HTML form elements do not render consistently across all browsers. While some form elements such as textbox and textarea can be styled through CSS to look the same on most browsers, others are ugly enough which can’t be ruled by CSS. Here are 24 solutions you can use to customize your form elements.
Checkbox and Radio Buttons
1.) FancyForm
FancyForm is a powerful replacement script used to provide the ultimate flexibility in changing the appearance and function of checkbox and radio buttons form elements. It’s accessible, easy to use and degrades gracefully on all older, non-supporting browsers. It requires MooTools JavaScript framework. 
2.) CRIR: Checkbox & Radio Input Replacement
This combination of JavaScript and CSS will hide checkbox and radio buttons. This will allow you to style the label however you wish using CSS, and the actual input control will be hidden. The form will still collect data as it normally would because the label itself will trigger the hidden input control. The form is still fully functional if JavaScript is disabled or not supported. 
3.) Ryan Fait’s Custom Checkboxes & Radio Buttons
This JavaScript and CSS will allow you to use custom images for checkboxes, radio buttons and select lists. The unobtrusive script gracefully degrades, so if JavaScript is disabled, normal form input objects appear instead of your customized elements. 
4.) ARC – Adam’s Radio/Checkbox Customization
The script parses a specified form for input types and associated labels. If the input type is found to be a radio button or checkbox then the widget is hidden and the label is altered to display a custom widget-style-image by modifying the label’s CSS style. 
5.) prettyCheckboxes
6.) jQuery checkbox
7.) Articles & Tutorials On Customizing Checkbox and Radio Buttons
- Custom Radio Button Implement With jQuery
- slayeroffice Custom Checkbox Elements
- Customized Html Controls: Creating Custom Checkbox
- Styled Form Controls
- Fancy Checkboxes and Radio Buttons
- Inside Technique : Custom Checkboxes
Select / Dropdown Box
1.) JavaScript Image Combobox
2.) jQuery Dropdown Check List
3.) Custom Select With Icons
4.) ComboBoxes Using MooTools
5.) Select Replacement
6.) Additional Select Box Customization (Won’t Work If JavaScript Disabled)
Almost All Form Elements
1.) Custom Form Elements (CFE)
Custom Form Elements unites all efforts in the web to enhance web-based XHTML forms in terms of style, usability and accessibility by using Javascript and/or CSS. Custom Form Elements work cross-browser, currently supporting most A-grade browsers.
2.) Emblematiq Niceforms
Niceforms is a script that will replace the most commonly used form elements with custom designed ones. You can either use the default theme that is provided or you can even develop your own look with minimal effort. 
3.) jQuery Plugin: jNice
33 Responses to “24 HTML Form Elements Customization Techniques”
Nice list, thanks
[...] 24 HTML Form Elements Customization Techniques [...]
I’ve never styled my forms before but I think I’m going to try for my new website, just to give it that extra edge.
I recently released a YUI plugin version of Niceforms:
http://freshcutsd.com/yui-niceforms/
It handles all form elements, and has a lot of improvements over the official Niceforms, including IE6 support, support for dynamic forms, CSS3 resize support, and more.
Cheers!
I have tried your niceforms but there are problems regarding the background of a larges textarea. Also, there are problems when I disable my javascript, radio buttons, checkboxes, select boxes and regular submit buttons don’t show up.
Could you post a screenshot of the textarea problems?
Using CSS3 to hide the original elements – didn’t even think about what would happen with JS disabled on that one. DOH!
Thanks for your contributions to v0.2!
Awesome list. Thanks a lot !
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[...] 24 HTML Form Elements Customization Techniques [...]
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This one is really useful..
But you missed one thing, Styling of file inputs.
There are many free scripts available to help us styling file inputs. You should have included that.
One of them ~ http://bit.ly/E9jwr
Very cool customization of Form Elements. Everything is going graphical.
The issue is the scrollbar of the textarea. Also, it seems that your background image for the textarea cannot handle too long texareas, you can see it in your demo that it tries to create another textarea below it.
Yeah, there should be also a list for file inputs.
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Image listbox component: http://servletsuite.com/servlets/customlisttag.htm
[...] 24 HTML Form Elements Customization Techniques | NetWaver24 herramientas para formularios html. [...]
Naaaah most of them kill accesibility!
[...] Enlace: 24 tecnicas y estilos para personalizar formulario HTML [...]
[...] Interesting article listing 24 HTML Form Elements Customization Techniques. [...]
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[...] 24 trucs pour customiser joliment vos formulaires [...]
[...] フォームをクリエイティブなものにする24の方法 [...]
i think it should be 25
http://www.coders.me/web-html-js-css/javascript/sexy-forms
Community is made up of various volunteers including Contributors and Supervisors. ,
very nice!
thank for you!