Components

Textarea

Can you provide more detail?

Do not include personal or financial information, like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

HTML
React

<div id="more-detail" class="govuk-form-group">
  <label for="more-detail-input" class="govuk-label">
    <h1 class="govuk-heading-l">
      Can you provide more detail?
    </h1>
  </label>
  <div id="more-detail-hint" class="govuk-hint">
    Do not include personal or financial information,
    like your National Insurance number or credit card
    details.
  </div>
  <textarea
    name="more-detail"
    aria-describedby="more-detail-hint"
    class="govuk-textarea"
    id="more-detail-input"
    rows="5"
  ></textarea>
</div>

<Textarea
  hint="Do not include personal or financial information, like your National Insurance number or credit card details."
  label={
    <h1 className="govuk-heading-l">
      Can you provide more detail?
    </h1>
  }
  name="more-detail"
/>

Props

Name	Type	Description
id	other	'id' attribute to place on the base HTML element
classBlock	other	Block name override in BEM style classes applied to all elements
classModifiers	other	BEM style modifiers to apply to the base HTML element
className	other	Extra classes to apply to the base HTML element
autoComplete	other
cols	other
dirName	other
disabled	other
form	other
maxLength	other
minLength	other
name	string	HTML name
placeholder	other
readOnly	other
required	other
rows	other
value	other
wrap	other
onChange	other
defaultChecked	other
defaultValue	other
suppressContentEditableWarning	other
suppressHydrationWarning	other
accessKey	other
autoCapitalize	other
autoFocus	other
contentEditable	other
contextMenu	other
dir	other
draggable	other
enterKeyHint	other
hidden	other
lang	other
nonce	other
slot	other
spellCheck	other
style	other
tabIndex	other
title	other
translate	other
radioGroup	other
role	other
about	other
content	other
datatype	other
inlist	other
prefix	other
property	other
rel	other
resource	other
rev	other
typeof	other
vocab	other
autoCorrect	other
autoSave	other
color	other
itemProp	other
itemScope	other
itemType	other
itemID	other
itemRef	other
results	other
security	other
unselectable	other
inputMode	other	Hints at the type of data that might be entered by the user while editing the element or its contents
is	other	Specify that a standard HTML element should behave like a defined custom built-in element
aria-activedescendant	other	Identifies the currently active element when DOM focus is on a composite widget, textbox, group, or application.
aria-atomic	other	Indicates whether assistive technologies will present all, or only parts of, the changed region based on the change notifications defined by the aria-relevant attribute.
aria-autocomplete	other	Indicates whether inputting text could trigger display of one or more predictions of the user's intended value for an input and specifies how predictions would be presented if they are made.
aria-braillelabel	other	Defines a string value that labels the current element, which is intended to be converted into Braille.
aria-brailleroledescription	other	Defines a human-readable, author-localized abbreviated description for the role of an element, which is intended to be converted into Braille.
aria-busy	other
aria-checked	other	Indicates the current "checked" state of checkboxes, radio buttons, and other widgets.
aria-colcount	other	Defines the total number of columns in a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-colindex	other	Defines an element's column index or position with respect to the total number of columns within a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-colindextext	other	Defines a human readable text alternative of aria-colindex.
aria-colspan	other	Defines the number of columns spanned by a cell or gridcell within a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-controls	other	Identifies the element (or elements) whose contents or presence are controlled by the current element.
aria-current	other	Indicates the element that represents the current item within a container or set of related elements.
aria-describedby	other	Identifies the element (or elements) that describes the object.
aria-description	other	Defines a string value that describes or annotates the current element.
aria-details	other	Identifies the element that provides a detailed, extended description for the object.
aria-disabled	other	Indicates that the element is perceivable but disabled, so it is not editable or otherwise operable.
aria-dropeffect	other	Indicates what functions can be performed when a dragged object is released on the drop target.
aria-errormessage	other	Identifies the element that provides an error message for the object.
aria-expanded	other	Indicates whether the element, or another grouping element it controls, is currently expanded or collapsed.
aria-flowto	other	Identifies the next element (or elements) in an alternate reading order of content which, at the user's discretion, allows assistive technology to override the general default of reading in document source order.
aria-grabbed	other	Indicates an element's "grabbed" state in a drag-and-drop operation.
aria-haspopup	other	Indicates the availability and type of interactive popup element, such as menu or dialog, that can be triggered by an element.
aria-hidden	other	Indicates whether the element is exposed to an accessibility API.
aria-invalid	other	Indicates the entered value does not conform to the format expected by the application.
aria-keyshortcuts	other	Indicates keyboard shortcuts that an author has implemented to activate or give focus to an element.
aria-label	other	Defines a string value that labels the current element.
aria-labelledby	other	Identifies the element (or elements) that labels the current element.
aria-level	other	Defines the hierarchical level of an element within a structure.
aria-live	other	Indicates that an element will be updated, and describes the types of updates the user agents, assistive technologies, and user can expect from the live region.
aria-modal	other	Indicates whether an element is modal when displayed.
