HTML attribute: disabled #

::: section-content The Boolean disabled attribute, when present, makes the element not mutable, focusable, or even submitted with the form. The user can neither edit nor focus on the control, nor its form control descendants. :::

Try it #

::: section-content ::: iframe ::: {.output-header .border-rounded-top}

HTML Demo: disabled #

Reset :::

::: {#warning-no-script .warning-container} ::: warning The interactive example cannot be shown because JavaScript is disabled. ::: :::

::: {#warning-mathml-not-supported .warning-container .hidden} ::: warning The interactive example cannot be shown because MathML is not supported by your browser. ::: :::

::: {#editor-container .editor-container .tabbed-standard .hidden .border-rounded-bottom editor-type=“tabbed”} ::: {#tab-container .section .tabs} ::: {#tablist .tab-list role=“tablist”} HTML

CSS

JavaScript :::

::: {#html-panel .section .hidden tabindex=“0” role=“tabpanel” aria-labelledby=“html” aria-hidden=“true”} ::: {#html-editor}

Name:

  <label for="emp">Employed:</label>
  <select name="emp" disabled>
    <option>No</option>
    <option>Yes</option>
  </select>

  <label for="empDate">Employment Date:</label>
  <input name="empDate" type="date" disabled />

  <label for="resume">Resume:</label>
  <input name="resume" type="file" />
</form>

::: :::

::: {#css-panel .section .hidden tabindex=“0” role=“tabpanel” aria-labelledby=“css” aria-hidden=“true”} ::: {#css-editor} label { display: block; margin-top: 1em; }

*:disabled {
  background-color: dimgrey;
  color: linen;
  opacity: 1;
}

::: :::

::: {#js-panel .section .hidden tabindex=“0” role=“tabpanel” aria-labelledby=“js” aria-hidden=“true”} ::: {#js-editor} ::: ::: :::

::: {#output .output-container}

Output #

::: :::

::: {.section .console-container .hidden aria-hidden=“true”}

Console Output #

![] clear console

::: {#console .console} ::: :::

::: {#html-output .output .editor-tabbed} %html-content% ::: ::: :::

Overview #

::: section-content If the disabled attribute is specified on a form control, the element and its form control descendants do not participate in constraint validation. Often browsers grey out such controls and it won't receive any browsing events, like mouse clicks or focus-related ones.

The disabled attribute is supported by <button>, <fieldset>, <optgroup>, <option>, <select>, <textarea> and <input>.

This Boolean disabled attribute indicates that the user cannot interact with the control or its descendant controls. If this attribute is not specified, the control inherits its setting from the containing element, for example fieldset; if there is no containing element with the disabled attribute set, and the control itself does not have the attribute, then the control is enabled. If declared on an <optgroup>, the select is still interactive (unless otherwise disabled), but none of the items in the option group are selectable.

::: {#sect1 .notecard .note} Note: If a <fieldset> is disabled, the descendant form controls are all disabled, with the exception of form controls within the <legend>. :::

When a supporting element has the disabled attribute applied, the :disabled pseudo-class also applies to it. Conversely, elements that support the disabled attribute but don't have the attribute set match the :enabled pseudo-class.

This Boolean attribute prevents the user from interacting with the button. If this attribute isn't set, the button can still be disabled from a containing element, for example <fieldset>; if there is no containing element with the disabled attribute set, then the button is enabled.

Firefox will, unlike other browsers, persist the dynamic disabled state of a <button> across page loads. Use the autocomplete attribute to control this feature. :::

Attribute interactions #

::: section-content The difference between disabled and readonly is that read-only controls can still function and are still focusable, whereas disabled controls can not receive focus and are not submitted with the form and generally do not function as controls until they are enabled.

Because a disabled field cannot have its value changed, required does not have any effect on inputs with the disabled attribute also specified. Additionally, since the elements become immutable, most other attributes, such as pattern, have no effect, until the control is enabled.

::: {#sect2 .notecard .note} Note: The required attribute is not permitted on inputs with the disabled attribute specified. ::: :::

Usability #

::: section-content Browsers display disabled form controls greyed as disabled form controls are immutable, won't receive focus or any browsing events, like mouse clicks or focus-related ones, and aren't submitted with the form.

If present on a supporting elements, the :disabled pseudo class will match. If the attribute is not included, the :enabled pseudo class will match. If the element doesn't support the disabled attribute, the attribute will have no effect, including not leading to being matched by the :disabled and :enabled pseudo classes. :::

Constraint validation #

::: section-content If the element is disabled, then the element's value can not receive focus and cannot be updated by the user, and does not participate in constraint validation. :::

Examples #

::: section-content When form controls are disabled, many browsers will display them in a lighter, greyed-out color by default. Here are examples of a disabled checkbox, radio button, <option> and <optgroup>, as well as some form controls that are disabled via the disabled attribute set on the ancestor <fieldset> element. The <option>s are disabled, but the <select> itself is not. We could have disable the entire <select> by adding the attribute to that element rather than its descendants.

