Copy the code
Copy the HTML File Input (Upload) example below.
HTML · FORM CONTROL
HTML File Input — upload files from a form (live demo)
An <input type="file"> lets a user pick one or more files from their device to upload with the form. The form must use method="post" and enctype="multipart/form-data" so the file's bytes travel in the request body. Below is a working upload form that actually submits.
- 500 free / mo
- No backend
- Copy-paste ready
Copy-paste ready
The HTML File Input (Upload) example below is a complete, working form — paste it into any HTML page and it submits, no edits to the markup required.
No backend to build
Your html file input (upload) form posts to one endpoint. No server, PHP, or API route — submissions land in your inbox and a searchable dashboard.
A form that really submits
Unlike a static reference snippet, this <input type="file"> form actually sends data to a free splitforms backend, with spam filtering built in.
Copy-paste code
HTML File Input (Upload) code you can paste today.
Replace YOUR_ACCESS_KEY with a key from your free splitforms dashboard. The form posts to one endpoint — submissions land in your inbox and dashboard with spam filtering built in.
<form action="https://splitforms.com/api/submit" method="POST" enctype="multipart/form-data">
<input type="hidden" name="access_key" value="YOUR_ACCESS_KEY">
<label for="name">Name</label>
<input type="text" id="name" name="name" required>
<label for="email">Email</label>
<input type="email" id="email" name="email" required>
<label for="resume">Upload your resume (PDF)</label>
<input type="file" id="resume" name="resume" accept=".pdf,.doc,.docx" required>
<input type="checkbox" name="botcheck" style="display:none">
<button type="submit">Send application</button>
</form>How it works
How to add HTML File Input (Upload) to any page.
Copy the html file input (upload) example, drop in your free access key, and paste it into any page — submissions start landing in your dashboard.
Add your access key
Replace YOUR_ACCESS_KEY with a free splitforms key from the dashboard.
Paste into your site
Drop the form into any HTML page. Submissions arrive in your dashboard.
The <input type="file"> element
Which HTML File Input (Upload) attributes matter?
The <input type="file"> element takes a handful of attributes — these decide how your form behaves and what actually gets emailed to your inbox when someone submits.
- accept — Restricts the picker to file types, e.g. ".pdf", "image/*", "image/png, image/jpeg". It's a hint, not a security check.
- multiple — Boolean. Lets the user select more than one file at once.
- capture — On mobile, hints to use the camera or microphone (e.g. capture="user").
- name — The key the file(s) are submitted under. Required for the upload to be sent.
- required — Boolean. Blocks submit until a file is chosen.
Common mistakes
HTML File Input (Upload) not working? Here's why.
Most broken forms come down to a few small mistakes with the <input type="file"> element. Check these before you ship — then forward every submission to Slack or a webhook.
- You need the right enctype — Without enctype="multipart/form-data" on the <form>, the browser sends the filename as text but drops the file contents. File uploads silently fail.
- Use POST, never GET — Files can only travel in a POST body. A GET form strips them entirely.
- accept is not validation — It filters the file picker, but users can override it. Validate the type and size again on the server before storing anything.
How SplitForms works
From form to workflow in 3 simple steps.
Connect your form, collect every submission, and send data where it needs to go — without building backend infrastructure.
Add your endpoint
Point your form to your unique SplitForms endpoint. That's it.
Receive submissions
We instantly capture and organize every submission in your inbox.
Route anywhere
Send data to email, spreadsheets, CRMs, webhooks, and 7,000+ apps.
No credit card required. Set up in under 60 seconds.
Connect & automate
Connect your favorite tools and automate everything
SplitForms works with the destinations you route to and the platforms you build on — from Slack and Sheets to WordPress, Shopify, and Next.js.
Trusted by indie teams and agencies shipping forms worldwide
PETAL/COKRAFT.DELINEAR-XBUILD.DEVSTUDIO 71MERIDIANFRAME&CO
Testimonials
Loved by developers shipping at every scale.
40 quotes on record — from indie hacks to agency migrations.
“I replaced a Lambda + DynamoDB + SES contact form with six lines of HTML. It took eleven minutes, and the dashboard is better than what I was going to build.”
“We migrated 14 client sites off Formspree in a single weekend. The price is a third of what we paid, the API is more honest, and the spam filter actually works.”
“The webhook payload is signed, idempotent, and well-shaped. It reads like code from a competent team, not a CRUD app held together with duct tape.”
“I stopped reaching for Typeform on small marketing sites. splitforms covers 90% of the use case at none of the bloat.”
“I onboarded our whole agency in an afternoon. The MCP integration meant Cursor literally dropped the form straight into our client repos for us.”
“The free plan gave me 500 submissions before I paid a cent, and Pro is five dollars a month. I've spent more on coffee deciding which backend to use.”
“Spam went from forty junk entries a day to zero, with no reCAPTCHA puzzle ruining the form. The honeypot and time-trap just quietly do their job.”
“Point the form action at one endpoint and you're done. No SDK, no client library, no build step. This is how a form backend should feel.”
“Leads land in Slack the second someone submits, and a copy goes to Google Sheets for the sales team. I wired both up in under ten minutes.”
“I run a static Hugo site on a five-dollar VPS. splitforms gave it a real contact form without me standing up a single server.”
Questions
HTML File Input (Upload) questions, answered.
View all FAQsHow do I upload a file in HTML?
Use <input type="file" name="resume"> inside a <form> with method="post" and enctype="multipart/form-data". The browser sends the file in the request body to the form's action URL.
What is the correct enctype for file upload?
multipart/form-data. It encodes the form fields and the file contents as separate parts of the request body, which is required for the file to arrive intact. application/x-www-form-urlencoded (the default) drops the file data.
How do I restrict file types in an upload?
Add an accept attribute, e.g. accept=".pdf" or accept="image/png, image/jpeg". This filters what the file picker shows, but it is a UX hint only — re-validate the type and size on the server.
How do I let users upload multiple files?
Add the multiple attribute to the input: <input type="file" name="photos" multiple>. The user selects more than one file, and they are submitted as an array under the same name.
Why is my file input not uploading?
The three usual causes: the <form> is missing enctype="multipart/form-data", the method is get instead of post, or the backend receiving the action URL doesn't accept multipart uploads. Check the request in the Network tab.
Simple pricing
Start free. Scale when you need more.
Choose a plan that fits your workflow — from a free form endpoint to full automations, exports, and higher submission limits.
Free
$0
Free forever
For side projects and indie devs.
- 500 submissions / mo
- Unlimited forms
- Email notifications included
- Honeypot spam filtering
- Submissions dashboard
- MCP setup stays free
- No credit card required
Most Popular
Pro
$5/ month
was $15 · save 67% · new-user price
For agencies and growing products.
- 5,000 submissions / mo
- Unlimited forms
- Every paid feature included
- Priority support (under 4hr)
- 10× free submission volume
- Cancel anytime
Pre-launch · founders pricing locked in
3-Year
$59/ 36 months
was $99 · save 40% · new-user price
Pay $59. 3 years sorted.
- 15,000 submissions / mo
- Unlimited forms
- Everything in Pro
- Renews every 3 years
- Long-term discount
- Priority support included
- Vote on the roadmap
No credit card required on Free • Cancel anytime