The :read-write
CSS pseudo-class represents an element (such as input
or textarea
) that is editable by the user.
input:read-write, textarea:read-write { background-color: #bbf; } p:read-write { background-color: #bbf; }
Syntax
:read-write
Examples
Confirming form information in read-only/read-write controls
One use of readonly
form controls is to allow the user to check and verify information that they may have entered in an earlier form (for example, shipping details), while still being able to submit the information along with the rest of the form. We do just this in the example below.
The :read-only
pseudo-class is used to remove all the styling that makes the inputs look like clickable fields, making them look more like read-only paragraphs.The :read-write
pseudo-class on the other hand is used to provide some nicer styling to the editable <textarea>
.
input:-moz-read-only, textarea:-moz-read-only, input:read-only, textarea:read-only { border: 0; box-shadow: none; background-color: white; } textarea:-moz-read-write, textarea:read-write { box-shadow: inset 1px 1px 3px #ccc; border-radius: 5px; }
You can find the full source code at readonly-confirmation.html; this renders like so:
Styling read-write non-form controls
This selector doesn't just select <input>
/<textarea>
elements — it will select any element that can be edited by the user, such as a <p>
element with contenteditable
set on it.
<p contenteditable>This paragraph is editable; it is read-write.</p> <p>This paragraph is not editable; it is read-only.</p>
p { font-size: 150%; padding: 5px; border-radius: 5px; } p:read-only { background-color: red; color: white; } p:read-write { background-color: lime; }
Specifications
Specification | Status | Comment |
---|---|---|
HTML Living Standard The definition of ':read-write' in that specification. |
Living Standard | No change. |
HTML5 The definition of ':read-write' in that specification. |
Recommendation | Defines the semantics regarding HTML and constraint validation. |
Selectors Level 4 The definition of ':read-write' in that specification. |
Working Draft | Defines the pseudo-class, but not the associated semantics. |
Browser compatibility
Desktop | Mobile | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
:read-write | Chrome Full support 1 | Edge Full support 13 | Firefox
Full support
78
| IE No support No | Opera Full support 9 | Safari Full support 4 | WebView Android Full support ≤37 | Chrome Android Full support 18 | Firefox Android
Full support
4
| Opera Android Full support 10.1 | Safari iOS Full support 3.2 | Samsung Internet Android Full support 1.0 |
Legend
- Full support
- Full support
- No support
- No support
- Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.
- Requires a vendor prefix or different name for use.
See also
:read-only
- HTML
contenteditable
attribute