---
sidebar_position: 3
slug: /file-input
---

import Tabs from '@theme/Tabs';
import TabItem from '@theme/TabItem';

import UppyCdnExample from '/src/components/UppyCdnExample';

# File input

The `@uppy/file-input` plugin is the most barebones UI for selecting files — it
shows a single button that, when clicked, opens up the browser’s file selector.

## When should I use it?

When you want users to select files from their local machine with a minimal UI.

## Install

<Tabs>
  <TabItem value="npm" label="NPM" default>

```shell
npm install @uppy/file-input
```

  </TabItem>

  <TabItem value="yarn" label="Yarn">

```shell
yarn add @uppy/file-input
```

  </TabItem>

  <TabItem value="cdn" label="CDN">
    <UppyCdnExample>
      {`
        import { Uppy, FileInput } from "{{UPPY_JS_URL}}"
        const uppy = new Uppy()
        uppy.use(FileInput, { target: document.body })
      `}
    </UppyCdnExample>
  </TabItem>
</Tabs>

## Use

```js showLineNumbers
import Uppy from '@uppy/core';
import FileInput from '@uppy/file-input';

import '@uppy/core/dist/style.min.css';
import '@uppy/file-input/dist/style.css';

new Uppy().use(FileInput, { target: '#uppy-file-input' });
```

:::note

The `@uppy/file-input` plugin includes some basic styles for use with the
[`pretty`](#pretty-true) option, like shown in the
[example](/examples/xhrupload). You can also choose not to use it and provide
your own styles instead.

Import general Core styles from `@uppy/core/dist/style.css` first, then add the
File Input styles from `@uppy/file-input/dist/style.css`. A minified version is
also available as `style.min.css` at the same path. The way to do import depends
on your build system.

:::

## API

### Options

#### `id`

A unique identifier for this plugin (`string`, default: `'FileInput'`).

#### `title`

Configures the title / name shown in the UI, for instance, on Dashboard tabs
(`string`, default: `'File Input'`).

#### `target`

DOM element, CSS selector, or plugin to place the audio into (`string` or
`Element`, default: `null`).

#### `pretty`

When true, display a styled button that, when clicked, opens the file selector
UI. When false, a plain old browser `<input type="file">` element is shown
(`boolean`, default: `true`).

#### `inputName`

The `name` attribute for the `<input type="file">` element (`string`, default:
`'files[]'`).

#### `locale`

```js
export default {
	strings: {
		// The same key is used for the same purpose by @uppy/robodog's `form()` API, but our
		// locale pack scripts can't access it in Robodog. If it is updated here, it should
		// also be updated there!
		chooseFiles: 'Choose files',
	},
};
```

## Custom file inpt

If you don’t like the look/feel of the button rendered by `@uppy/file-input`,
feel free to forgo the plugin and use your own custom button on a page, like so:

```html
<input type="file" id="my-file-input" />
```

Then add this JS to attach it to Uppy:

```js
const uppy = new Uppy(/* ... */);
const fileInput = document.querySelector('#my-file-input');

fileInput.addEventListener('change', (event) => {
	const files = Array.from(event.target.files);

	files.forEach((file) => {
		try {
			uppy.addFile({
				source: 'file input',
				name: file.name,
				type: file.type,
				data: file,
			});
		} catch (err) {
			if (err.isRestriction) {
				// handle restrictions
				console.log('Restriction error:', err);
			} else {
				// handle other errors
				console.error(err);
			}
		}
	});
});

// Clear the `<input>` after the upload or when the file was removed
// so the file can be uploaded again (see
// https://github.com/transloadit/uppy/issues/2640#issuecomment-731034781).
uppy.on('file-removed', () => {
	fileInput.value = null;
});

uppy.on('complete', () => {
	fileInput.value = null;
});
```