`When To Use Input Autocomplete In HTML (And When List Or Datalist)`

In HTML Attributes, New

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Attribute of: How To Use Input To Create Form Fields In HTML: Easy Tutorial
What does When To Use Input Autocomplete In HTML (And When List Or Datalist) do?: Specifies whether the browser should attempt to automatically complete the input based on user inputs to similar fields.

Contents

1 Code Example
2 New(ish) in HTML5
3 autocomplete vs. list & <datalist>
4 Deliberately “broken”
5 Autocomplete and name
6 Values of the autocomplete Attribute
7 All Attributes of input Element
8 Browser Support for autocomplete

Code Example

<form>
 <label for="email">Email Address</label><br>
 <input type="email" name="email" id="email" autocomplete="on">
</form>

New(ish) in HTML5

The autocomplete attribute was introduced as an unofficial HTML feature in Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, and was adopted by a number of other browsers. So there has been wide support for it for a long time, although its exact behavior wasn’t standardized. With HTML5, the autocomplete attribute is an official part of the specification.

`autocomplete` vs. `list` & `<datalist>`

The autocomplete attribute asks the browser to attempt autocompletion, based on user history. This is useful for personal details like name and email address — things the user is likely to have types into similar input fields on other web sites. The autocomplete feature is not able to provide the browser with a list of site-specific autocomplete options. For autocomplete behavior with site-specific suggestions, use the list attribute with the <datalist> element.

Deliberately “broken”

All the major browsers ignore the autocomplete="off" value for certain types of input fields. Internet Explorer and Edge ignore it for all password fields. Firefox ignores it for any field in a login form. Chrome ignores it any time the user has elected to let the browser remember form data. Safari ignores it for username, email, and password fields. Ignoring the autocomplete="off" value is done to enhance usability, and gve the user more control over autocomplete behavior. As a UX designer, you should follow their lead and use autocomplete="off" sparingly. There are are very few use cases in normal forms where it really makes sense to disallow autocomplete. In some complex apps, it makes sense to avoid accidental inputs, but with most standard forms there really is no reason for it.

Autocomplete and `name`

Browsers use the name attribute in order to figure out what type of information an input field is asking for. So use standard, meaningful values for name. If you are asking for an address, use names like:

address-1
address-2
city
state or province
zip or postal-code

Don’t use clever or oddly specific names, as that makes it harder for the browser to provide autocomplete suggestions, and it can even lead to the browser trying to fill in the wrong values into the wrong inputs. (Have you ever had your browser fill your phone number into the zip code field? That was the fault of bad naming.)

Values of the `autocomplete` Attribute

Value Name	Notes
off	Turns autocomplete off.
on	Turns autocomplete on.

All Attributes of `input` Element

Attribute name	Values	Notes
step		Specifies the interval between valid values in a number-based input.
required		Specifies that the input field is required; disallows form submission and alerts the user if the required field is empty.
placeholder		Specifies placeholder text in a text-based input.
pattern		Specifies a regular expression against which to validate the value of the input.
multiple		Allows the user to enter multiple values into a file upload or email input.
min		Specifies a minimum value for number and date input fields.
max		Specifies a maximum value for number and date input fields.
list		Specifies the id of a <datalist> element which provides a list of autocomplete suggestions for the input field.
height		Specifies the height of an image input.
formtarget		Specifies the browsing context in which to open the response from the server after form submission. For use only on input types of “submit” or “image”.
formmethod		Specifies the HTTP method (GET or POST) to be used when the form data is submitted to the server. Only for use on input types of “submit” or “image”.
formenctype		Specifies how form data should be submitted to the server. Only for use on input types “submit” and “image”.
formaction		Specifies the URL for form submission. Can only be used for type=”submit” and type=”image”.
form		Specifies a form to which the input field belongs.
autofocus		Specifies that the input field should be in focus immediately upon page load.
accesskey		Defines a keyboard shortcut for the element.
autocomplete	off on	Specifies whether the browser should attempt to automatically complete the input based on user inputs to similar fields.
border		Was used to specify a border on an input. Deprecated. Use CSS instead.
checked		Specifies whether a checkbox or radio button form input should be checked by default.
disabled		Disables the input field.
maxlength		Specifies the maximum number of characters that can be entered in a text-type input.
language		Was used to indicate the scripting language used for events triggered by the input.
name		Specifies the name of an input element. The name and value of each input element are included in the HTTP request when the form is submitted.
size		Specifies the width of the input in characters.
src		Defines the source URL for an image input.
type	button checkbox file hidden image password radio reset submit text	Defines the input type.
value		Defines an initial value or default selection for an input field.