::: code-example [html]{.language-name}

<fieldset>
  <legend>Checkboxes</legend>
  <p>
    <label>
      <input type="checkbox" name="chbox" value="regular" /> Regular
    </label>
  </p>
  <p>
    <label>
      <input type="checkbox" name="chbox" value="disabled" disabled /> disabled
    </label>
  </p>
</fieldset>

<fieldset>
  <legend>Radio buttons</legend>
  <p>
    <label> <input type="radio" name="radio" value="regular" /> Regular </label>
  </p>
  <p>
    <label>
      <input type="radio" name="radio" value="disabled" disabled /> disabled
    </label>
  </p>
</fieldset>

<p>
  <label
    >Select an option:
    <select>
      <optgroup label="Group 1">
        <option>Option 1.1</option>
      </optgroup>
      <optgroup label="Group 2">
        <option>Option 2.1</option>
        <option disabled>Option 2.2</option>
        <option>Option 2.3</option>
      </optgroup>
      <optgroup label="Group 3" disabled>
        <option>Disabled 3.1</option>
        <option>Disabled 3.2</option>
        <option>Disabled 3.3</option>
      </optgroup>
    </select>
  </label>
</p>

<fieldset disabled>
  <legend>Disabled fieldset</legend>
  <p>
    <label>
      Name: <input type="name" name="radio" value="regular" /> Regular
    </label>
  </p>
  <p>
    <label>Number: <input type="number" /></label>
  </p>
</fieldset>

:::

::: {#sect3 .code-example} ::: iframe ::: ::: :::

Specifications #

::: _table #

Specification #

HTML Standard
[# attr-fe-disabled]{.small}

HTML Standard
[# attr-optgroup-disabled]{.small}

HTML Standard
[# attr-option-disabled]{.small} #

:::

Browser compatibility #

::: _table Desktop Mobile

           Chrome    Edge   Firefox   Internet Explorer   Opera   Safari   WebView Android   Chrome Android   Firefox for Android   Opera Android   Safari on IOS   Samsung Internet

disabled 1 12 1 ≤6 ≤12.1 ≤4 4.4 18 4 ≤12.1 ≤3.2 1.0 :::

::: _table Desktop Mobile

           Chrome    Edge   Firefox   Internet Explorer   Opera   Safari   WebView Android   Chrome Android   Firefox for Android   Opera Android   Safari on IOS   Samsung Internet

disabled 1 12 1 Yes 15 3 4.4 18 4 14 2 1.0 :::

::: _table Desktop Mobile

           Chrome    Edge   Firefox   Internet Explorer   Opera   Safari   WebView Android   Chrome Android   Firefox for Android   Opera Android   Safari on IOS   Samsung Internet

disabled 1 12 1 Yes 15 ≤4 4.4 18 4 14 ≤3.2 1.0 :::

::: _table Desktop Mobile

           Chrome    Edge   Firefox   Internet Explorer   Opera   Safari   WebView Android   Chrome Android   Firefox for Android   Opera Android   Safari on IOS   Samsung Internet

disabled 1 12 1 8 15 ≤4 4.4 18 4 14 ≤3.2 1.0 :::

::: _table Desktop Mobile

           Chrome    Edge   Firefox   Internet Explorer   Opera   Safari   WebView Android   Chrome Android   Firefox for Android   Opera Android   Safari on IOS   Samsung Internet

disabled 1 12 1 5.5 ≤12.1 1 4.4 18 4 ≤12.1 1 1.0 :::

::: _table #

           Desktop                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Mobile

           Chrome    Edge                                                                        Firefox   Internet Explorer                                                                                                                             Opera   Safari   WebView   Chrome    Firefox   Opera     Safari   Samsung
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Android   Android   for       Android   on IOS   Internet
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Android

disabled 20 12 4 Yes 12 6 4.4 25 4 12 6 1.5

                     Does not work with nested fieldsets. For example:                                     Not all form control descendants of a disabled fieldset are properly disabled in IE11; see IE [bug 817488: input\[type=\'file\'\] not                                                                           
                     `<fieldset disabled><fieldset><!--Still enabled--></fieldset></fieldset>`             disabled inside disabled fieldset](https://connect.microsoft.com/IE/feedbackdetail/view/817488) and IE [bug 962368: Can still edit                                                                              
                                                                                                           input\[type=\'text\'\] within                                                                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                           fieldset\[disabled\]](https://connect.microsoft.com/IE/feedbackdetail/view/962368/can-still-edit-input-type-text-within-fieldset-disabled).

:::

::: _table Desktop Mobile

           Chrome    Edge   Firefox   Internet Explorer   Opera   Safari   WebView Android   Chrome Android   Firefox for Android   Opera Android   Safari on IOS   Samsung Internet

disabled 1 12 1 Yes 15 ≤4 4.4 18 4 14 ≤3.2 1.0 :::