Textarea

Textareas are used to input multi-line text data

Examples

Base

Label
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__base">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea id="example__base"></chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__base">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__base"></textarea>
</div>

Disabled

Use the disabled boolean attribute to prevent users from interacting with an input. Disabled inputs are not submitted with the form and can not receive any browsing events such as mouse clicks or focus. Note: The required attribute can not be used on inputs with a disabled attribute specified.

LabelSample text
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__disabled">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea id="example__disabled" disabled>Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__disabled">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__disabled" disabled>Sample text</textarea>
</div>

Readonly

Use the readonly boolean attribute to prevent users from changing an input value. Unlike disabled inputs, readonly inputs are submitted with the form and can still receive browsing events such as mouse clicks and focus. Note: The required attribute can not be used on inputs with a readonly attribute specified.

LabelSample text
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__readonly">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea id="example__readonly" readonly>Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__readonly">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__readonly" readonly>Sample text</textarea>
</div>

Placeholder

Use the placeholder attribute to provide users with an example of the type of data that can be entered into an input. Note: Placeholder text is not persistent and visually disappears when a value is entered.

Label
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__placeholder">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea id="example__placeholder" placeholder="Placeholder"></chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__placeholder">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__placeholder" placeholder="Placeholder"></textarea>
</div>

Required

Use the required boolean attribute to indicate which inputs must be completed before submitting a form. This is useful for capturing important information and reducing the risk of form errors. To render a required textarea, apply the required attribute to the textarea. It is also encouraged but not mandatory to apply a required attribute to the corresponding label of the textarea which will automatically render a red asterisk. Note: For HTML Blueprint implementations, the required attribute is not supported on the label. Please use the alternate method specified below for rendering a red asterisk within the label.

Label
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__required" required>Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea id="example__required" required></chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__required">
    Label
    <abbr class="chi-label__required" aria-label="Required field">*</abbr>
  </label>
  <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__required" required></textarea>
</div>

Optional

When the vast majority of inputs in a form are required, optional can be used to help emphasize the few that are not. This is useful for textareas that are not relevant to all users, such as an Additional Comments textarea in a create support ticket form. If the user does not have additional comments, applying optional to chi-label will help convey the labels corresponding textarea is not required and can be skipped. Note: For HTML Blueprint implementations, the optional boolean attribute is not supported on the label. Please use the alternate method specified below for rendering optional text within the label.

Label
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__optional" optional>Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea id="example__optional"></chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__optional">
    Label
    <abbr class="chi-label__optional" aria-label="Optional field">(optional)</abbr>
  </label>
  <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__optional"></textarea>
</div>

Help

Use chi-label__help to include a help icon that displays helpful information about a textarea in a popover. A help icon must be contained within an icon button to ensure it receives focus when a user tabs through a form.

Label
Helpful information goes here.
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <div class="chi-label__wrapper">
    <chi-label for="example__label-with-icon">Label</chi-label>
    <div class="chi-label__help">
      <chi-button id="example__help-button" type="icon" size="xs" variant="flat" alternative-text="Help">
        <chi-icon icon="circle-info-outline"></chi-icon>
      </chi-button>
      <chi-popover id="example__help-popover" position="top" variant="text" arrow reference="#example__help-button">
        Helpful information goes here.
      </chi-popover>
    </div>
  </div>
  <chi-textarea id="example__label-with-icon"></chi-textarea>
</div>

<script>
  document.querySelector("#example__help-button")
    .addEventListener("click", function() {
      var popoverElem = document.querySelector("#example__help-popover");
      popoverElem.toggle();
    });
</script>
This HTML Blueprint requires JavaScript. You may use your own solution, or use Chi's vanilla JavaScript solution, Chi.js.
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <div class="chi-label__wrapper">
    <label class="chi-label" for="example__label-with-icon">Label</label>
    <div class="chi-label__help">
      <div class="chi-button -icon -flat -xs" id="example__help-button" data-target="#example__help-popover" aria-label="Help">
        <div class="chi-button__content">
          <i class="chi-icon icon-circle-info-outline" aria-hidden="true"></i>
        </div>
      </div>
      <section class="chi-popover chi-popover--top" id="example__help-popover" aria-modal="true" role="dialog">
        <div class="chi-popover__content">
          <p class="chi-popover__text">Helpful information goes here.</p>
        </div>
      </section>
    </div>
  </div>
  <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__label-with-icon"></textarea>
</div>

<script>chi.popover(document.getElementById('example__help-button'));</script>

Message

Add a message below a textarea to store descriptions, validation feedback, and other helpful information.

Label
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__message">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea id="example__message" helper-message="Optional helper message"></chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__message">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__message"></textarea>
  <div class="chi-label -status">Optional helper message</div>
</div>

Copy text button

Use the copy-text attribute to show a copy icon that provides the user the ability to copy the input value into the clipboard.

