jQuery Val Method – .val() – Complete Usage Guide with Codes

The jQuery Val method is the most used method which either returns or sets the value attribute of the selected elements.

For Returning Value – It returns the first matched element’s value attribute.

For Setting Value – It sets the value of all matched elements.

jQuery Val Syntax

The .val() method has 3 syntaxes.

1. For Returning Value

$(selector).val()

2. For Setting Value

$(selector).val("Hello")

3. For Setting Value through a Function

$(selector).val(function(index,currentvalue)) 

• index: returns the index of the element in the set.
• currentvalue: returns the current value of the element in the set.

jQuery Val Example 1: Set value of textbox

I have one textbox and a button. On the button click the value of the textbox is set as ‘Hi’.

This code is shown below.

<input type="text" id="text1" value="Welcome" />
<button id="button1">Set 'Hi'</button>
$("#button1").click(function (e) {
    $("#text1").val("Hi");
});

jQuery Val Example 2: Set value of textbox using function

This time my text box has initial value as ‘jQuery’, I will add ‘Hi’ to this value using .val() function parameter.

The button click event will set value of textbox as ‘jQuery Hi’.

<input type="text" id="text2" value="jQuery" />
<button id="button2">Set 'jQuery Hi'</button>

$("#button2").click(function (e) {
    $("#text2").val(function (index, currentvalue) {
        return currentvalue + " Hi";
    });
});

jQuery Val Example 3: Get value of textbox

The below code alert the value of the textbox on the button click event.

<input type="text" id="text3" value="Hello Coder!" />
<button id="button3">Get Value</button>
$("#button3").click(function (e) {
    alert($("#text3").val());
});

Example 4: Get selected value of dropdown

Just like textboxes jQuery Val method can also get the selected value of drop downs.

<select id="select1">
    <option value="First">First</option>
    <option value="Second">Second</option>
    <option value="Third">Third</option>
</select>
<button id="button4">Get Value</button>
$("#button4").click(function (e) {
    alert($("#select1").val());
});

In the above code you select the second value of drop down, and then click the button.

The alert box will show ‘Second’.

Example 5: Set value of Checkboxes

I have 2 checkboxes here and a button. One the button click both the checkboxes will be checked.

<input type="checkbox" value="check1"> check1
<input type="checkbox" value="check2"> check2

<button id="button5">Set</button>
$("#button5").click(function (e) {
    $("input[type='checkbox']").val(["check1", "check2"])
});

In the above code I have passed multiple value to the jQuery .val() method.

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