Disable webkit's spin buttons on input type="number"?

The basis for banishing spinners

Ousting the spinners can work marvels for your user interface:

• Consistency flies its banner high across browsers.
• Simplicity reigns supreme, sweeping out the extraneous, especially on the pocket-sized screens of mobile devices.
• User attention can be marshaled on the real battle: entering accurate data.

Mobile interface: adjusting the lens

Designing for mobile interfaces demands a keen eye for detail:

• Screen real estate is dear—spare the clutter.
• Touch targets should pose no challenge: oversized digits are the companion of small screens.
• Keyboard use fades, making arrow keys a back-row player.

In a nutshell: make inputs bow to touch interaction for a tastier mobile pie.

Exorcising the spinner: consequences and benefits

Spinners aren't always your friends. Sneaky instances include:

• Precision input: do you always hit the right notes on the piano of your phone keypad? Likely not. The same applies for typing long sequences of digits—like phone numbers.
• Quick input: When users have the numbers they need at the tip of their tongues, typing reigns uncontested.

Removing spinners prioritizes speed and accuracy in number input.

Every little bit in its right place

Banishing spinners can upset the visual balance. Here's how you restore order:

• Line them all up, soldiers! Prevent alignment issues:

  input[type="number"] {
    margin: 0; /* Margins, you're grounded! */
  }
  

• Redress the input: Missing spinners leave a void—it's makeover time:

  input[type="number"] {
    border: 1px solid #ccc; /* Now you see me. */
    padding: 5px;
    border-radius: 4px; /* Because sharp corners are so '90s. */
  }
  

Real-life scenarios

While your coffee is brewing, consider these use-cases where spinners are as out of place as a penguin in the Sahara:

• Financial inputs: Precision in currency input wishes spinners a bon voyage.
• Verification codes: With exact numbers to input, spinners become the extra wheel.
• Birth date: Human memory needs no spinners. Especially not for something as memorable as their date of birth!

The common thread? Removing spinners simplifies data entry.

Limitations and contingencies

Disabling spin buttons has caveats:

• Aliens, beware! Not all species...sorry, users love change. Some might need time to adapt.
• Old faithful: Elderly browsers might not behave with -webkit-appearance. In such cases, know your alternatives—we don't want grandpa missing out on family games, do we?