HTMLTextAreaElement: maxLength property

{{ApiRef("HTML DOM")}}

The maxLength property of the {{domxref("HTMLTextAreaElement")}} interface indicates the maximum number of characters (in {{glossary("UTF-16", "UTF-16 code units")}}) allowed to be entered for the value of the {{HTMLElement("textarea")}} element, and the maximum number of characters allowed for the value to be valid. It reflects the element's maxlength attribute. -1 means there is no limit on the length of the value.

[!NOTE] Browsers generally prevent users from entering more characters than the maxlength attribute allows. Should the length be longer, the element is considered invalid and the {{domxref("ValidityState")}} object's {{domxref("ValidityState.tooLong", "tooLong")}} property will be true.

Value

A number representing the element's maxlength if present, or -1.

Example

Given the following HTML:

<p>
  <label for="comment">Comment</label>
  <textarea id="comment" minlength="10" maxlength="200"></textarea>
</p>

You can use the maxLength property to retrieve or set the <textarea>'s maxlength attribute value:

const textareaElement = document.querySelector("#comment");
console.log(`Element's maxLength: ${textareaElement.maxLength}`); // "Element's maxlength: 200"
textareaElement.maxLength = 220; // updates the element's maxlength attribute value

Specifications

{{Specifications}}

Browser compatibility

{{Compat}}

See also

• {{domxref("HTMLTextAreaElement.value")}}
• {{domxref("HTMLTextAreaElement.minLength")}}
• {{domxref("ValidityState.tooLong")}}