[VBA] UserForm TextBox Guide: Default Values, Passwords, and Character Limits

2025年12月27日

Introduction

In VBA UserForms, the TextBox control is essential for accepting text input from users. However, a TextBox is more than just a simple input field. By configuring its properties via VBA code, you can create a more user-friendly and functional interface. For example, you can:

Display a default value or placeholder example.
Mask characters with symbols like * for password entry.
Limit the number of characters allowed (e.g., for User IDs).
Automatically disable the IME (Input Method Editor) for fields requiring alphanumeric input.

This article explains these key TextBox properties and how to configure them effectively.

Sample Code: TextBox Property Settings

These settings are typically applied within the UserForm_Initialize event, which runs just before the form is displayed. In this example, we apply different settings to multiple TextBoxes placed on a form named InputForm.

' Event executed when the form is initialized
Private Sub UserForm_Initialize()
    
    ' --- Name_TextBox: Setting a Default Value ---
    With Me.Name_TextBox
        ' Set the initial string to display using the .Text property
        .Text = "(Enter Name Here)"
        
        ' Prepare to select all text when the TextBox receives focus
        ' .SelStart sets the starting position, .SelLength sets the length of the selection
        .SelStart = 0
        .SelLength = .TextLength
    End With
    
    ' --- Password_TextBox: Password Field Settings ---
    With Me.Password_TextBox
        ' Set the character to display instead of the actual input using .PasswordChar
        .PasswordChar = "*"
        
        ' Disable IME (for alphanumeric input) using the .IMEMode property
        .IMEMode = fmIMEModeOff ' fmIMEModeAlpha is also acceptable
    End With
    
    ' --- UserID_TextBox: Character Limit Setting ---
    With Me.UserID_TextBox
        ' Limit the maximum number of characters using the .MaxLength property
        .MaxLength = 8
    End With
    
End Sub

Preparation Before Running

Create a UserForm named InputForm.
Place three TextBoxes on the form.
Change their (Name) properties to Name_TextBox, Password_TextBox, and UserID_TextBox respectively to match the code.
Paste the code above into the form’s code module. When you run the form, the settings will be applied.

Explanation of Properties

.Text

Controls the text displayed in the TextBox. It is used to show initial instructions or output processing results.

.SelStart, .SelLength, .TextLength: By using these with .Text, you can automatically select the default text when the user clicks the box. .SelStart = 0 means “from the beginning,” and .SelLength = .TextLength means “select the entire length.” This allows users to start typing immediately without manually deleting the placeholder text.

.PasswordChar

When you set a character for this property (e.g., * or ●), any text typed into the box is replaced by that character. This is mandatory for handling sensitive information like passwords.

.IMEMode

Controls the mode of the Input Method Editor (IME) when the user selects the control.

fmIMEModeOff: Disables IME (Direct input mode).
fmIMEModeOn: Enables IME (Hiragana input mode).
fmIMEModeAlpha: Alphanumeric mode (Half-width).
fmIMEModeHiragana: Hiragana mode.
fmIMEModeKatakana: Katakana mode.

Setting this to fmIMEModeOff for ID or email fields saves the user the trouble of manually switching input modes.

.MaxLength

Specifies the maximum number of characters the user can enter as an integer. Setting it to 0 removes the limit (default). This is useful for preventing input errors in fields with fixed lengths, such as postal codes or IDs.