How to change placeholder color on focus?

Question

How to change the color of placeholder when focus the input field? I use this CSS code to set the default color, but how to change it on focus?

::placeholder { color: blue; }

Pranav 웃 · Answer 1 · 2013-05-10T04:06:23.390

134

Try this, this should work :

input::-webkit-input-placeholder {
    color: #999;
}
input:focus::-webkit-input-placeholder {
    color: red;
}

/* Firefox < 19 */
input:-moz-placeholder {
    color: #999;
}
input:focus:-moz-placeholder {
    color: red;
}

/* Firefox > 19 */
input::-moz-placeholder {
    color: #999;
}
input:focus::-moz-placeholder {
    color: red;
}

/* Internet Explorer 10 */
input:-ms-input-placeholder {
    color: #999;
}
input:focus:-ms-input-placeholder {
    color: red;
}

Here is an example : http://jsfiddle.net/XDutj/27/

edited May 10 '13 at 04:06

answered Nov 01 '12 at 18:47

Pranav 웃

8,469
6
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48

why there is not :-ms-input-placeholder? – Davide Nov 01 '12 at 19:10
1

I don't have IE to test the above, it would be great if someone could test it. AFAIK, IE9 lacks placeholder support : http://caniuse.com/#search=placeholder – Pranav 웃 Nov 01 '12 at 19:17
Works like a charm for me. Didn't test in IE though, obviously. – Sethen May 05 '13 at 18:31
1

No, sadly it does not work in IE 10 because IE uses the pseudo class `:-ms-input-placeholder` instead of a pseudo element `::-ms-placeholder`. Can't test the focus behavior, because IE per default hides the placeholder on focus (and unfortunately I didn't find a way to avoid that). [See this update to your Fiddle](http://jsfiddle.net/XDutj/27/). – Linus Caldwell May 09 '13 at 20:33

score 14 · Accepted Answer · answered Sep 18 '20 at 17:32

14

This works for me:

input:focus::placeholder {
  color: blue;
}

answered Sep 18 '20 at 17:32

David Villegas

458
3
18

2

This should be changed to be the marked answer. – mikael1000 Nov 04 '21 at 14:26

score 5 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 01 '12 at 20:06

In addition to Pranav answer I refined the code with textarea compatibility:

::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: #999; }
:-moz-placeholder { color: #999; }

:focus::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: #ccc; }
:focus:-moz-placeholder { color: #ccc; }

score 2 · Answer 4 · edited Jan 02 '18 at 17:17

2

The following worked for me:

input:focus::-webkit-input-placeholder
{
    color: red;
}

edited Jan 02 '18 at 17:17

JonathanDavidArndt

2,518
13
37
49

answered Jan 02 '18 at 16:15

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Nov 01 '12 at 18:37

1

Try this:

HTML

<input type='text' placeholder='Enter text' />

CSS

input[placeholder]:focus { color: red; }

answered Nov 01 '12 at 18:37

Kevin Boucher

16,426
3
48
55

2

That wasn't necessary, but I suspect it's because, on further inspection, your code would color the actual value of the input on focus, rather than its placeholder text only. – BoltClock Nov 01 '12 at 18:46

score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Nov 01 '12 at 18:56

1

I've found this solution with JQuery:

 $('input[type="text"]').each(function(){

    $(this).focus(function(){
      $(this).addClass('input-focus');
    });

    $(this).blur(function(){
      $(this).removeClass('input-focus');
    });

  });

with this css:

.input-focus::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: #f00; }    
.input-focus:-moz-placeholder { color: #f00; }
.input-focus:-ms-input-placeholder { color: #f00; }

answered Nov 01 '12 at 18:56

Davide

1,635
1
16
29

JQuery is beautiful, but must die. Everything that has a beginning, has an end, @DavidePalmieri – evalarezo May 12 '15 at 20:43
WTH are you on @BoltClock. Of course it needs jQuery...If anything it needs moar jQuery! – PeeHaa Aug 23 '16 at 15:13

score 1 · Answer 7 · answered Oct 02 '14 at 00:56

1

Use star * to select everything

*::-webkit-input-placeholder { color: #999; }


*:-moz-placeholder { color: #999; }


*::-moz-placeholder { color: #999; }


*:-ms-input-placeholder { color: #999; }

answered Oct 02 '14 at 00:56

Ari

4,643
5
36
52

1

Note: for some reason, you cannot use commas to apply multiple rules. These have to be declared separately as shown. (though you probably only need ms-input and ::placeholder now) – Vael Victus Jul 24 '18 at 15:11

score 1 · Answer 8 · answered Jan 11 '22 at 16:25

1

Complete and updated (2021) example:

input::placeholder {
  color: blue;
}

input:focus::placeholder {
  color: green;
}

<label for="city">City:</label><br>
<input type="text" id="city" name="city" placeholder="your favorite city">

answered Jan 11 '22 at 16:25

Davide

1,635
1
16
29

score 0 · Answer 9 · answered Feb 23 '13 at 21:23

0

From Firefox 19: The :-moz-placeholder pseudo-class that matches form elements with the placeholder attribute has been removed, and the ::-moz-placeholder pseudo-element has been added instead.

input:focus::-moz-placeholder { color: transparent; }

answered Feb 23 '13 at 21:23

Leszek Pietrzak

57
10

score -1 · Answer 10 · answered Oct 26 '15 at 12:17

You can create a material design animated placeholder that shrinks on top when input field is focused.

<div class="field">
 <input type="text" name="user" required><br>
 <label>Enter Username</label>
 </div>

Basically the label field is going to act like a placeholder. We can do this only using css. Explained here http://www.voidtricks.com/create-material-design-animated-placeholder/

score -1 · Answer 11 · answered Apr 21 '22 at 10:12

-1

Try this, It definitely works -

input:focus::placeholder {
  color: blue;
}

Code example result -

input::placeholder {
  color: blue;
}

input:focus::placeholder {
  color: red;
}

<input type="text" placeholder="text here">

answered Apr 21 '22 at 10:12

Vihan Gammanpila

346
4
10

How to change placeholder color on focus?

11 Answers11

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