How TO – Search Bar

Learn how to add a search box inside a responsive navigation menu.

Search Bar

Responsive Search Bar

Navigation bar with a search box and a submit button inside of it.

Resize the browser window to see the responsive effect.

Try it Yourself

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<link rel=”stylesheet” href=”https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css”>
<style>
* {box-sizing: border-box;}

body {
margin: 0;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}

.topnav {
overflow: hidden;
background-color: #e9e9e9;
}

.topnav a {
float: left;
display: block;
color: black;
text-align: center;
padding: 14px 16px;
text-decoration: none;
font-size: 17px;
}

.topnav a:hover {
background-color: #ddd;
color: black;
}

.topnav a.active {
background-color: #2196F3;
color: white;
}

.topnav .search-container {
float: right;
}

.topnav input[type=text] {
padding: 6px;
margin-top: 8px;
font-size: 17px;
border: none;
}

.topnav .search-container button {
float: right;
padding: 6px 10px;
margin-top: 8px;
margin-right: 16px;
background: #ddd;
font-size: 17px;
border: none;
cursor: pointer;
}

.topnav .search-container button:hover {
background: #ccc;
}

@media screen and (max-width: 600px) {
.topnav .search-container {
float: none;
}
.topnav a, .topnav input[type=text], .topnav .search-container button {
float: none;
display: block;
text-align: left;
width: 100%;
margin: 0;
padding: 14px;
}
.topnav input[type=text] {
border: 1px solid #ccc;
}
}
</style>
</head>
<body>

<div>
<a href=”#home”>Home</a>
<a href=”#about”>About</a>
<a href=”#contact”>Contact</a>
<div>
<form action=”/action_page.php”>
<input type=”text” placeholder=”Search..” name=”search”>
<button type=”submit”><i></i></button>
</form>
</div>
</div>

<div style=”padding-left:16px”>
<h2>Responsive Search Bar</h2>
<p>Navigation bar with a search box and a submit button inside of it.</p>
<p>Resize the browser window to see the responsive effect.</p>
</div>

</body>
</html>

Create A Search Bar

Step 1) Add HTML:

Example

<div class=”topnav”>
  <a class=”active” href=”#home”>Home</a>
  <a href=”#about”>About</a>
  <a href=”#contact”>Contact</a>
  <input type=”text” placeholder=”Search..”>
</div>

Step 2) Add CSS:

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta name=”viewport” content=”width=device-width, initial-scale=1″>
<style>
* {box-sizing: border-box;}

body {
margin: 0;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}

.topnav {
overflow: hidden;
background-color: #e9e9e9;
}

.topnav a {
float: left;
display: block;
color: black;
text-align: center;
padding: 14px 16px;
text-decoration: none;
font-size: 17px;
}

.topnav a:hover {
background-color: #ddd;
color: black;
}

.topnav a.active {
background-color: #2196F3;
color: white;
}

.topnav input[type=text] {
float: right;
padding: 6px;
margin-top: 8px;
margin-right: 16px;
border: none;
font-size: 17px;
}

@media screen and (max-width: 600px) {
.topnav a, .topnav input[type=text] {
float: none;
display: block;
text-align: left;
width: 100%;
margin: 0;
padding: 14px;
}

.topnav input[type=text] {
border: 1px solid #ccc;
}
}
</style>
</head>
<body>

<div>
<a href=”#home”>Home</a>
<a href=”#about”>About</a>
<a href=”#contact”>Contact</a>
<input type=”text” placeholder=”Search..”>
</div>

<div style=”padding-left:16px”>
<h2>Responsive Search Bar</h2>
<p>Navigation bar with a search box inside of it.</p>
<p>Resize the browser window to see the responsive effect.</p>
<p>For more examples on how to add a submit button and icon inside the search bar, go back to the tutorial.</p>
</div>

</body>
</html>

Example with Submit Button

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta name=”viewport” content=”width=device-width, initial-scale=1″>
<style>
* {box-sizing: border-box;}

body {
margin: 0;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}

.topnav {
overflow: hidden;
background-color: #e9e9e9;
}

.topnav a {
float: left;
display: block;
color: black;
text-align: center;
padding: 14px 16px;
text-decoration: none;
font-size: 17px;
}

.topnav a:hover {
background-color: #ddd;
color: black;
}

.topnav a.active {
background-color: #2196F3;
color: white;
}

.topnav .search-container {
float: right;
}

.topnav input[type=text] {
padding: 6px;
margin-top: 8px;
font-size: 17px;
border: none;
}

.topnav .search-container button {
float: right;
padding: 6px;
margin-top: 8px;
margin-right: 16px;
background: #ddd;
font-size: 17px;
border: none;
cursor: pointer;
}

.topnav .search-container button:hover {
background: #ccc;
}

</body>
</html>

Example with Submit Icon

Example

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<link rel=”stylesheet” href=”https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/font-awesome/4.7.0/css/font-awesome.min.css”>
<style>
* {box-sizing: border-box;}

body {
margin: 0;
font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;
}

.topnav {
overflow: hidden;
background-color: #e9e9e9;
}

.topnav a {
float: left;
display: block;
color: black;
text-align: center;
padding: 14px 16px;
text-decoration: none;
font-size: 17px;
}

.topnav a:hover {
background-color: #ddd;
color: black;
}

.topnav a.active {
background-color: #2196F3;
color: white;
}

.topnav .search-container {
float: right;
}

.topnav input[type=text] {
padding: 6px;
margin-top: 8px;
font-size: 17px;
border: none;
}

.topnav .search-container button {
float: right;
padding: 6px 10px;
margin-top: 8px;
margin-right: 16px;
background: #ddd;
font-size: 17px;
border: none;
cursor: pointer;
}

.topnav .search-container button:hover {
background: #ccc;
}

</body>
</html>

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