aria-multiline	other	Indicates whether a text box accepts multiple lines of input or only a single line.
aria-multiselectable	other	Indicates that the user may select more than one item from the current selectable descendants.
aria-orientation	other	Indicates whether the element's orientation is horizontal, vertical, or unknown/ambiguous.
aria-owns	other	Identifies an element (or elements) in order to define a visual, functional, or contextual parent/child relationship between DOM elements where the DOM hierarchy cannot be used to represent the relationship.
aria-placeholder	other	Defines a short hint (a word or short phrase) intended to aid the user with data entry when the control has no value. A hint could be a sample value or a brief description of the expected format.
aria-posinset	other	Defines an element's number or position in the current set of listitems or treeitems. Not required if all elements in the set are present in the DOM.
aria-pressed	other	Indicates the current "pressed" state of toggle buttons.
aria-readonly	other	Indicates that the element is not editable, but is otherwise operable.
aria-relevant	other	Indicates what notifications the user agent will trigger when the accessibility tree within a live region is modified.
aria-required	other	Indicates that user input is required on the element before a form may be submitted.
aria-roledescription	other	Defines a human-readable, author-localized description for the role of an element.
aria-rowcount	other	Defines the total number of rows in a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-rowindex	other	Defines an element's row index or position with respect to the total number of rows within a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-rowindextext	other	Defines a human readable text alternative of aria-rowindex.
aria-rowspan	other	Defines the number of rows spanned by a cell or gridcell within a table, grid, or treegrid.
aria-selected	other	Indicates the current "selected" state of various widgets.
aria-setsize	other	Defines the number of items in the current set of listitems or treeitems. Not required if all elements in the set are present in the DOM.
aria-sort	other	Indicates if items in a table or grid are sorted in ascending or descending order.
aria-valuemax	other	Defines the maximum allowed value for a range widget.
aria-valuemin	other	Defines the minimum allowed value for a range widget.
aria-valuenow	other	Defines the current value for a range widget.
aria-valuetext	other	Defines the human readable text alternative of aria-valuenow for a range widget.
dangerouslySetInnerHTML	other
onCopy	other
onCopyCapture	other
onCut	other
onCutCapture	other
onPaste	other
onPasteCapture	other
onCompositionEnd	other
onCompositionEndCapture	other
onCompositionStart	other
onCompositionStartCapture	other
onCompositionUpdate	other
onCompositionUpdateCapture	other
onFocus	other
onFocusCapture	other
onBlur	other
onBlurCapture	other
onChangeCapture	other
onBeforeInput	other
onBeforeInputCapture	other
onInput	other
onInputCapture	other
onReset	other
onResetCapture	other
onSubmit	other
onSubmitCapture	other
onInvalid	other
onInvalidCapture	other
onLoad	other
onLoadCapture	other
onError	other
onErrorCapture	other
onKeyDown	other
onKeyDownCapture	other
onKeyPress	other
onKeyPressCapture	other
onKeyUp	other
onKeyUpCapture	other
onAbort	other
onAbortCapture	other
onCanPlay	other
onCanPlayCapture	other
onCanPlayThrough	other
onCanPlayThroughCapture	other
onDurationChange	other
onDurationChangeCapture	other
onEmptied	other
onEmptiedCapture	other
onEncrypted	other
onEncryptedCapture	other
onEnded	other
onEndedCapture	other
onLoadedData	other
onLoadedDataCapture	other
onLoadedMetadata	other
onLoadedMetadataCapture	other
onLoadStart	other
onLoadStartCapture	other
onPause	other
onPauseCapture	other
onPlay	other
onPlayCapture	other
onPlaying	other
onPlayingCapture	other
onProgress	other
onProgressCapture	other
onRateChange	other
onRateChangeCapture	other
onResize	other
onResizeCapture	other
onSeeked	other
onSeekedCapture	other
onSeeking	other
onSeekingCapture	other
onStalled	other
onStalledCapture	other
onSuspend	other
onSuspendCapture	other
onTimeUpdate	other
onTimeUpdateCapture	other
onVolumeChange	other
onVolumeChangeCapture	other
onWaiting	other
onWaitingCapture	other
onAuxClick	other
onAuxClickCapture	other
onClick	other
onClickCapture	other
onContextMenu	other
onContextMenuCapture	other
onDoubleClick	other
onDoubleClickCapture	other
onDrag	other
onDragCapture	other
onDragEnd	other
onDragEndCapture	other
onDragEnter	other
onDragEnterCapture	other
onDragExit	other
onDragExitCapture	other
onDragLeave	other
onDragLeaveCapture	other
onDragOver	other
onDragOverCapture	other
onDragStart	other
onDragStartCapture	other
onDrop	other
onDropCapture	other
onMouseDown	other
onMouseDownCapture	other
onMouseEnter	other
onMouseLeave	other
onMouseMove	other
onMouseMoveCapture	other
onMouseOut	other
onMouseOutCapture	other
onMouseOver	other
onMouseOverCapture	other
onMouseUp	other
onMouseUpCapture	other
onSelect	other
onSelectCapture	other
onTouchCancel	other
onTouchCancelCapture	other
onTouchEnd	other
onTouchEndCapture	other
onTouchMove	other
onTouchMoveCapture	other
onTouchStart	other
onTouchStartCapture	other
onPointerDown	other
onPointerDownCapture	other
onPointerMove	other
onPointerMoveCapture	other
onPointerUp	other
onPointerUpCapture	other
onPointerCancel	other
onPointerCancelCapture	other
onPointerEnter	other
onPointerLeave	other
onPointerOver	other
onPointerOverCapture	other
onPointerOut	other
onPointerOutCapture	other
onGotPointerCapture	other
onGotPointerCaptureCapture	other
onLostPointerCapture	other
onLostPointerCaptureCapture	other
onScroll	other
onScrollCapture	other
onWheel	other
onWheelCapture	other
onAnimationStart	other
onAnimationStartCapture	other
onAnimationEnd	other
onAnimationEndCapture	other
onAnimationIteration	other
onAnimationIterationCapture	other
onTransitionEnd	other
onTransitionEndCapture	other
error	other	Error message
hint	other	Hint
label	other	Label
width	other	Width of the field in characters (approximate)

