How do I set the focus to the first input element in an HTML form independent from the id?

Question

Is there a simple way to set the focus (input cursor) of a web page on the first input element (textbox, dropdownlist, ...) on loading the page without having to know the id of the element?

I would like to implement it as a common script for all my pages/forms of my web application.

Answer 1

Although this doesn't answer the question (requiring a common script), I though it might be useful for others to know that HTML5 introduces the 'autofocus' attribute:

<form>
  <input type="text" name="username" autofocus>
  <input type="password" name="password">
  <input type="submit" value="Login">
</form>

Dive in to HTML5 has more information.

Answer 2

You can also try jQuery based method:

$(document).ready(function() {
    $('form:first *:input[type!=hidden]:first').focus();
});

Answer 3

document.forms[0].elements[0].focus();

This can be refined using a loop to eg. not focus certain types of field, disabled fields and so on. Better may be to add a class="autofocus" to the field you actually do want focused, and loop over forms[i].elements[j] looking for that className.

Anyhow: it's not normally a good idea to do this on every page. When you focus an input the user loses the ability to eg. scroll the page from the keyboard. If unexpected, this can be annoying, so only auto-focus when you're pretty sure that using the form field is going to be what the user wants to do. ie. if you're Google.

Answer 4

The most comprehensive jQuery expression I found working is (through the help of over here)

$(document).ready(function() {
    $('input:visible:enabled:first').focus();
});

Answer 5

I needed to solve this problem for a form that is being displayed dynamically in a modal div on my page, and unfortunately autofocus isn't honored when the containing div is shown by changing the display property (at least not in Chrome). I don't like any of the solutions that require my code to infer which control I should set the focus to, because of the complications of hidden or zero-sized inputs, etc. My solution was to set the autofocus attribute on my input anyway, then set the focus in my code when I show the div:

form.querySelector('*[autofocus]').focus();

Answer 6

If you're using the Prototype JavaScript framework then you can use the focusFirstElement method:

Form.focusFirstElement(document.forms[0]);

Answer 7

There's a write-up here that may be of use: Set Focus to First Input on Web Page

Answer 8

You also need to skip any hidden inputs.

for (var i = 0; document.forms[0].elements[i].type == 'hidden'; i++);
document.forms[0].elements[i].focus();

Answer 9

I'm using this:

$("form:first *:input,select,textarea").filter(":not([readonly='readonly']):not([disabled='disabled']):not([type='hidden'])").first().focus();

Answer 10

Putting this code at the end of your body tag will focus the first visible, non-hidden enabled element on the screen automatically. It will handle most cases I can come up with on short notice.

<script>
    (function(){
        var forms = document.forms || [];
        for(var i = 0; i < forms.length; i++){
            for(var j = 0; j < forms[i].length; j++){
                if(!forms[i][j].readonly != undefined && forms[i][j].type != "hidden" && forms[i][j].disabled != true && forms[i][j].style.display != 'none'){
                    forms[i][j].focus();
                    return;
                }
            }
        }
    })();
</script>

Answer 11

Tried lots of the answers above and they weren't working. Found this one at: http://www.kolodvor.net/2008/01/17/set-focus-on-first-field-with-jquery/#comment-1317 Thank you Kolodvor.

$("input:text:visible:first").focus();

Answer 12

This gets the first of any visible common input, including textareas and select boxes. This also makes sure they aren't hidden, disabled or readonly. it also allows for a target div, which I use in my software (ie, first input inside of this form).

$("input:visible:enabled:not([readonly]),textarea:visible:enabled:not([readonly]),select:visible:enabled:not([readonly])", 
    target).first().focus();

Answer 13

without jquery, e.g. with regular javascript:

document.querySelector('form input:not([type=hidden])').focus()

works on Safari but not Chrome 75 (april 2019)

Answer 14

For those who use JSF2.2+ and cannot pass autofocus as an attribute without value to it, use this:

 p:autofocus="true"

And add it to the namespace p (Also often used pt. Whatever you like).

<html ... xmlns:p="http://java.sun.com/jsf/passthrough">

Answer 15

With AngularJS :

angular.element('#Element')[0].focus();

Answer 16

This includes textareas and excludes radio buttons

$(document).ready(function() {
    var first_input = $('input[type=text]:visible:enabled:first, textarea:visible:enabled:first')[0];
    if(first_input != undefined){ first_input.focus(); }
});

Answer 17

You should be able to use clientHeight instead of checking for the display attribute, since a parent could be hiding this element:

function setFocus() {
    var forms = document.forms || [];
        for (var i = 0; i < forms.length; i++) {
            for (var j = 0; j < forms[i].length; j++) {
            var widget = forms[i][j];
                if ((widget && widget.domNode && widget.domNode.clientHeight > 0) && typeof widget.focus === "function")
                 && (typeof widget.disabled === "undefined" || widget.disabled === false)
                 && (typeof widget.readOnly === "undefined" || widget.readOnly === false)) {
                        widget.focus();
                        break;
                }
            }
        }
    }   
}

Answer 18

Without third party libs, use something like

  const inputElements = parentElement.getElementsByTagName('input')
  if (inputChilds.length > 0) {
    inputChilds.item(0).focus();
  }

Make sure you consider all form element tags, rule out hidden/disabled ones like in other answers and so on..