Label
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__copy-text-button">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea value="Sample Text" id="example__copy-text-button" copy-text></chi-text-input>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__copy-text-button">Label</label>
  <div class="-d--flex -align-items--start">
    <div class="chi-input__wrapper -flex--grow1">
      <textarea type="text" class="chi-input" value="Sample text" id="example__copy-text-button" />
    </div>

    <button id="example_copy-text-button" class="chi-button -icon -flat" aria-label="Button action" data-tooltip="Copy to clipboard">
      <div class="chi-button__content">
        <i class="chi-icon icon-copy -sm" aria-hidden="true"></i>
      </div>
    </button>
  </div>
</div>

<script>
  document.getElementById('example_copy-text-button').addEventListener('click', () => {
    navigator.clipboard?.writeText(
      document.getElementById('example__copy-text-button').getAttribute('value')
    );
  });

  <!-- Tooltip -->
  chi.tooltip(document.querySelectorAll('[data-tooltip]'));
</script>

Error

Use the danger state to provide feedback to users when input data fails to validate. To meet accessibility requirements, danger inputs must include an error message explaining the failure and/or how to correct it.

Describe the issue
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__danger" required>Describe the issue</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea id="example__danger" state="danger" helper-message="Please describe the issue" required></chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__danger">
    Describe the issue
    <abbr class="chi-label__required" aria-label="Required field">*</abbr>
  </label>
  <textarea class="chi-input -danger" id="example__danger" required></textarea>
  <div class="chi-label -status -danger">
    <i class="chi-icon icon-circle-warning" aria-hidden="true"></i>
    Please describe the issue
  </div>
</div>

Layout Variations

Inline Label

Apply the class -row to chi-form__item to render labels and textareas inline.

Label
<div class="chi-form__item -row -align-items--start">
  <chi-label for="example__inline-label">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea id="example__inline-label"></chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item -row -align-items--start">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__inline-label">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__inline-label"></textarea>
</div>

Inline Label - width controlled using percent

Label width 50%
<div class="chi-form__item -row -align-items--start">
  <chi-label class="-w--50" for="example__inline-label-percent">Label width 50%</chi-label>
  <div class="-w--50">
    <chi-textarea id="example__inline-label-percent"></chi-textarea>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item -row -align-items--start">
  <label class="chi-label -w--50" for="example__inline-label-percent">Label</label>
  <div class="-w--50">
    <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__inline-label-percent"></textarea>
  </div>
</div>

Inline Label - width controlled using grid

Label width 3 columns
<div class="chi-form__item -row chi-grid -no-gutter -align-items--start">
  <chi-label class="chi-col -w--3" for="example__inline-label-grid">Label width 3 columns</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea class="chi-col -w--9" id="example__inline-label-grid"></chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item -row chi-grid -no-gutter -align-items--start">
  <label class="chi-label chi-col -w--3" for="example__inline-label-grid">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input chi-col -w--9" id="example__inline-label-grid"></textarea>
</div>

Inline Textareas

Label
Label
<div class="-d--flex">
  <div class="chi-form__item -inline -flex--grow1">
    <chi-label for="example__inline-input01">Label</chi-label>
    <chi-textarea id="example__inline-input01"></chi-textarea>
  </div>
  <div class="chi-form__item -inline -flex--grow1">
    <chi-label for="example__inline-input02">Label</chi-label>
    <chi-textarea id="example__inline-input02"></chi-textarea>
  </div>
</div>
<div class="-d--flex">
  <div class="chi-form__item -inline -flex--grow1">
    <label class="chi-label" for="example__inline-input01">Label</label>
    <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__inline-input01"></textarea>
  </div>
  <div class="chi-form__item -inline -flex--grow1">
    <label class="chi-label" for="example__inline-input02">Label</label>
    <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__inline-input02"></textarea>
  </div>
</div>

Icons

Left Aligned

LabelSample text
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__icon-left">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea id="example__icon-left" icon-left="map-marker" icon-left-color="muted">Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__icon-left">Label</label>
  <div class="chi-input__wrapper -icon--left">
    <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__icon-left">Sample text</textarea>
    <i class="chi-icon icon-map-marker -icon--muted" aria-hidden="true"></i>
  </div>
</div>

Right Aligned

LabelSample text
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__icon-right">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea id="example__icon-right" icon-right="check" icon-right-color="success">Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__icon-right">Label</label>
  <div class="chi-input__wrapper -icon--right">
    <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__icon-right">Sample text</textarea>
    <i class="chi-icon icon-check -icon--success" aria-hidden="true"></i>
  </div>
</div>

Left + Right Aligned

LabelSample text
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__icon-left-right">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea id="example__icon-left-right" icon-left="map-marker" icon-right="check" icon-left-color="muted" icon-right-color="success">Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__icon-left-right">Label</label>
  <div class="chi-input__wrapper -icon--left -icon--right">
    <textarea class="chi-input" id="example__icon-left-right">Sample text</textarea>
    <i class="chi-icon icon-map-marker -icon--muted" aria-hidden="true"></i>
    <i class="chi-icon icon-check -icon--success" aria-hidden="true"></i>
  </div>
</div>

Sizes

Textareas support the following sizes: xs, sm, md, lg, and xl. The default size is md.

