CSS Hacks for a Clean Slate: Hiding the IE10 Clear Field Button

• IE10 adds a built-in "clear field" button to certain input fields, like text boxes.
• This button might not be desirable in some web designs for various reasons.

The Solution with CSS:

• CSS provides a way to target specific browser elements and modify their styles.
• In this case, we can target the pseudo-element ::-ms-clear which represents the "clear field" button in IE10.
• We can use the display property within the CSS rule to set it to none. This hides the button visually.

Here's the CSS code:

input[type=text]::-ms-clear {
  display: none;
}

Explanation:

• input[type=text]: This targets all input elements with the type attribute set to "text".
• ::-ms-clear: This pseudo-element specifically refers to the "clear field" button in IE10 (using the vendor prefix -ms- for Microsoft).
• { display: none; }: This rule sets the display property of the targeted element to none, effectively hiding the button.

Important Notes:

• This approach only works in IE10 because it uses the vendor-specific -ms-clear pseudo-element.
• You can modify the selector (input[type=text]) to target specific input types (e.g., input[type=email]) if needed.
• While hiding the button is a common solution, keep in mind that it might affect usability for some users who rely on the "clear field" functionality.

input[type=text]::-ms-clear {
  display: none;
}

This code hides the button on all input fields with the type attribute set to "text" (standard text boxes).

input[type=search]::-ms-clear {
  display: none;
}

This code targets specifically the search input fields (type="search").

Example 3: Hide on email and password inputs:

input[type=email], input[type=password]::-ms-clear {
  display: none;
}

This code hides the button on both email (type="email") and password (type="password") input fields.

Remember:

• Replace these examples with the specific input types you want to target in your project.
• Consider if hiding the button aligns with your user experience goals. While it might improve aesthetics, it could remove a helpful functionality for some users.

However, there are alternative approaches depending on your situation:

JavaScript (Limited Effectiveness):

• You can use JavaScript to detect user interaction with the input field and clear its content programmatically. This partially replicates the functionality of the clear button but requires user interaction (e.g., clicking the input field).

Server-Side Validation (For Forms):

• If you're dealing with forms, consider implementing server-side validation. This way, even if a user doesn't clear the field manually, the server can handle invalid entries.

Browser Upgrade (Long-Term Solution):

• The most secure and future-proof solution is to encourage users to upgrade to a newer browser version. IE10 is no longer officially supported by Microsoft, and newer browsers might not even display the "clear field" button anymore.

Here's a summary table: