File Input

<wa-file-input>

Pro

Included with Web Awesome Pro

Stable

File inputs allow users to select files from their device.

Get File Input with Web Awesome Pro!

Subscribing to Web Awesome Pro gives you every Pro component, plus premium themes, color tools, team collaboration, and more.

Pro Components
Responsive Layout Tools
Ever-Growing Pattern Library
Unlimited Hosted Projects
Pre-Built Pro Themes
Pro Theme Builder
Pro Color Tools
Official Figma Design Kit Newer additions to Web Awesome, like <wa-toast>, aren't included in the currently available kit, but a new version is in the works.
Track its progress on GitHub.
WA Pro Perpetual License
Actual Human™ Support

Get Web Awesome Pro + File Input!

Already have Pro? Log in

File inputs allow users to select one or more files from their device using a dropzone that supports both click and drag-and-drop interactions.

<wa-file-input label="Select a file"></wa-file-input>

<wa-file-input label="Profile photo" hint="PNG or JPG, up to 5 MB."></wa-file-input>

This component works with standard <form> elements. Please refer to the section on form controls to learn more about form submission and client-side validation.

Examples

Link to This Section

Label

Link to This Section

Use the label attribute to give the file input an accessible label. For labels that contain HTML, use the label slot instead.

<wa-file-input label="Upload your resume"></wa-file-input>

Hint

Link to This Section

Add a descriptive hint with the hint attribute. For hints that contain HTML, use the hint slot instead.

<wa-file-input label="Profile photo" hint="Upload a photo to personalize your account."></wa-file-input>

Multiple

Link to This Section

Add the multiple attribute to allow the file input to accept more than one file. If the user drops a folder, all files within it will be added to the file input.

<wa-file-input label="Upload documents" hint="You can select multiple files at once." multiple></wa-file-input>

Accepting File Types

Link to This Section

Use the accept attribute to limit the file input to certain file types. Set it to a comma-separated string of unique file type specifiers.

<wa-file-input
  label="Upload an image"
  hint="Only JPEG, PNG, GIF, and WebP images are allowed."
  accept="image/jpeg, image/png, image/gif, image/webp"
></wa-file-input>

You can also use file extensions such as accept="pdf, .doc, .docx".

<wa-file-input label="Upload a document" hint="PDF and Word documents only." accept=".pdf, .doc, .docx"></wa-file-input>

Capturing from a Camera

Link to This Section

On mobile devices, use the capture attribute to capture media directly from the device's camera or microphone instead of selecting an existing file. Set it to user for the front-facing camera or environment for the rear-facing one.

The capture attribute is only used when accept includes an image, video, or audio type. On desktop browsers and devices without the corresponding hardware, it is ignored and the file input behaves normally.

<wa-file-input
  label="Take a photo"
  hint="Opens the rear-facing camera on supported mobile devices."
  accept="image/*"
  capture="environment"
></wa-file-input>

Disabled

Link to This Section

Use the disabled attribute to disable the file input.

<wa-file-input label="Upload disabled" disabled></wa-file-input>

Size

Link to This Section

Use the size attribute to change the file input's size.

<wa-file-input label="Extra Small" size="xs"></wa-file-input>
<br />
<wa-file-input label="Small" size="s"></wa-file-input>
<br />
<wa-file-input label="Medium" size="m"></wa-file-input>
<br />
<wa-file-input label="Large" size="l"></wa-file-input>
<br />
<wa-file-input label="Extra Large" size="xl"></wa-file-input>

Custom Dropzone Content

Link to This Section

Use the dropzone slot to customize what appears inside the dropzone area.

    
    Drag and drop your files here
    or click to browse

<wa-file-input label="Upload files" multiple>
  <div slot="dropzone" style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; align-items: center; gap: 0.5rem;">
    <wa-icon name="cloud-arrow-up" style="font-size: 2.5rem;"></wa-icon>
    <strong>Drag and drop your files here</strong>
    <span style="color: var(--wa-color-neutral-on-quiet);">or click to browse</span>
  </div>
</wa-file-input>

Working with Files

Link to This Section

The files property gives you access to an array of selected files. Unlike the native file input's FileList, this is a standard JavaScript array, making it easier to manipulate.

