HTML 4 textarea Tag

Also see HTML5 <textarea> Tag.

This page is for the HTML 4 version of this element. For a more up to date version, see HTML5 <textarea> Tag.


The HTML <textarea> tag is used within a form to declare a textarea element - a control that allows the user to input text over multiple rows.

Also see the <form> tag.

Example

The above code produces the following input controls:

Attributes

Attributes specific to this tag:
AttributeDescription
nameAssigns a name to the input control.
rowsSpecifies the height of the textarea based on the number of visible lines of text. If there's more text than this allows, users can scroll using the textarea's scrollbars.
colsSpecifies the width of the textarea based on the number of visible character widths.
Other Attributes:
AttributeDescription
classDocument wide identifier.
idDocument wide identifier
dirSpecifies the direction of the text
langLanguage code
titleSpecifies a title to associate with the element. Many browsers will display this when the cursor hovers over the element (similar to a "tool tip").
styleInline style (CSS)
readonlySets the textarea to read-only - it won't allow the user to change the value. The textarea however, can receive focus and is included when tabbing through the form controls.
disabledDisables the input control. The button won't accept changes from the user. It also cannot receive focus and will be skipped when tabbing.
tabindexHelps determine the tabbing order (when the user 'tabs' through the elements on the page).
onfocusIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
onblurIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
onselectIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
onchangeIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
onclickIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
ondbclickIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
onmousedownIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
onmouseupIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
onmouseoverIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
onmousemoveIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
onmouseoutIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
onkeypressIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
onkeydownIntrinsic event (see event handlers)
onkeyupIntrinsic event (see event handlers)

HTML5 Tags

The information on this page is based on HTML version 4.01. Most modern browsers now support HTML5.

See HTML5 <textarea> Tag for the HTML5 version of the above element.

See this list of HTML tags for the latest list of HTML elements.