LabelSample text
LabelSample text
LabelSample text
LabelSample text
LabelSample text
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__xs">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea size="sm" id="example__xs">Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__sm">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea size="sm" id="example__sm">Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__md">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea size="md" id="example__md">Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__lg">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea size="lg" id="example__lg">Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__xl">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea size="xl" id="example__xl">Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__xs">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input -xs" id="example__xs">Sample text</textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__sm">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input -sm" id="example__sm">Sample text</textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__md">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input -md" id="example__md">Sample text</textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__lg">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input -lg" id="example__lg">Sample text</textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__xl">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input -xl" id="example__xl">Sample text</textarea>
</div>

Sizes

Textareas support the following sizes: xs, sm, md, lg. The default size is md.

LabelSample text
LabelSample text
LabelSample text
LabelSample text
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__xs">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea size="sm" id="example__xs">Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__sm">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea size="sm" id="example__sm">Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__md">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea size="md" id="example__md">Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <chi-label for="example__lg">Label</chi-label>
  <chi-textarea size="lg" id="example__lg">Sample text</chi-textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__xs">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input -xs" id="example__xs">Sample text</textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__sm">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input -sm" id="example__sm">Sample text</textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__md">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input -md" id="example__md">Sample text</textarea>
</div>
<div class="chi-form__item">
  <label class="chi-label" for="example__lg">Label</label>
  <textarea class="chi-input -lg" id="example__lg">Sample text</textarea>
</div>

Web Component

Properties

Property
Attribute
Description
Type
Default
copyText
copy-text
To show copy text icon
boolean
false
disabled
disabled
To disable Textarea
boolean
false
helperMessage
helper-message
To display an additional helper text message below the Textarea
string
undefined
iconLeft
icon-left
To add a left positioned icon
string
undefined
iconLeftColor
icon-left-color
To define color of left icon
"danger" | "dark" | "grey" | "info" | "light" | "muted" | "navy" | "orange" | "primary" | "secondary" | "success" | "warning"
undefined
iconRight
icon-right
To add a right positioned icon
string
undefined
iconRightColor
icon-right-color
To define color of right icon
"danger" | "dark" | "grey" | "info" | "light" | "muted" | "navy" | "orange" | "primary" | "secondary" | "success" | "warning"
undefined
name
name
To define name of Textarea
string
undefined
placeholder
placeholder
To define placeholder of Textarea
string
undefined
readonly
readonly
To prevent Textarea value from being changed
boolean
false
size
size
To define size of Textarea
"lg" | "md" | "sm" | "xl" | "xs"
'md'
state
state
To define state color of Textarea
"danger" | "success" | "warning"
undefined
value
value
To read value of Textarea
string
''

Events

Event
Description
Type
chiBlur
Triggered when the element has lost focus.
CustomEvent<any>
chiChange
Triggered when an alteration to the element's value is committed by the user
CustomEvent<string>
chiFocus
Triggered when the user sets focus on the element.
CustomEvent<any>
chiInput
Triggered when the user changed the element's value but did not commit the change yet
CustomEvent<string>

Accessibility

Keyboard Navigation

KeyFunction
TabMoves focus to the next focusable element
Shift + TabMoves focus to the previous focusable element
SpaceActivates the button

For comprehensive details on keyboard support for input fields, refer to our Keyboard Control Guide.

Visit WebAIM for keyboard techniques.

Guidance for developers
  • Simplify forms for better browser compatibility.
  • Use labels for inputs, matching for and id attributes.
  • Keep IDs unique and pair each form element with one label.
  • Mark required fields clearly (e.g., with an asterisk).
  • Use aria-describedby for error message accessibility.
  • if there's an error message tagged with id="my-error-message", then the corresponding input must include aria-describedby="my-error-message"
Guidance for designers
  • Ensure focus indicators are visible to aid navigation.
  • Keep input labels visible, even when fields are focused.
  • Use contrasting colors for text and backgrounds to enhance readability.
  • Design clear error states and feedback for accessibility.
  • Use spacing, typography, and visual cues effectively.
  • Maintain consistency in the design of input elements to provide a cohesive user experience.

For hands-on examples, consult the Accessibility (A11y) Style Guide.

Resources

Other recommendations

Explore additional accessibility tips in the general Accessibility Guide.

WCAG 2.2 Guidelines

  • Non-text Content: All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose. (Level A)
  • Info and Relationships: Information, structure, and relationships conveyed through presentation can be programmatically determined or are available in text. (Level A)
  • Headings and Labels: Headings and labels describe topic or purpose. (Level AA)
  • Labels or Instructions: Labels or instructions are provided when content requires user input. (Level A)
  • Name, Role, Value: For all user interface components (including but not limited to: form elements, links and components generated by scripts), the name and role can be programmatically determined; states, properties, and values that can be set by the user can be programmatically set; and notification of changes to these items is available to user agents, including assistive technologies. (Level A)