    Reverse Order
    Clear All
    Log Files

<div>
  <wa-file-input
    id="file-input-demo"
    label="Select some files"
    hint="Try the buttons below after selecting files."
    multiple
  ></wa-file-input>

  <wa-divider></wa-divider>

  <div class="wa-cluster">
    <wa-button id="reverse-btn" appearance="filled">Reverse Order</wa-button>
    <wa-button id="clear-btn" appearance="filled">Clear All</wa-button>
    <wa-button id="log-btn" appearance="filled">Log Files</wa-button>
  </div>
</div>

<script>
  const fileInput = document.getElementById('file-input-demo');
  const reverseBtn = document.getElementById('reverse-btn');
  const clearBtn = document.getElementById('clear-btn');
  const logBtn = document.getElementById('log-btn');

  reverseBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
    fileInput.files = fileInput.files.toReversed();
  });

  clearBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
    fileInput.files = [];
  });

  logBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
    console.log('Selected files:', fileInput.files);
  });
</script>

The files property must be reassigned, not mutated! Avoid using functions that mutate the array, such as reverse() and sort(), because they won't trigger an update. Use non-mutating alternatives like toReversed() and toSorted() instead.

Uploading with Forms

Link to This Section

When uploading files from a form, add method="post" and enctype="multipart/form-data" to the form so files are sent correctly to the server.

<form id="upload-form" method="post" enctype="multipart/form-data" action="about:blank">
  <wa-file-input name="documents" label="Select files to upload" multiple></wa-file-input>
  <br />
  <wa-button appearance="filled" type="submit" variant="brand">Upload</wa-button>
</form>

<script>
  const form = document.getElementById('upload-form');

  form.addEventListener('submit', event => {
    event.preventDefault();
    const formData = new FormData(form);
    console.log('Files to upload:', [...formData.getAll('documents')]);
  });
</script>

Validation

Link to This Section

Add the required attribute to make file selection mandatory. Form submission will be blocked until a file is selected.

  
  Submit
  Reset

<form id="required-form" action="about:blank" method="get">
  <wa-file-input name="file" label="Required file" hint="You must select a file to submit." required></wa-file-input>
  <br />
  <wa-button appearance="filled" type="submit" variant="brand">Submit</wa-button>
  <wa-button type="reset" appearance="filled">Reset</wa-button>
</form>

Custom Validity

Link to This Section

Use the setCustomValidity() method to set a custom error message. This will override standard validation and prevent form submission. Clear the error by passing an empty string.

  
  Submit
  Reset

<form id="custom-validation-form" action="about:blank" method="get">
  <wa-file-input
    id="custom-file-input"
    name="file"
    label="Upload a small file"
    hint="Files must be smaller than 500 KB."
  ></wa-file-input>
  <br />
  <wa-button appearance="filled" type="submit" variant="brand">Submit</wa-button>
  <wa-button type="reset" appearance="filled">Reset</wa-button>
</form>

<script type="module">
  const form = document.getElementById('custom-validation-form');
  const fileInput = document.getElementById('custom-file-input');
  const maxSize = 500 * 1024; // 500 KB

  fileInput.addEventListener('change', () => {
    const tooLarge = fileInput.files.some(file => file.size > maxSize);

    if (tooLarge) {
      fileInput.setCustomValidity('One or more files exceed the 500 KB limit.');
    } else {
      fileInput.setCustomValidity('');
    }
  });

  // Don't actually submit in the demo
  form.addEventListener('submit', event => {
    event.preventDefault();
  });
</script>

Styling Validation States

Link to This Section

Use the :state(user-valid) and :state(user-invalid) custom states to style the file input based on its validation status. These states only apply after the user has interacted with the control or attempted to submit the form.

