Keyboard Flickering on TextInput with secureTextEntry

Description

If you have 2 text inputs, (One with secure text entry enabled and the other set to disabled), When typing, highlighting and scrolling in the non-secure text entry, the keyboard will flicker.
This is an iOS issue only, I have tested this using iOS 17, on an iPhone 13 mini. I cannot repeat this issue in the simulator, only on the device.

It appears to be when iOS recognizes it as a login field, so it presents the auto-fill passwords UI. See the attached video on the flickering issue described.

RPReplay_Final1694522683.mov

React Native Version

0.72.4

Output of `npx react-native info`

System:
OS: macOS 13.4.1
CPU: (10) arm64 Apple M1 Pro
Memory: 115.16 MB / 16.00 GB
Shell:
version: "5.9"
path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
Node:
version: 20.3.1
path: /opt/homebrew/bin/node
Yarn:
version: 1.22.19
path: /usr/local/bin/yarn
npm:
version: 9.6.7
path: /opt/homebrew/bin/npm
Watchman:
version: 2023.06.12.00
path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
CocoaPods:
version: 1.11.3
path: /usr/local/bin/pod
SDKs:
iOS SDK:
Platforms:
- DriverKit 22.4
- iOS 16.4
- macOS 13.3
- tvOS 16.4
- watchOS 9.4
Android SDK:
API Levels:
- "28"
- "31"
- "32"
- "33"
Build Tools:
- 30.0.2
- 30.0.3
- 32.0.0
- 33.0.0
- 34.0.0
System Images:
- android-30 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
- android-33 | Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
- android-33 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
- android-34 | Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
Android NDK: Not Found
IDEs:
Android Studio: 2022.1 AI-221.6008.13.2211.9619390
Xcode:
version: 14.3.1/14E300b
path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
Java:
version: 18.0.1.1
path: /usr/bin/javac
Ruby:
version: 2.6.10
path: /usr/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
"@react-native-community/cli": Not Found
react:
installed: 18.2.0
wanted: 18.2.0
react-native:
installed: 0.72.4
wanted: 0.72.4
react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
"react-native": Not Found
Android:
hermesEnabled: true
newArchEnabled: false
iOS:
hermesEnabled: true
newArchEnabled: false

Steps to reproduce

Have 2 TextInput components inside a view, one set with secureTextEntry, one without.

This issue is only seen on device, not in simulator

Snack, screenshot, or link to a repository

https://github.com/gcon97/KeyboardFlickeringDemo

I also encountered the similar issue when in login screen

I am experiencing the same on login screens. It's a newer issue. It seems to be caused by the suggested autofill.

The problem is reduce by using default value prop passed to TextInput component that holds its own text ref and passes out ref value on change.

I figured out the problem

It appears to be that at some point recently (pre iOS 17) a bug was introduced. Whenever secureTextEntry={false} and textContentType is set, various Text Input changes (typing, focus, etc...) will fire a native keyboardWillChangeFrame event that causes the keyboard to re-render. This also causes iOS's AutoFill QuickType Bar (forgive me if my terminology is incorrect) to flicker.

This can be especially problematic for any RN apps using KeyboardAvoidingView with iOS behavior={'position'} since it will cause a layout flicker as it adjusts to the disappearing and reappearing AutoFill QuickType Bar.

You can actually see the issue in native iOS apps:

Go to the login screen of a native iOS app.
Change focus from username and password fields.
In many apps you can see a slight bounce as the keyboard animations handle the AutoFill QuickType Bar flicker.

For those who are using KeyboardAvoidingView (RN V0.72.* Patch Fix)

For those who are wrapping their text inputs in a <KeyboardAvoidingView behavior= 'position'}> and <ScrollView>, you are likely dealing with your screen jumping on text change and focus change.

This isn't a pretty solution (and keep in mind it does not fix the root issue of the keyboard re-render), but you can do the following **TEMPORARY and NOT fully tested** fix for this issue:

Go to the file at: node_modules/react-native/Libraries/Components/Keyboard/KeyboardAvoidingView.js
Add ignoreIOSKeyboardWillChangeEvents?: boolean | undefined; to the KeyboardAvoidingView props.
Go to the types file at: node_modules/react-native/Libraries/Components/Keyboard/KeyboardAvoidingView.d.ts
Add ignoreIOSKeyboardWillChangeEvents?: boolean | undefined; to the KeyboardAvoidingView props.
Replace the const {duration, easing, endCoordinates} = this._keyboardEvent; line with the following:

const {duration, easing, endCoordinates} = this._keyboardEvent;

if(Platform.OS === 'ios' && duration === 0 && !!this.props.ignoreIOSKeyboardWillChangeEvents ) {
      return;
}

Use patch package to save the changes.

be sure to set ignoreIOSKeyboardWillChangeEvents={true} with care. I, for example, am only using it on a login screen for a very specific keyboard avoiding use case scenario that I detail above. Hope this helps.

