Preview an image before it is uploaded

There are a couple ways you can do this. The most efficient way would be to use URL.createObjectURL() on the File from your <input>. Pass this URL to img.src to tell the browser to load the provided image.

Here's an example:

<input type="file" accept="image/*" onchange="loadFile(event)">
<img id="output"/>
<script>
  var loadFile = function(event) {
    var output = document.getElementById('output');
    output.src = URL.createObjectURL(event.target.files[0]);
    output.onload = function() {
      URL.revokeObjectURL(output.src) // free memory
    }
  };
</script>

You can also use FileReader.readAsDataURL() to parse the file from your <input>. This will create a string in memory containing a base64 representation of the image.

<input type="file" accept="image/*" onchange="loadFile(event)">
<img id="output"/>
<script>
  var loadFile = function(event) {
    var reader = new FileReader();
    reader.onload = function(){
      var output = document.getElementById('output');
      output.src = reader.result;
    };
    reader.readAsDataURL(event.target.files[0]);
  };
</script>

One-liner solution:

The following code uses object URLs, which is much more efficient than data URL for viewing large images (A data URL is a huge string containing all of the file data, whereas an object URL, is just a short string referencing the file data in-memory):

<img id="blah" alt="your image" width="100" height="100" />

<input type="file" 
    onchange="document.getElementById('blah').src = window.URL.createObjectURL(this.files[0])">

Generated URL will be like:

blob:http%3A//localhost/7514bc74-65d4-4cf0-a0df-3de016824345

The answer of LeassTaTT works well in "standard" browsers like FF and Chrome. The solution for IE exists but looks different. Here description of cross-browser solution:

In HTML we need two preview elements, img for standard browsers and div for IE

HTML:

<img id="preview" 
     src="" 
     alt="" 
     style="display:none; max-width: 160px; max-height: 120px; border: none;"/>

<div id="preview_ie"></div>

In CSS we specify the following IE specific thing:

CSS:

#preview_ie {
  FILTER: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.AlphaImageLoader(sizingMethod=scale)
}  

In HTML we include the standard and the IE-specific Javascripts:

<script type="text/javascript">
  {% include "pic_preview.js" %}
</script>  
<!--[if gte IE 7]> 
<script type="text/javascript">
  {% include "pic_preview_ie.js" %}
</script>

The pic_preview.js is the Javascript from the LeassTaTT's answer. Replace the $('#blah') whith the $('#preview') and add the $('#preview').show()

Now the IE specific Javascript (pic_preview_ie.js):

function readURL (imgFile) {    
  var newPreview = document.getElementById('preview_ie');
  newPreview.filters.item('DXImageTransform.Microsoft.AlphaImageLoader').src = imgFile.value;
  newPreview.style.width = '160px';
  newPreview.style.height = '120px';
}    

That's is. Works in IE7, IE8, FF and Chrome. Please test in IE9 and report. The idea of IE preview was found here: http://forums.asp.net/t/1320559.aspx

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms532969(v=vs.85).aspx

I have edited @Ivan's answer to display "No Preview Available" image, if it is not an image:

function readURL(input) {
    var url = input.value;
    var ext = url.substring(url.lastIndexOf('.') + 1).toLowerCase();
    if (input.files && input.files[0]&& (ext == "gif" || ext == "png" || ext == "jpeg" || ext == "jpg")) {
        var reader = new FileReader();

        reader.onload = function (e) {
            $('.imagepreview').attr('src', e.target.result);
        }

        reader.readAsDataURL(input.files[0]);
    }else{
         $('.imagepreview').attr('src', '/assets/no_preview.png');
    }
}

Here's a multiple files version, based on Ivan Baev's answer.

The HTML

<input type="file" multiple id="gallery-photo-add">
<div class="gallery"></div>

JavaScript / jQuery

$(function() {
    // Multiple images preview in browser
    var imagesPreview = function(input, placeToInsertImagePreview) {

        if (input.files) {
            var filesAmount = input.files.length;

            for (i = 0; i < filesAmount; i++) {
                var reader = new FileReader();

                reader.onload = function(event) {
                    $($.parseHTML('<img>')).attr('src', event.target.result).appendTo(placeToInsertImagePreview);
                }

                reader.readAsDataURL(input.files[i]);
            }
        }

    };

    $('#gallery-photo-add').on('change', function() {
        imagesPreview(this, 'div.gallery');
    });
});

Requires jQuery 1.8 due to the usage of $.parseHTML, which should help with XSS mitigation.

This will work out of the box, and the only dependancy you need is jQuery.