  
  Submit
  Reset

<form id="styling-form" action="about:blank" method="get" class="validation-styles">
  <wa-file-input name="file" label="Select a file" required></wa-file-input>
  <br />
  <wa-button appearance="filled" type="submit" variant="brand">Submit</wa-button>
  <wa-button type="reset" appearance="filled">Reset</wa-button>
</form>

<style>
  .validation-styles wa-file-input:state(user-valid) {
    outline: solid 2px var(--wa-color-success-fill-loud);
    outline-offset: 0.5rem;
  }

  .validation-styles wa-file-input:state(user-invalid) {
    outline: solid 2px var(--wa-color-danger-fill-loud);
    outline-offset: 0.5rem;
  }
</style>

You can also style based on the :state(blank) and :state(dragging) states:

<wa-file-input class="drag-styles" label="Watch the border change while dragging" multiple></wa-file-input>

<style>
  .drag-styles::part(dropzone) {
    transition: transform 0.2s ease;
  }

  .drag-styles:state(dragging)::part(dropzone) {
    transform: scale(1.02);
  }
</style>

API

Link to This Section

Importing

Link to This Section

If you're using the autoloader or a hosted project, components load on demand — no manual import needed. To cherry-pick a component manually, use one of the following snippets.

CDN

npm

Self-Hosted

React

Import this component directly from the CDN:

import 'https://ka-f.webawesome.com/[email protected]/components/file-input/file-input.js';

After installing Web Awesome via npm, import this component:

import '@awesome.me/webawesome/dist/components/file-input/file-input.js';

If you're self-hosting Web Awesome, import this component from your server:

import './webawesome/dist/components/file-input/file-input.js';

To import this component for React 18 or below, use the following code:

import WaFileInput from '@awesome.me/webawesome/dist/react/file-input/index.js';

Slots

Link to This Section

Learn more about using slots.

Name	Description
`dropzone`	Custom content to show in the dropzone.
`hint`	Text that describes how to use the file input. Alternatively, you can use the `hint` attribute.
`label`	The file input's label. Alternatively, you can use the `label` attribute.

Attributes & Properties

Link to This Section

Learn more about attributes and properties.

Name	Description	Reflects
`accept` `accept`	A comma-separated list of acceptable file types. Must be a list of unique file type specifiers. Type `string` Default `''`
`capture` `capture`	On mobile devices, specifies which camera or microphone to use for capturing media. Use `user` for the front-facing camera/microphone or `environment` for the rear-facing one. This attribute is only used when `accept` includes an image, video, or audio type and may be ignored on devices that lack the corresponding hardware. Type `'user' \| 'environment'`
`disabled` `disabled`	Disables the form control. Type `boolean` Default `false`
`dragging`	Whether files are being dragged over the dropzone. Type `boolean` Default `false`
`fileCount`	The number of selected files. Used for validation. Type `number`
`files`	The selected files. Type `File[]` Default `[]`
`form`	By default, form controls are associated with the nearest containing `<form>` element. This attribute allows you to place the form control outside of a form and associate it with the form that has this `id`. The form must be in the same document or shadow root for this to work. Type `HTMLFormElement \| null`
`hint` `hint`	The file input's hint. If you need to display HTML, use the `hint` slot instead. Type `string` Default `''`
`label` `label`	The file input's label. If you need to display HTML, use the `label` slot instead. Type `string` Default `''`
`multiple` `multiple`	Allows more than one file to be selected. Type `boolean` Default `false`
`name` `name`	The name of the input, submitted as a name/value pair with form data. Type `string \| null` Default `null`
`required` `required`	Makes the file input a required field. Type `boolean` Default `false`
`size` `size`	The file input's size. Type `'xs' \| 's' \| 'm' \| 'l' \| 'xl' \| 'small' \| 'medium' \| 'large'` Default `'m'`
`validationTarget`	Override this to change where constraint validation popups are anchored. Type `undefined \| HTMLElement`
`validators`	Validators are static because they have `observedAttributes`, essentially attributes to "watch" for changes. Whenever these attributes change, we want to be notified and update the validator. Type `Validator[]` Default `[]`
`withHint` `with-hint`	Only required for SSR. Set to `true` if you're slotting in a `hint` element so the server-rendered markup includes the hint before the component hydrates on the client. Type `boolean` Default `false`
`withLabel` `with-label`	Only required for SSR. Set to `true` if you're slotting in a `label` element so the server-rendered markup includes the label before the component hydrates on the client. Type `boolean` Default `false`

Methods

Link to This Section

Learn more about methods.

