Auto-Focus Form Elements with JavaScript

♦ Posted by Jeff Starr in HTML, JavaScript

Updated June 20, 2018 • 6 comments

After digging through the WordPress source code, I stumbled upon this very useful JavaScript method for auto-focusing form elements upon page load. Here is the JavaScript code (place within the document head):

<script type="text/javascript">
	function formfocus() {
		document.getElementById('element').focus();
	}
	window.onload = formfocus;
</script>

…and corresponding (X)HTML markup (abbreviated for clarity):

<form>
	<input id="element" />
	<input />
	<input />
</form>

In this example, the first form element (identified by id="element") will be automatically focused when the document loads, thus facilitating the process of entering data in the form. This technique would serve users well on login pages (wink, wink;), or anywhere forms are required on a repetitive basis.

Update 1

Here is a similar method of auto-focusing a form element with just a splash of JavaScript. Place the following code into an input element that contains a predefined field value and watch in amazement as the text string is automatically highlighted upon user focus. Here is the JavaScript snippet:

onfocus="this.select();"

..and here is a “live” example:

..and corresponding code:

<input onfocus="this.select();" value="Select this element to highlight text.." type="text">

Update 2

The method discussed in this article doesn’t work as expected in newer versions of Chrome. If that sounds like you, try this snippet instead:

<input onclick="this.select()" type="text" value="Select this element to highlight text..">

So to see that working in Chrome, try the demo:

Let me know if this technique stops working in a future version of Chrome.

About the Author

Jeff Starr = Web Developer. Book Author. Secretly Important.

6 responses to “Auto-Focus Form Elements with JavaScript”

GasGiant 2007/03/07 10:42 am

Since I use a common header for a number of PHP pages, some pages have forms while others do not. To keep from throwing an error on the pages where the element does not exist, I enclosed the focus() action inside an if() statement

function formfocus() {
	if (document.getElementById('element')) {
		document.getElementById('element').focus();
	}
}
window.onload = formfocus;

Perishable 2007/03/07 10:49 am • Post Author

Excellent tip – Thank you for sharing!

Mangesh 2007/12/03 9:14 pm

Hi friend,

Thank u very much for this logic and code. I was searching for it and just found @ this place. thank u very much. i gonna use your code for my software. thankz once again.

Perishable 2007/12/04 8:56 am • Post Author

My pleasure — happy to help ;)

Hephaistus 2008/03/12 12:51 am

you can also always select the first element of the form:

aForm.elements[1].focus();

this way you don’t need to know the id of the first element

if you want to get the form and you just have one form:

var aForm = document.forms[1];

Perishable 2008/03/12 1:33 pm • Post Author

Sweet tip, Hephaistus — thanks!

Comments are closed for this post. Something to add? Let me know.

GasGiant 2007/03/07 10:42 am
Since I use a common header for a number of PHP pages, some pages have forms while others do not. To keep from throwing an error on the pages where the element does not exist, I enclosed the focus() action inside an if() statement
```
function formfocus() {
	if (document.getElementById('element')) {
		document.getElementById('element').focus();
	}
}
window.onload = formfocus;
```
Perishable 2007/03/07 10:49 am • Post Author

Excellent tip – Thank you for sharing!
Mangesh 2007/12/03 9:14 pm

Hi friend,

Thank u very much for this logic and code. I was searching for it and just found @ this place. thank u very much. i gonna use your code for my software. thankz once again.
Perishable 2007/12/04 8:56 am • Post Author

My pleasure — happy to help ;)
Hephaistus 2008/03/12 12:51 am

you can also always select the first element of the form:

aForm.elements[1].focus();

this way you don’t need to know the id of the first element

if you want to get the form and you just have one form:

var aForm = document.forms[1];
Perishable 2008/03/12 1:33 pm • Post Author

Sweet tip, Hephaistus — thanks!