PyQt QLineEdit

Summary: in this tutorial, you’ll learn how to use the PyQt QLineEdit widget to create a single-line text-entry widget.

Introduction to the PyQt QLineEdit widget

The PyQt QLineEdit allows you to create a single-line text-entry widget. Typically, you’ll use the QLineEdit in a data-entry form.

In practice, you often use the QLineEdit widget with a QLabel widget.

To create a QLineEdit widget, you follow these steps.

First, import QLineEdit from PyQt6.QtWidgets module:

from PyQt6.QtWidgets import QLineEditCode language: Python (python)

Second, create a new QLineEdit object that uses:

• No arguments.
• With only a parent widget.
• Or with a default string value as the first argument.

For example:

line_edit = QLineEdit('Default Value', self)Code language: Python (python)

Also, you can use the following additional properties:

PyQt QLineEdit widget examples

Let’s take some examples of using the QLineEdit widget.

1) Simple PyQt QLineEdit example

The following program shows how to create a QLineEdit widget:

import sys
from PyQt6.QtWidgets import (
    QApplication,
    QWidget,
    QLineEdit,
    QVBoxLayout
)


class MainWindow(QWidget):
    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)

        self.setWindowTitle('PyQt QLineEdit Widget')
        self.setGeometry(100, 100, 320, 210)

        search_box = QLineEdit(
            self,
            placeholderText='Enter a keyword to search...',
            clearButtonEnabled=True
        )

        # place the widget on the window
        layout = QVBoxLayout()
        layout.addWidget(search_box)
        self.setLayout(layout)

        # show the window
        self.show()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    app = QApplication(sys.argv)
    window = MainWindow()
    sys.exit(app.exec())Code language: Python (python)

Output:

2) Using the PyQt QLineEdit to create a password entry

The following program creates a new QLineEdit widget as a password entry:

import sys
from PyQt6.QtWidgets import (
    QApplication,
    QWidget,
    QLineEdit,
    QVBoxLayout
)


class MainWindow(QWidget):
    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)

        self.setWindowTitle('PyQt QLineEdit Widget')
        self.setGeometry(100, 100, 320, 210)

        password = QLineEdit(self, echoMode=QLineEdit.EchoMode.Password)

        # place the widget on the window
        layout = QVBoxLayout()
        layout.addWidget(password)
        self.setLayout(layout)

        # show the window
        self.show()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    app = QApplication(sys.argv)
    window = MainWindow()
    sys.exit(app.exec())Code language: Python (python)

To make the QLineEdit widget a password entry, you set the echoMode to QLineEdit.EchoMode.Password:

password = QLineEdit(self, echoMode=QLineEdit.EchoMode.Password)Code language: Python (python)

Output:

3) Using the PyQt QLineEdit with the auto-complete feature

To create an entry with the auto-complete feature, you follow these steps:

First, import the QCompleter from PyQt6.QtWidgets module.

Second, create a QCompleter widget with a list of strings used for autocomplete feature:

completer = QCompleter(word_list)Code language: Python (python)

Third, create a QLineEdit and call its setCompleter() method with the completer object:

line_edit = QLineEdit(self)
line_edit.setCompleter(completer)Code language: Python (python)

For example, the following program shows a QLineEdit widget with an auto-complete feature:

import sys
from PyQt6.QtWidgets import (
    QApplication,
    QWidget,
    QLineEdit,
    QVBoxLayout,
    QCompleter
)


class MainWindow(QWidget):
    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(*args, **kwargs)

        self.setWindowTitle('PyQt QLineEdit Widget')
        self.setGeometry(100, 100, 320, 210)

       
        common_fruits = QCompleter([
            'Apple',
            'Apricot',
            'Banana',
            'Carambola',
            'Olive',
            'Oranges',
            'Papaya',
            'Peach',
            'Pineapple',
            'Pomegranate',
            'Rambutan',
            'Ramphal',
            'Raspberries',
            'Rose apple',
            'Starfruit',
            'Strawberries',
            'Water apple',
        ])
        fruit = QLineEdit(self)
        fruit.setCompleter(common_fruits)

        # place the widget on the window
        layout = QVBoxLayout()
        layout.addWidget(fruit)
        self.setLayout(layout)

        # show the window
        self.show()


if __name__ == '__main__':
    app = QApplication(sys.argv)
    window = MainWindow()
    sys.exit(app.exec())Code language: Python (python)

Output:

Summary

• Use the QLineEdit to create a single-line entry widget.
• Use the echoMode property to change the way the text is displayed.
• Use the QLineEdit widget with a QCompleter widget to support the auto-complete feature.