Name	Description	Arguments
`blur()`	Removes focus from the file input.
`focus()`	Sets focus on the file input.	`options: FocusOptions`
`formStateRestoreCallback()`	Called when the browser is trying to restore element’s state to state in which case reason is "restore", or when the browser is trying to fulfill autofill on behalf of user in which case reason is "autocomplete". In the case of "restore", state is a string, File, or FormData object previously set as the second argument to setFormValue.	`state: string \| File \| FormData \| null, reason: 'autocomplete' \| 'restore'`
`resetValidity()`	Reset validity is a way of removing manual custom errors and native validation.
`setCustomValidity()`	Do not use this when creating a "Validator". This is intended for end users of components. We track manually defined custom errors so we don't clear them on accident in our validators.	`message: string`

Events

Link to This Section

Learn more about events.

Name	Description
`blur`	Emitted when the dropzone loses focus.
`change`	Emitted when files are added or removed.
`focus`	Emitted when the dropzone gains focus.
`input`	Emitted when file selection changes.
`wa-invalid`	Emitted when the form control has been checked for validity and its constraints aren't satisfied.

Custom States

Link to This Section

Learn more about custom states.

Name	Description	CSS selector
`blank`	No files selected.	`:state(blank)`
`dragging`	Files being dragged over dropzone.	`:state(dragging)`

CSS Parts

Link to This Section

Learn more about CSS parts.

Name	Description	CSS selector
`dropzone`	The drag-and-drop area.	`::part(dropzone)`
`dropzone-icon`	The upload icon in the dropzone.	`::part(dropzone-icon)`
`dropzone-text`	The instruction text in the dropzone.	`::part(dropzone-text)`
`file`	Individual file item container.	`::part(file)`
`file-details`	Container for file name and size.	`::part(file-details)`
`file-icon`	The icon for non-image files.	`::part(file-icon)`
`file-image`	The image element for image thumbnails.	`::part(file-image)`
`file-input`	The component's outer wrapper.	`::part(file-input)`
`file-list`	The container for selected files.	`::part(file-list)`
`file-name`	The file name text.	`::part(file-name)`
`file-size`	The file size text.	`::part(file-size)`
`file-thumbnail`	The thumbnail/icon container for a file.	`::part(file-thumbnail)`
`form-control-label`	The label.	`::part(form-control-label)`
`hint`	The hint element.	`::part(hint)`
`remove-button`	The remove button for each file.	`::part(remove-button)`
`base`	Deprecated. Use the `file-input` part instead.	`::part(base)`
`label`	Deprecated. Use the `form-control-label` part instead.	`::part(label)`

Dependencies

Link to This Section

This component automatically imports the following elements. Sub-dependencies, if any exist, will also be included in this list.

Need a hand?

Report a bug

Ask for help

File Input

Examples

Label

Hint

Multiple

Accepting File Types

Capturing from a Camera

Disabled

Size

Custom Dropzone Content

Working with Files

Uploading with Forms

Validation

Custom Validity

Styling Validation States

API

Importing

Slots

Attributes & Properties

Methods

Events

Custom States

CSS Parts

Dependencies

Quick Links

Recent Searches

File Input

Examples

Label

Hint

Multiple

Accepting File Types

Capturing from a Camera

Disabled

Size

Custom Dropzone Content

Working with Files

Uploading with Forms

Validation

Custom Validity

Styling Validation States

API

Importing

Slots

Attributes & Properties

Methods

Events

Custom States

CSS Parts

Dependencies

Quick Links

Recent Searches

We Have Cookies…