# Function useRef

- useRef<T>(initialValue): MutableRefObject<T>

- `useRef` returns a mutable ref object whose `.current` property is initialized to the passed argument (`initialValue`). The returned object will persist for the full lifetime of the component.

  Note that `useRef()` is useful for more than the `ref` attribute. It’s handy for keeping any mutable value around similar to how you’d use instance fields in classes.

  #### Type Parameters

  - T

  #### Parameters

  - initialValue: T

  #### Returns MutableRefObject<T>

  #### Version

  16.8.0

  #### See

  https://react.dev/reference/react/useRef

  - Defined in common/temp/node_modules/.pnpm/@types+react@18.3.3/node_modules/@types/react/index.d.ts:1979
- useRef<T>(initialValue): RefObject<T>

- `useRef` returns a mutable ref object whose `.current` property is initialized to the passed argument (`initialValue`). The returned object will persist for the full lifetime of the component.

  Note that `useRef()` is useful for more than the `ref` attribute. It’s handy for keeping any mutable value around similar to how you’d use instance fields in classes.

  Usage note: if you need the result of useRef to be directly mutable, include `| null` in the type of the generic argument.

  #### Type Parameters

  - T

  #### Parameters

  - initialValue: T

  #### Returns RefObject<T>

  #### Version

  16.8.0

  #### See

  https://react.dev/reference/react/useRef

  - Defined in common/temp/node_modules/.pnpm/@types+react@18.3.3/node_modules/@types/react/index.d.ts:1994
- useRef<T>(): MutableRefObject<T | undefined>

- `useRef` returns a mutable ref object whose `.current` property is initialized to the passed argument (`initialValue`). The returned object will persist for the full lifetime of the component.

  Note that `useRef()` is useful for more than the `ref` attribute. It’s handy for keeping any mutable value around similar to how you’d use instance fields in classes.

  #### Type Parameters

  - T = undefined

  #### Returns MutableRefObject<T | undefined>

  #### Version

  16.8.0

  #### See

  https://react.dev/reference/react/useRef

  - Defined in common/temp/node_modules/.pnpm/@types+react@18.3.3/node_modules/@types/react/index.d.ts:2007