RPReplay-Final1696326197.mov

I began seeing this after updating the device i test on (iPhone 14 Pro) to iOS 17. Using Expo Go. Very annoying...

What's interesting is that I am not experiencing this on another iPhone 11 Pro Max, also running iOS 17.

I believe this is caused by the "Passwords"-thing (see attached image) that appears on iOS when the OS believes you want to use a password from your keychain.

When I test on a phone that does not have a keychain, there is no jumping or flickering.

I can confirm that it is an issue with the Passwords option in the Keyboard toolbar. Seems to be an issue across iOS 17 rather than a ReactNative issue. (It also isn't fixed in iOS 17.1, so we may be waiting a while for a fix).

Closing as it isn't a React Native-specific issue.

Adding textContentType='oneTimeCode' to your TextInput disables the Password toolbar, which also eliminates the described issue.

@ThorANilsson

@ThorANilsson I tried this, but it's not working for me.

Here's what I did.

TL;DR: If it's a password field, on each change update the actual string value in a map, and then render the value as bullets ('•'). What we're essentially doing here is saying that all of our fields are just regular fields without autofill, but we can manipulate the value of the field, if it's a password field, if we pass a certain flag.

Somewhere created a file called maskMap.ts with the following:

export const maskMap = new Map<string, string>();

And in your custom TextField component (I'm assuming most of you have wrapped TextInput into one of your own TextField components):

import * as React from 'react';
import { TextInput } from 'react-native-paper';
import { maskMap } from './maskMap';

const PASSWORD_MASK_CHAR = '•';
. . .
// secureTextEntry determines whether or not this is a password field
const TextField = React.memo(({ onChange, secureTextEntry, ...props }: YourTextFieldProps) => {
  const [textFieldId] = React.useState(uuid()); // use whatever uuid generator you'd like
. . .
  React.useEffect(() => {
	  maskMap.set(textFieldId, '');

	  return () => {
		  maskMap.delete(textFieldId);
	  };
  }, [secureTextEntry]);

  const handleChange = React.useCallback((e: string) => {
	  if (secureTextEntry) {
		  const previousValue = maskMap.get(textFieldId) as string;
		  const formattedNewValue = e.replace(new RegExp(PASSWORD_MASK_CHAR, 'g'), '');

		  const newValue = previousValue + formattedNewValue;
		  onChange(newValue);
		  maskMap.set(textFieldId, previousValue + formattedNewValue);
	  } else {
		  onChange(e);
	  }
  }, [secureTextEntry]);

  const getValue = React.useCallback(() => {
	  if (!secureTextEntry) {
		  return value;
	  }

	  return value.replaceAll(/./g, PASSWORD_MASK_CHAR);
  }, [value, secureTextEntry, showText, maskMap]);
. . .

    return (
        . . .
            <TextInput
                value={getValue()}
                onChangeText={handleChange}
                textContentType='none' // add this
                . . .
            />
        . . .
    )
})

how this can be closed if its still happening ?

it happends all the time when you have textContentType="password" or secureTextEntry

This Flutter issue also is about this iOS bug and apparently they recently fixed this. Looks like they set autoCorrect to false when username or password related autofill hints are enabled. I've also been debugging this issue for some time and adding autoCorrect={false} to my username input also fixed the flickering and UI shifting. Still not a real fix, because it is an iOS issue.

maybe this will help someone but I had this nightmare of an issue for 3 days straight tried everything but the solution was to remove any unmounted effects that were left from other screens I was pushing from. The fix in my case was that instead of using .push() I used .replace() this unmounted any unattended effects that were causing the screen to flicker. Seriously as soon as I replaced it it worked flawlessly.

Hello folks 👋

I also ran into this issue and wanted to preserve the ability to show the "Passwords" autofill from iOS.

I couldn't find any relevant workarounds online, so I ended up vibe coding my own KeyboardAvoidingView based on the React Native one (behavior="padding").

It's essentially the same code but with debouncing added 👍

It's working for me now, and I hope it can help others!

With the react-native KeyboardAvoidingView:

keyboardavoidingview_rvz0jTXS.mov

With the new KeyboardPasswordsAvoidingView:

keyboardpasswordsavoidingview_sNcU7REh.mov

import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
import {
  AccessibilityInfo,
  Keyboard,
  LayoutAnimation,
  Platform,
  KeyboardAvoidingView as RNKeyboardAvoidingView,
  View,
  ViewProps,
} from "react-native";

interface KeyboardMetrics {
  screenX: number;
  screenY: number;
  width: number;
  height: number;
}

interface KeyboardEvent {
  duration?: number;
  easing?: string;
  endCoordinates: KeyboardMetrics;
}

interface ViewLayout {
  x: number;
  y: number;
  width: number;
  height: number;
}

interface KeyboardPasswordsAvoidingViewProps extends ViewProps {
  enabled?: boolean;
  keyboardVerticalOffset?: number;
}