When to use this component

Use the textarea component when you need to let users enter an amount of text that’s longer than a single line.

When not to use this component

Users can find open-ended questions difficult to answer. It might be better to break up one complex question into a series of simple ones, for example where users can select from options using radios.

If you need to ask an open question

Do not use the textarea component if you need to let users enter shorter answers no longer than a single line, such as a phone number or name. In this case, you should use the text input component.

How it works

You must label textareas. Placeholder text is not a suitable substitute for a label, as it disappears when users click inside the textarea.

Labels must be aligned above the textarea they refer to. They should be short, direct and written in sentence case. Do not use colons at the end of labels.

Can you provide more detail?

Do not include personal or financial information, like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

HTML
React

<div id="more-detail" class="govuk-form-group">
  <label for="more-detail-input" class="govuk-label">
    <h1 class="govuk-heading-l">
      Can you provide more detail?
    </h1>
  </label>
  <div id="more-detail-hint" class="govuk-hint">
    Do not include personal or financial information,
    like your National Insurance number or credit card
    details.
  </div>
  <textarea
    name="more-detail"
    aria-describedby="more-detail-hint"
    class="govuk-textarea"
    id="more-detail-input"
    rows="5"
  ></textarea>
</div>

<Textarea
  hint="Do not include personal or financial information, like your National Insurance number or credit card details."
  label={
    <h1 className="govuk-heading-l">
      Can you provide more detail?
    </h1>
  }
  name="more-detail"
/>

Use appropriately-sized textareas

Make the height of a textarea proportional to the amount of text you expect users to enter. You can set the height of a textarea by by specifying the rows attribute.

