jQuery/Javascript function to clear all the fields of a form [duplicate]

Question

Note: this answer is relevant to resetting form fields, not clearing fields - see update.

You can use JavaScript's native reset() method to reset the entire form to its default state.

Example provided by Ryan:

$('#myForm')[0].reset();

Note: This may not reset certain fields, such as type="hidden".

UPDATE

As noted by IlyaDoroshin the same thing can be accomplished using jQuery's trigger():

$('#myForm').trigger("reset");

UPDATE

If you need to do more than reset the form to its default state, you should review the answers to Resetting a multi-stage form with jQuery.

To reset form (but not clear the form) just trigger reset event:

$('#form').trigger("reset");

To clear a form see other answers.

Something similar to $("#formId").reset() will not clear form items that have had their defaults set to something other than "". One way this can happen is a previous form submission: once a form has been submitted reset() would "reset" form values to those previously submitted which will likely not be "".

One option to clear all forms on the page, is to call a function such as the following, executing it simply as clearForms():

function clearForms()
{
    $(':input').not(':button, :submit, :reset, :hidden, :checkbox, :radio').val('');
    $(':checkbox, :radio').prop('checked', false);
}

If you want to reset a specific form, then modify the function as follows, and call it as clearForm($("#formId")):

function clearForm($form)
{
    $form.find(':input').not(':button, :submit, :reset, :hidden, :checkbox, :radio').val('');
    $form.find(':checkbox, :radio').prop('checked', false);
}

When I originally came to this page I needed a solution that takes into account form defaults being changed and is still able to clear all input items.

Note that this will not clear placeholder text.

Set the val to ""

function clear_form_elements(ele) {

        $(ele).find(':input').each(function() {
            switch(this.type) {
                case 'password':
                case 'select-multiple':
                case 'select-one':
                case 'text':
                case 'textarea':
                    $(this).val('');
                    break;
                case 'checkbox':
                case 'radio':
                    this.checked = false;
            }
        });

    }

<input onclick="clear_form_elements(this.form)" type="button" value="Clear All" />  
<input onclick="clear_form_elements('#example_1')" type="button" value="Clear Section 1" />
<input onclick="clear_form_elements('#example_2')" type="button" value="Clear Section 2" />
<input onclick="clear_form_elements('#example_3')" type="button" value="Clear Section 3" />

You could also try something like this:

  function clearForm(form) {

    // iterate over all of the inputs for the form

    // element that was passed in

    $(':input', form).each(function() {

      var type = this.type;

      var tag = this.tagName.toLowerCase(); // normalize case

      // it's ok to reset the value attr of text inputs,

      // password inputs, and textareas

      if (type == 'text' || type == 'password' || tag == 'textarea')

        this.value = "";

      // checkboxes and radios need to have their checked state cleared

      // but should *not* have their 'value' changed

      else if (type == 'checkbox' || type == 'radio')

        this.checked = false;

      // select elements need to have their 'selectedIndex' property set to -1

      // (this works for both single and multiple select elements)

      else if (tag == 'select')

        this.selectedIndex = -1;

    });

  };

More info here and here

    <form id="form" method="post" action="action.php">
      <input type="text" class="removeLater" name="name" /> Username<br/>
      <input type="text" class="removeLater" name="pass" /> Password<br/>
      <input type="text" class="removeLater" name="pass2" /> Password again<br/>
    </form>
    <script>
$(function(){
    $("form").submit(function(e){
         //do anything you want
         //& remove values
         $(".removeLater").val('');
    }

});
</script>