HTML Input Types — Complete Reference (2026)

<form action="https://splitforms.com/api/submit" method="POST">
  <input type="hidden" name="access_key" value="YOUR_ACCESS_KEY" />

  <!-- Text inputs -->
  <label>Name<input name="name" type="text" required /></label>
  <label>Email<input name="email" type="email" required /></label>
  <label>Phone<input name="phone" type="tel" /></label>
  <label>Website<input name="url" type="url" /></label>
  <label>Password<input name="password" type="password" required minlength="8" /></label>

  <!-- Numeric -->
  <label>Age<input name="age" type="number" min="13" max="120" /></label>
  <label>Volume<input name="volume" type="range" min="0" max="100" /></label>

  <!-- Temporal -->
  <label>Birthday<input name="birthday" type="date" /></label>
  <label>Meeting time<input name="meeting" type="datetime-local" /></label>

  <!-- Misc -->
  <label>Favorite color<input name="color" type="color" /></label>
  <label>Profile pic<input name="photo" type="file" accept="image/*" /></label>

  <!-- Choice -->
  <label><input type="radio" name="plan" value="free" /> Free</label>
  <label><input type="radio" name="plan" value="pro" /> Pro</label>
  <label><input type="checkbox" name="agree" required /> I agree</label>

  <button type="submit">Submit</button>
</form>

HTML5 added a large set of input types beyond the basic text. Each type signals to the browser what kind of data is expected, which controls the mobile keyboard layout, native validation, and accessibility tool announcements. Picking the right type is one of the cheapest wins in form UX.

Text inputs: `text` (default), `email` (validates @ presence), `tel` (numeric mobile keyboard), `url` (validates URL format), `password` (masks input + password manager support). Use the most specific type — mobile users get the right keyboard, screen readers announce the field type, autofill works correctly.

Numeric inputs: `number` (numeric keyboard, validation against min/max/step), `range` (visual slider, returns a number). Temporal: `date` (native date picker, ISO format on submission), `time` (time picker), `datetime-local` (combined date+time), `month`, `week`. Each type uses the OS's native UI on mobile — no third-party date picker library required.

Choice inputs: `radio` (one-of-many), `checkbox` (zero-or-more, or single yes/no), `hidden` (invisible value carrier, e.g. access keys), `file` (file upload). Specialty: `color` (color picker), `search` (X clear button on iOS). Use `hidden` for splitforms's `access_key`, `_subject`, `redirect` fields.

22+ input types. Pick the most specific one for each field.