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Use <input type="file"> to let a visitor choose files from their device. The browser exposes selected files through the input’s files property; its value is not the real device path. To clear the selection, set input.value = "" in JavaScript.
Let a user choose a file
Give the control a label and a name so it can be identified in a form submission. The browser renders the file picker using the platform’s own interface, so its appearance and interaction can differ across devices.
<label for="avatar">Choose a profile picture</label>
<input id="avatar" name="avatar" type="file" accept="image/png, image/jpeg">The selected files are available in the input’s files property. A file input can work as part of a native form submission or be handled in JavaScript using the File API. See the MDN file input reference and the WHATWG HTML Standard.
Restrict the chooser to relevant file types
Use accept to hint which files are appropriate. It accepts comma-separated extensions, MIME types, or broad media types. For example, use accept="image/*" for a broad image chooser, or list particular formats such as image/png, image/jpeg for a narrower hint. The MDN accept attribute reference describes the accepted specifier forms.
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The WHATWG standard says the attribute provides user agents “with a hint of what file types will be accepted.” It is not an enforcement mechanism: picker behavior varies, and client-provided data may not match the expected format. State acceptable formats in visible help text, then validate the uploaded file’s content and your application’s rules on the server.
Allow multiple files or request capture
Allow more than one file
Add multiple when the user may select several files. Read the full selection from files; do not rely on value to represent the list.
<label for="attachments">Add attachments</label>
<input id="attachments" name="attachments" type="file" multiple>Request camera or microphone capture
The capture attribute can request a user-facing or outward-facing camera or microphone when used with relevant accepted media types. It is contextual and device-dependent: the browser may choose another interaction or fall back if the requested mode is unavailable. Test the intended devices rather than assuming a particular picker will appear.
Read the selection and clear it
Use files to inspect or process the selected files. The input’s displayed value is privacy-protective: before selection it is empty; after selection it shows a filename with the compatibility prefix C:\fakepath\, not the actual local path. With multiple files, it reflects only the first file.
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for (const file of input.files) {
console.log(file.name, file.type, file.size);
}
// Clear the selection
input.value = "";Assigning an empty string clears the chosen file or files. A script cannot populate a file input by assigning an arbitrary path or filename to its value; the user must choose the files.
Validate uploads on the receiving server
Treat every uploaded file as untrusted input, even when the chooser was filtered with accept. On the server, apply the application’s allowed-type and size rules and verify the file data rather than trusting the client’s filename or declared type. The HTML Standard specifically cautions that data received from a client may be in an unexpected format even when the user agent obeyed accept.
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