to <select> elements, but come with more menu styling limitations and differences. While most browsers and operating systems include some support for <datalist> elements, their styling is inconsistent at best.

Learn more about support for datalist elements.

{{< example >}} Datalist example

{{< /example >}}

CSS

Sass variables

$input-* are shared across most of our form controls (and not buttons).

{{< scss-docs name="form-input-variables" file="scss/_variables.scss" >}}

$form-label-* and $form-text-* are for our <label>s and .form-text component.

{{< scss-docs name="form-label-variables" file="scss/_variables.scss" >}}

{{< scss-docs name="form-text-variables" file="scss/_variables.scss" >}}

$form-file-* are for file input.

{{< scss-docs name="form-file-variables" file="scss/_variables.scss" >}}