CopilotChatInput

Overview

CopilotChatInput is the primary text input and control surface for chat interactions. It provides a multi-line textarea that auto-grows up to a configurable maximum number of rows (default 5), action buttons for sending messages, voice transcription, and file attachment, and an optional tools menu for declarative command surfaces.

The component operates in three modes: "input" (default text entry), "transcribe" (replaces the textarea with an audio recorder), and "processing" (indicates background processing is underway). When text spans multiple rows, the layout stacks the textarea above the control row.

Import

Props

Slots

All slot props follow the CopilotKit slot system: each accepts a replacement React component, a className string that is merged into the default component's classes, or a partial props object that extends the default component.

<CopilotChatInput textArea="font-mono text-sm" />

<CopilotChatInput
  sendButton={({ onClick }) => (
    <button
      onClick={onClick}
      className="bg-blue-500 text-white px-3 py-1 rounded"
    >
      Send
    </button>
  )}
/>

ToolsMenuItem

The ToolsMenuItem type defines items in the tools menu. Items can trigger actions directly or contain nested submenus.

type ToolsMenuItem = { label: string } & (
  | { action: () => void }
  | { items: (ToolsMenuItem | "-")[] }
);

Separators

Use the string "-" as an array entry to render a visual separator between menu items:

toolsMenu={[
  { label: "Search", action: () => search() },
  "-",
  { label: "Settings", action: () => openSettings() },
]}

Nested Submenus

Menu items with an items array render as expandable submenus:

toolsMenu={[
  {
    label: "Export",
    items: [
      { label: "As PDF", action: () => exportPDF() },
      { label: "As CSV", action: () => exportCSV() },
      "-",
      { label: "Print", action: () => printDoc() },
    ],
  },
]}

CopilotChatAudioRecorder

A visual audio waveform component used during transcription mode. It displays a real-time waveform visualization of the microphone input and exposes an imperative API via ref.

Import

Imperative API

The component exposes the following imperative methods via React ref:

Usage

function CustomRecorder() {
  const recorderRef = useRef(null);

  return (
    <div>
      <CopilotChatAudioRecorder ref={recorderRef} />
      <button onClick={() => recorderRef.current?.start()}>Record</button>
      <button onClick={() => recorderRef.current?.stop()}>Stop</button>
    </div>
  );
}

Usage

Basic Chat Input

function ChatInput() {
  const [value, setValue] = useState("");

  return (
    <CopilotChatInput
      value={value}
      onChange={setValue}
      onSubmitMessage={(text) => {
        sendMessage(text);
        setValue("");
      }}
      autoFocus
    />
  );
}

With Voice Transcription

function VoiceInput() {
  const [mode, setMode] = useState<"input" | "transcribe">("input");
  const [value, setValue] = useState("");

  return (
    <CopilotChatInput
      mode={mode}
      value={value}
      onChange={setValue}
      onSubmitMessage={(text) => sendMessage(text)}
      onStartTranscribe={() => setMode("transcribe")}
      onCancelTranscribe={() => setMode("input")}
      onFinishTranscribeWithAudio={async (blob) => {
        const text = await transcribeAudio(blob);
        setValue(text);
        setMode("input");
      }}
    />
  );
}

With Tools Menu

function InputWithTools() {
  return (
    <CopilotChatInput
      onSubmitMessage={(text) => sendMessage(text)}
      toolsMenu={[
        { label: "Search the web", action: () => triggerSearch() },
        { label: "Analyze data", action: () => triggerAnalysis() },
        "-",
        {
          label: "Export",
          items: [
            { label: "As PDF", action: () => exportPDF() },
            { label: "As Markdown", action: () => exportMarkdown() },
          ],
        },
      ]}
    />
  );
}

With Stop Button During Execution

function ChatInputWithAgent() {
  const { agent } = useAgent();

  return (
    <CopilotChatInput
      isRunning={agent.isRunning}
      onSubmitMessage={(text) => {
        agent.addMessage({
          role: "user",
          content: text,
          id: crypto.randomUUID(),
        });
        agent.runAgent();
      }}
      onStop={() => agent.abortRun()}
      autoFocus
    />
  );
}

Custom Layout with Children Render Prop

function AdaptiveInput() {
  return (
    <CopilotChatInput onSubmitMessage={(text) => sendMessage(text)}>
      {({ isMultiline }) => (
        <div
          className={
            isMultiline ? "border-2 border-blue-300 rounded-xl p-2" : ""
          }
        >
          {isMultiline && (
            <div className="text-xs text-gray-400 mb-1">Multi-line mode</div>
          )}
        </div>
      )}
    </CopilotChatInput>
  );
}

Styled Slots

function StyledInput() {
  return (
    <CopilotChatInput
      onSubmitMessage={(text) => sendMessage(text)}
      textArea="font-mono text-sm bg-gray-50 rounded-lg"
      sendButton="bg-green-500 hover:bg-green-600 text-white rounded-full"
    />
  );
}

Behavior

• Auto-Growing Textarea: The default textarea automatically expands as the user types, up to a maximum of 5 rows. After reaching the maximum, the textarea becomes scrollable.
• Layout Stacking: When the input text spans multiple rows, the layout switches from inline (textarea and buttons side by side) to stacked (textarea above the control row containing the action buttons).
• Mode Switching: Setting mode to "transcribe" replaces the textarea with the audioRecorder slot component. The transcription control buttons (cancelTranscribeButton, finishTranscribeButton) replace the standard send button.
• Controlled and Uncontrolled: The component supports both controlled mode (via value and onChange) and uncontrolled mode (internal state management).
• Tools Menu: The toolsMenu prop enables a declarative menu with support for flat items, separators ("-"), and nested submenus. The menu button is only rendered when toolsMenu is provided.
• Slot System: Each slot prop accepts three forms -- a replacement component, a className string merged into the default, or a partial props object that extends the default component's props.

Related

• CopilotChatView -- Higher-level chat view that composes this component
• CopilotChatAudioRecorder -- Audio recorder used during transcription mode
• useCopilotChatConfiguration -- Provider for localized input labels