Components

File upload

Help users select and upload a file.

Open this "File upload example" example in a new window
HTML
<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <label class="govuk-label" for="file-upload-1">
    Upload a file
  </label>
  <input class="govuk-file-upload" id="file-upload-1" name="file-upload-1" type="file">
</div>
Nunjucks
Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as "Required" in the option description.

If you're using Nunjucks macros in production with "html" options, or ones ending with "html", you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Primary options
Name Type Description
name string Required. The name of the input, which is submitted with the form data.
id string Required. The id of the input
value string Optional initial value of the input
label object Required. Options for the label component. See label.
hint object Options for the hint component. See hint.
errorMessage object Options for the errorMessage component. See errorMessage.
formGroup object Options for the form-group wrapper See formGroup.
classes string Classes to add to the file upload component.
attributes object HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the file upload component.
Options for formGroup
Name Type Description
classes string Classes to add to the form group (e.g. to show error state for the whole group)
Options for label
Name Type Description
text string Required. If `html` is set, this is not required. Text to use within the label. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored.
html string Required. If `text` is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the label. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored.
for string Required. The value of the for attribute, the id of the input the label is associated with.
isPageHeading boolean Whether the label also acts as the heading for the page.
classes string Classes to add to the label tag.
attributes object HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the label tag.
Options for hint
Name Type Description
text string Required. If `html` is set, this is not required. Text to use within the hint. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored.
html string Required. If `text` is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the hint. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored.
id string Required. Optional id attribute to add to the hint span tag.
classes string Classes to add to the hint span tag.
attributes object HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the hint span tag. 
{% from "file-upload/macro.njk" import govukFileUpload %}

{{ govukFileUpload({
  id: "file-upload-1",
  name: "file-upload-1",
  label: {
    text: "Upload a file"
  }
}) }}

When to use this component

You should only ask users to upload something if it’s critical to the delivery of your service.

How it works

There are 2 ways to use the file upload component. You can use HTML or, if you’re using Nunjucks or the GOV.UK Prototype Kit, you can use the Nunjucks macro.

Open this "File upload second example" example in a new window
HTML
<div class="govuk-form-group">
  <label class="govuk-label" for="file-upload-1">
    Upload a file
  </label>
  <input class="govuk-file-upload" id="file-upload-1" name="file-upload-1" type="file">
</div>
Nunjucks
Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as "Required" in the option description.

If you're using Nunjucks macros in production with "html" options, or ones ending with "html", you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Primary options
Name Type Description
name string Required. The name of the input, which is submitted with the form data.
id string Required. The id of the input
value string Optional initial value of the input
label object Required. Options for the label component. See label.
hint object Options for the hint component. See hint.
errorMessage object Options for the errorMessage component. See errorMessage.
formGroup object Options for the form-group wrapper See formGroup.
classes string Classes to add to the file upload component.
attributes object HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the file upload component.
Options for formGroup
Name Type Description
classes string Classes to add to the form group (e.g. to show error state for the whole group)
Options for label
Name Type Description
text string Required. If `html` is set, this is not required. Text to use within the label. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored.
html string Required. If `text` is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the label. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored.
for string Required. The value of the for attribute, the id of the input the label is associated with.
isPageHeading boolean Whether the label also acts as the heading for the page.
classes string Classes to add to the label tag.
attributes object HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the label tag.
Options for hint
Name Type Description
text string Required. If `html` is set, this is not required. Text to use within the hint. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored.
html string Required. If `text` is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the hint. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored.
id string Required. Optional id attribute to add to the hint span tag.
classes string Classes to add to the hint span tag.
attributes object HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the hint span tag. 
{% from "file-upload/macro.njk" import govukFileUpload %}

{{ govukFileUpload({
  id: "file-upload-1",
  name: "file-upload-1",
  label: {
    text: "Upload a file"
  }
}) }}

Error messages

Error messages should be styled like this:

Open this "Error – File upload example" example in a new window
HTML
<div class="govuk-form-group govuk-form-group--error">
  <label class="govuk-label" for="file-upload-1">
    Upload a file
  </label>
  <span id="file-upload-1-error" class="govuk-error-message">
    <span class="govuk-visually-hidden">Error:</span> The CSV must be smaller than 2MB
  </span>
  <input class="govuk-file-upload govuk-file-upload--error" id="file-upload-1" name="file-upload-1" type="file" aria-describedby="file-upload-1-error">
</div>
Nunjucks
Nunjucks macro options

Use options to customise the appearance, content and behaviour of a component when using a macro, for example, changing the text.

Some options are required for the macro to work; these are marked as "Required" in the option description.

If you're using Nunjucks macros in production with "html" options, or ones ending with "html", you must sanitise the HTML to protect against cross-site scripting exploits.

Primary options
Name Type Description
name string Required. The name of the input, which is submitted with the form data.
id string Required. The id of the input
value string Optional initial value of the input
label object Required. Options for the label component. See label.
hint object Options for the hint component. See hint.
errorMessage object Options for the errorMessage component. See errorMessage.
formGroup object Options for the form-group wrapper See formGroup.
classes string Classes to add to the file upload component.
attributes object HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the file upload component.
Options for formGroup
Name Type Description
classes string Classes to add to the form group (e.g. to show error state for the whole group)
Options for label
Name Type Description
text string Required. If `html` is set, this is not required. Text to use within the label. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored.
html string Required. If `text` is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the label. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored.
for string Required. The value of the for attribute, the id of the input the label is associated with.
isPageHeading boolean Whether the label also acts as the heading for the page.
classes string Classes to add to the label tag.
attributes object HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the label tag.
Options for hint
Name Type Description
text string Required. If `html` is set, this is not required. Text to use within the hint. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored.
html string Required. If `text` is set, this is not required. HTML to use within the hint. If `html` is provided, the `text` argument will be ignored.
id string Required. Optional id attribute to add to the hint span tag.
classes string Classes to add to the hint span tag.
attributes object HTML attributes (for example data attributes) to add to the hint span tag. 
{% from "file-upload/macro.njk" import govukFileUpload %}

{{ govukFileUpload({
  id: "file-upload-1",
  name: "file-upload-1",
  label: {
    text: "Upload a file"
  },
  errorMessage: {
    text: "The CSV must be smaller than 2MB"
  }
}) }}

Make sure errors follow the guidance in error message and have specific error messages for specific error states.

If no file has been selected

Say ‘Select a [whatever they need to select]’.
For example, ‘Select a report’.

If the file is the wrong file type

Say ‘The selected file must be a [list of file types]’.
For example, ‘The selected file must be a CSV or ODS’ or ‘The selected file must be a JPG, BMP, PNG, TIF or PDF’.

If the file is too big

Say ‘The selected file must be smaller than [largest file size]’.
For example, ‘The selected file must be smaller than 2MB’.

If the file is empty

Say ‘The selected file is empty’.

If the file contains a virus

Say ‘The selected file contains a virus’.

If the file is password protected

Say ‘The selected file is password protected’.

If there was a problem and the file was not uploaded

Say ‘The selected file could not be uploaded – try again’.

If there is a limit on how many files the user can select

Say ‘You can only select up to [highest number] files at the same time’.
For example, ‘You can only select up to 10 files at the same time’.

If the file is not in a template that must be used or the template has been changed

Say ‘The selected file must use the template’.

Research on this component

Read a blog post about design tips for helping users upload things.

Help improve this page

To help make sure the File upload page is useful, relevant and up to date, you can:

Need help?

If you’ve got a question about the GOV.UK Design System you can contact the team: