HTML - <input type="password">

The HTML <input type="password"> element is a specific version of the <input> element, used to create an input field accepting a password.

Example

To create a widget to display a password, use:

<input type="password">

To create a widget to display a password with pattern, use:

<input type="password" pattern=".{6,}">

The above example will create password element that must contain 6 or more characters.

Description  

The HTML <input type="password"> element is a specific version of the <input> element, used to create an input field accepting a password.

The browser will generate a input field for entering, and changing, the password. The data which the user enters will be displayed in a Asterisks character, this character can vary from browser to browser.

Content categories Flow content, listed, submittable, resettable, form-associated element, phrasing content, labellable element, palpable content.
Permitted content None, it is an empty element.
Tag omission Must have a start tag and must not have an end tag.
Permitted parent elements Any element that accepts phrasing content.
DOM interface HTMLInputElement

Attributes

Includes the Global Attributes.

NameVersionDescription
autocomplete HTML5 Sets the value of the autocomplete attribute of a password field. If true, automatically fills it with the previously stored value for the password field.
autofocus HTML5 This Boolean attribute lets you specify that a form field should have input focus when the page loads, unless the user overrides it, for example, by typing in a different field. Only one form element in a document can have the autofocus attribute, which is a Boolean.
disabled

This Boolean attribute indicates that the password field is not available for interaction. Additionally, disabled field values aren't submitted with the form.
defaultvalue Sets the default value of a password field.
inputmode HTML5 A hint to the browser for which keyboard to display.Possible values are:
  • verbatim: Alphanumeric, non-prose content such as usernames and passwords.
  • latin: Latin-script input in the user's preferred language with typing aids such as text prediction enabled. For human-to-computer communication such as search boxes.
  • latin-name: As latin, but for human names.
  • latin-prose: As latin, but with more aggressive typing aids. For human-to-human communication such as instant messaging or email.
  • full-width-latin: As latin-prose, but for the user's secondary languages.
  • kana: Kana or romaji input, typically hiragana input, using full-width characters, with support for converting to kanji. Intended for Japanese text input.
  • katakana: Katakana input, using full-width characters, with support for converting to kanji. Intended for Japanese text input.
maxlength Sets the value of the maxlength attribute of a password field.
minlength Sets the value of the minlength attribute of a password field.
name The name of the field, which is submitted with the form data.
pattern HTML5 Sets the value of the pattern attribute of a password field.
placeholder HTML5 Sets the value of the placeholder attribute of a password field.
readonly This Boolean attribute indicates that the user cannot modify the value of the password field.
required HTML5 This Boolean attribute specifies that the user must fill in a value before submitting a form.
size Sets the value of the size attribute of a password field.

Browser Compatibility  

Feature Chrome Firefox (Gecko) Internet Explorer Opera Safari
Basic support 1.0 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) 2 1.0 1.0
accesskey 1.0 (Yes) 6 1.0 ?
autocomplete 17.0 4.0 (2.0) 5 9.6 5.2
autofocus 5.0 4.0 (2.0) 10 9.6 5.0
disabled 1.0 1.0 (1.7 or earlier)[4] 6 1.0 1.0
form 9.0 4.0 (2.0) ? 10.62 ?
formaction 9.0 4.0 (2.0) 10 10.62 5.2
formenctype 9.0 4.0 (2.0) 10 10.62 ?
formmethod 9.0 4.0 (2.0) 10 10.62 5.2
formnovalidate 5.0[1] 4.0 (2.0) 10 10.62 ?
formtarget 9.0 4.0 (2.0) 10 10.62 5.2
inputmode No support No support No support No support No support
list 20.0 4.0 (2.0) 10 9.6 No support
maxlength 1.0 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) 2 1.0 1.0
minlength 40.0 ? ? ? ?
name 1.0 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) 2 1.0 1.0
pattern 5.0 4.0 (2.0) 10 9.6 No support
placeholder 10.0 4.0 (2.0) 10 11.00 5.0
readonly 1.0 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) 6[2] 1.0 1.0
required 5.0
10[3]		 4.0 (2.0) 10 9.6 No support
size 1.0 1.0 (1.7 or earlier) 2 1.0 1.0
Feature Android Firefox Mobile (Gecko) IE Mobile Opera Mobile Safari Mobile
Basic support (Yes) 4.0 (2.0) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
accesskey ? ? ? ? ?
autocomplete ? 4.0 (2.0) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
autofocus 3.2 4.0 (2.0) ? (Yes) ?
disabled (Yes) 4.0 (2.0) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
form ? ? ? ? ?
formaction ? 4.0 (2.0) ? 10.62 5.0
formenctype ? ? ? ? ?
formmethod ? 4.0 (2.0) ? 10.62 5.0
formnovalidate ? 4.0 (2.0) ? 10.62 ?
formtarget ? 4.0 (2.0) ? 10.62 5.0
inputmode No support No support No support No support No support
list No support 4.0 (2.0) ? (Yes) ?
maxlength (Yes) 4.0 (2.0) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)
minlength ? ? ? 27.0 ?
name (Yes) 4.0 (2.0) (Yes) (Yes) 1.0
pattern ? 4.0 (2.0) ? (Yes) (Yes)
placeholder 2.3 4.0 (2.0) ? 11.10 4
required ? (Yes) ? (Yes) ?
size (Yes) 4.0 (2.0) (Yes) (Yes) (Yes)

 

[1] In 6.0 it only worked with the HTML5 document type, validation support in 7.0 was disabled and re-enabled in 10.0.

[2] Missing for type="checkbox" and type="radio".

[3] Supported for <select> element.

[4] Firefox will, unlike other browsers, by default, persist the dynamic disabled state and (if applicable) dynamic checkedness of an <input> across page loads. Setting the value of the autocomplete attribute to off disables this feature; this works even when the autocomplete attribute would normally not apply to the <input> by virtue of its type. See bug 654072.

Specifications  

Specification Status Comment
WHATWG HTML Living Standard
The definition of '<input>' in that specification.		 Living Standard  
HTML5
The definition of '<input>' in that specification.		 Recommendation  
HTML 4.01 Specification
The definition of '<form>' in that specification.		 Recommendation  

License

© 2016 Mozilla Contributors
Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License v2.5 or later.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-us/docs/web/html/element/input/password