Text input

A text input allows users to enter any combination of letters, numbers, or symbols.

When to use:

Unpredictable or freeform responses. More to come Improves experience. When using another type of input will make answering more difficult. For example, birthdays and other known dates are easier to type in than they are to select from a calendar picker. User control and freedom. Users should be able to paste in text input responses when they want to.

When not to use

Predetermined input options. This is when users are choosing from a specific set of options.

Usability guidance

Use fields appropriate to the length of the input. The length of the text input provides a hint to users as to how much text to write. Do not require users to write paragraphs of text into a single-line input box; use a text area instead.