Can you provide more detail?

Do not include personal or financial information, like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

HTML
React

<div id="more-detail" class="govuk-form-group">
  <label for="more-detail-input" class="govuk-label">
    <h1 class="govuk-heading-l">
      Can you provide more detail?
    </h1>
  </label>
  <div id="more-detail-hint" class="govuk-hint">
    Do not include personal or financial information,
    like your National Insurance number or credit card
    details.
  </div>
  <textarea
    name="more-detail"
    aria-describedby="more-detail-hint"
    class="govuk-textarea"
    id="more-detail-input"
    rows="8"
  ></textarea>
</div>

<Textarea
  hint="Do not include personal or financial information, like your National Insurance number or credit card details."
  label={
    <h1 className="govuk-heading-l">
      Can you provide more detail?
    </h1>
  }
  name="more-detail"
  rows="8"
/>

Do not disable copy and paste

Users will often need to copy and paste information into a textarea, so do not stop them from doing this.

If you’re asking more than one question on the page

If you’re asking more than one question on the page, do not set the contents of the <label> as the page heading. Read more about asking multiple questions on question pages.

Can you provide more detail?

HTML
React

<div id="more-detail" class="govuk-form-group">
  <label for="more-detail-input" class="govuk-label">
    Can you provide more detail?
  </label>
  <textarea
    name="more-detail"
    class="govuk-textarea"
    id="more-detail-input"
    rows="5"
  ></textarea>
</div>

<Textarea
  label="Can you provide more detail?"
  name="more-detail"
/>

Limiting the number of characters

If there’s a good reason to limit the number of characters users can enter, you can use the character count component.

Error messages

Error messages should be styled like this:

Can you provide more detail?

Do not include personal or financial information, like your National Insurance number or credit card details.

Error: Enter more detail

HTML
React

<div
  id="more-detail"
  class="govuk-form-group govuk-form-group--error"
>
  <label for="more-detail-input" class="govuk-label">
    <h1 class="govuk-heading-l">
      Can you provide more detail?
    </h1>
  </label>
  <div id="more-detail-hint" class="govuk-hint">
    Do not include personal or financial information,
    like your National Insurance number or credit card
    details.
  </div>
  <p
    id="more-detail-error"
    class="govuk-error-message"
  >
    <span class="govuk-visually-hidden">Error:</span>
    Enter more detail
  </p>
  <textarea
    name="more-detail"
    aria-describedby="more-detail-hint more-detail-error"
    class="govuk-textarea govuk-textarea--error"
    id="more-detail-input"
    rows="5"
  ></textarea>
</div>

<Textarea
  hint="Do not include personal or financial information, like your National Insurance number or credit card details."
  label={
    <h1 className="govuk-heading-l">
      Can you provide more detail?
    </h1>
  }
  name="more-detail"
  error="Enter more detail"
/>

Make sure errors follow the guidance in error message and have specific error messages for specific error states.

If the input is empty

Say ‘Enter [whatever it is]’. For example, ‘Enter summary’.

If the input is too long

Say ‘[whatever it is] must be [number] characters or fewer’. For example, ‘Summary must be 400 characters or fewer’.

If the input is too short

Say ‘[whatever it is] must be [number] characters or more’. For example, ‘Summary must be 10 characters or more’.

If the input is too long or too short

Say ‘[whatever it is] must be between [number] and [number] characters’. For example, ‘Summary must be between 10 and 400 characters’.

If the input uses characters that are not allowed and you know what the characters are

Say ‘[whatever it is] must not include [characters]’. For example, ‘Summary must not include è and £’.

If the input uses characters that are not allowed and you do not know what the characters are

Say ‘[whatever it is] must only include [list of allowed characters]’. For example, ‘Summary must only include letters a to z, hyphens, spaces and apostrophes.