react / react/react-native

Can't focus into text fields, Android + external keyboard

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Accessibility Accessibility Team - Evaluated Needs: Triage :mag: Platform: Android
Dominant language
C++
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Description

In the first Expo example on https://reactnative.dev/docs/textinput - with an external physical keyboard on Android, we don't seem to be able to move the focus into/ between these input fields. It's fine if you tap the screen, and it's fine if Talkback is on and we alt+arrow between the fields. But with Talkback off, and just using the keyboard, we can't get focus into the fields.

Expected Results

That the fields can be focussed by the keyboard

Snack, code example, screenshot, or link to a repository:

https://snack.expo.io/PT9eBWga1 (saved from the first example on https://reactnative.dev/docs/textinput)

Contributor guide

Open the contributing guide

First steps

  1. Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
  2. Comment on the issue to say you are picking it up — it saves two people doing the same work.
  3. Fork the repository and make your change on a branch.
  4. Open a pull request that references the issue number.

Research direction

Start with the linked Snack and the first TextInput example from the React Native documentation, reproducing the issue on Android with an external keyboard and TalkBack disabled. Done means keyboard navigation can move focus into and between the text fields without tapping the screen.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.

Assessment

Tech stack
android, react-native
Domain
accessibility, mobile
Issue type
Bug
Difficulty
4/5
Estimated time
3-5 days
Activity status
Quiet
Clarity
Mostly clear
Newbie friendliness
52/100

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