How to remove "disabled" attribute using jQuery?

I have to disable inputs at first and then on click of a link to enable them.

This is what I have tried so far, but it doesn't work.

HTML:

<input type="text" disabled="disabled" class="inputDisabled" value="">

jQuery:

$("#edit").click(function(event){
   event.preventDefault();
   $('.inputDisabled').removeAttr("disabled")
});

This shows me true and then false but nothing changes for the inputs:

$("#edit").click(function(event){
   alert('');
   event.preventDefault();
   alert($('.inputDisabled').attr('disabled'));
   $('.inputDisabled').removeAttr("disabled");
   alert($('.inputDisabled').attr('disabled'));
});

Solution

Always use the prop() method to enable or disable elements when using jQuery (see below for why).

In your case, it would be:

$("#edit").click(function(event){
   event.preventDefault();
   $('.inputDisabled').prop("disabled", false); // Element(s) are now enabled.
});

jsFiddle example here.

Why use prop() when you could use attr()/removeAttr() to do this?

Basically, prop() should be used when getting or setting properties (such as autoplay, checked, disabled and required amongst others).

While what you want to do can technically be done using attr()/removeAttr(), it doesn't mean it should be done - and can cause strange/problematic behaviour, as in this case.

"The difference between attributes and properties can be important in specific situations. Before jQuery 1.6, the .attr() method sometimes took property values into account when retrieving some attributes, which could cause inconsistent behavior. As of jQuery 1.6, the .prop() method provides a way to explicitly retrieve property values, while .attr() retrieves attributes."

"Properties generally affect the dynamic state of a DOM element without changing the serialized HTML attribute. Examples include the value property of input elements, the disabled property of inputs and buttons, or the checked property of a checkbox. The .prop() method should be used to set disabled and checked instead of the .attr() method. The .val() method should be used for getting and setting value." - jQuery documentation for prop()

Pre-jQuery 3.0 (before 2016)

The reason why you should use prop over removeAttr() is that removeAttr() completely removes the disabled attribute itself - as this method would simply set the corresponding property name to false:

Prior to jQuery 3.0, using .removeAttr() on a boolean attribute such as checked, selected, or readonly would also set the corresponding named property to false. This behavior was required for ancient versions of Internet Explorer but is not correct for modern browsers because the attribute represents the initial value and the property represents the current (dynamic) value. - jQuery 3.0 Breaking Changes

While prop() merely sets the property's underlying boolean value to false.