CSS ::placeholder Selector

Posted in CSS Tutorial

Updated on Oct 07, 2024

By Mari Selvan

👁️ 30 - Views

⏳ 4 mins

💬 1 Comment

Photo Credit to CodeToFun

🙋 Introduction

The ::placeholder selector in CSS is used to style the placeholder text inside input fields. Placeholder text is the light text shown inside form elements (like <input> or <textarea>) that gives a hint about what the user should enter.

The ::placeholder selector allows you to customize the appearance of this text, such as its color, font size, or style.

💡 Syntax

The signature of the ::placeholder Selector is as follows:

Syntax

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::placeholder {
    /* CSS properties */
}

The ::placeholder pseudo-element is applied to the placeholder text of form elements such as <input> and <textarea>.

📝 Example

Here’s a basic example of how to use the ::placeholder selector to style placeholder text.

☠️ HTML

HTML

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<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
    <meta charset="UTF-8">
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
    <title>CSS ::placeholder Selector Example</title>
    <link rel="stylesheet" href="styles.css">
</head>
<body>
    <form>
        <input type="text" placeholder="Enter your name">
        <textarea placeholder="Your message"></textarea>
    </form>
</body>
</html>

🎨 CSS

CSS

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/* Style for placeholder text */
::placeholder {
    color: #888;
    font-style: italic;
    font-size: 14px;
}

In this example:

The placeholder text is styled with a gray color (#888), italicized, and has a font size of 14px.

💬 Usage Tips

You can style various aspects of the placeholder text, such as:
- Color: You can set a different color for the placeholder text using the color property.
- Font size: Change the size of the placeholder text.
- Font style: Apply different font styles like italic or bold.
The ::placeholder pseudo-element only applies to the placeholder text. It doesn’t affect the actual input content once the user starts typing.
To ensure compatibility across different browsers, you might need to use vendor prefixes for older versions:
- ::-webkit-input-placeholder for WebKit-based browsers (Chrome, Safari).
- ::-moz-placeholder for Firefox.
- :-ms-input-placeholder for Internet Explorer and Edge.
- :-moz-placeholder for old Firefox versions.

Example with vendor prefixes:

CSS

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/* Vendor prefixes for better browser support */
::-webkit-input-placeholder {
    color: #888;
}

::-moz-placeholder {
    color: #888;
}

:-ms-input-placeholder {
    color: #888;
}

:-moz-placeholder {
    color: #888;
}

⚠️ Common Pitfalls

Browser Compatibility: Some older browsers may require vendor prefixes to properly apply styles to placeholder text. Make sure to test across various browsers for consistency.
Not for Input Content: The ::placeholder pseudo-element only affects the placeholder text. Any style applied here won’t affect the actual input content once the user starts typing.

🎉 Conclusion

The ::placeholder selector is a useful tool to enhance the appearance of form elements by allowing you to customize placeholder text.

By controlling its style, you can provide a more visually appealing and consistent user experience. Ensure you test for compatibility and use vendor prefixes if necessary for older browser support.