const DEBOUNCE_DELAY = 50; // ms

/**
 * Custom KeyboardAvoidingView specifically designed to handle iOS password
 * autofill bar flicker issues. Uses debouncing to prevent layout jumps
 * caused by rapid keyboard frame changes when iOS shows/hides the password bar.
 *
 * Based on React Native's KeyboardAvoidingView with debouncing logic.
 * iOS only - falls back to regular View on other platforms.
 * Padding behavior only.
 */
export const KeyboardPasswordsAvoidingView = ({
  enabled = true,
  keyboardVerticalOffset = 0,
  style,
  onLayout,
  children,
  ...props
}: KeyboardPasswordsAvoidingViewProps) => {
  const [bottom, setBottom] = useState(0);

  const frameRef = useRef<ViewLayout | null>(null);
  const keyboardEventRef = useRef<KeyboardEvent | null>(null);
  const debounceTimeoutRef = useRef<NodeJS.Timeout | null>(null);
  const isKeyboardVisibleRef = useRef<boolean>(false);

  const relativeKeyboardHeight = async (
    keyboardFrame: KeyboardMetrics,
  ): Promise<number> => {
    const frame = frameRef.current;
    if (!frame || !keyboardFrame) {
      return 0;
    }

    // Handle iOS Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions accessibility setting
    if (
      Platform.OS === "ios" &&
      keyboardFrame.screenY === 0 &&
      (await AccessibilityInfo.prefersCrossFadeTransitions())
    ) {
      return 0;
    }

    const keyboardY = keyboardFrame.screenY - keyboardVerticalOffset;

    // Calculate the displacement needed for the view such that it
    // no longer overlaps with the keyboard (padding behavior only)
    return Math.max(frame.y + frame.height - keyboardY, 0);
  };

  const updateBottomIfNecessary = async () => {
    if (!keyboardEventRef.current) {
      setBottom(0);
      return;
    }

    const { duration, easing, endCoordinates } = keyboardEventRef.current;
    const height = await relativeKeyboardHeight(endCoordinates);

    if (bottom === height) {
      return;
    }

    setBottom(height);

    // Apply layout animation if enabled and duration is provided
    if (enabled && duration && easing) {
      LayoutAnimation.configureNext({
        duration: duration > 10 ? duration : 10,
        update: {
          duration: duration > 10 ? duration : 10,
          type: (LayoutAnimation.Types as any)[easing] || "keyboard",
        },
      });
    }
  };

  const debouncedUpdateBottom = () => {
    // Clear existing timeout
    if (debounceTimeoutRef.current) {
      clearTimeout(debounceTimeoutRef.current);
    }

    // Debounce the update
    debounceTimeoutRef.current = setTimeout(() => {
      updateBottomIfNecessary();
    }, DEBOUNCE_DELAY);
  };

  const onKeyboardChange = (event: KeyboardEvent | null) => {
    keyboardEventRef.current = event;

    // Filter out problematic events with zero duration (common cause of flicker)
    if (event && event.duration === 0) {
      return;
    }

    isKeyboardVisibleRef.current = true;
    debouncedUpdateBottom();
  };

  const onKeyboardDidShow = (event: KeyboardEvent | null) => {
    // Only trigger if keyboard was already visible - this indicates a focus change
    if (isKeyboardVisibleRef.current && event) {
      keyboardEventRef.current = event;
      // Use debounced update for focus changes to prevent visual glitch
      debouncedUpdateBottom();
    }
  };

  const onKeyboardHide = () => {
    keyboardEventRef.current = null;
    isKeyboardVisibleRef.current = false;
    debouncedUpdateBottom();
  };

  const handleLayout = async (event: any) => {
    const oldFrame = frameRef.current;
    frameRef.current = event.nativeEvent.layout;

    // Update bottom height for the first time or when the height changes
    if (
      !oldFrame ||
      (frameRef.current && oldFrame.height !== frameRef.current.height)
    ) {
      await updateBottomIfNecessary();
    }

    if (onLayout) {
      onLayout(event);
    }
  };

  useEffect(() => {
    // Only setup listeners on iOS
    if (Platform.OS !== "ios") {
      return;
    }

    // Initialize keyboard state
    const keyboardVisible = Keyboard.isVisible();
    isKeyboardVisibleRef.current = keyboardVisible;
    if (!keyboardVisible) {
      keyboardEventRef.current = null;
      setBottom(0);
    }

    // Setup iOS keyboard listeners
    const subscriptions = [
      // iOS uses keyboardWillShow/keyboardWillHide for better handling
      // of undocked, split, or floating keyboards
      Keyboard.addListener("keyboardWillHide", onKeyboardHide),
      Keyboard.addListener("keyboardWillShow", onKeyboardChange),
      // Listen for keyboardDidShow to detect focus changes
      Keyboard.addListener("keyboardDidShow", onKeyboardDidShow),
    ];

    return () => {
      // Clear debounce timeout on cleanup
      if (debounceTimeoutRef.current) {
        clearTimeout(debounceTimeoutRef.current);
      }

      // Remove event listeners
      subscriptions.forEach(subscription => {
        subscription.remove();
      });
    };
  }, []);

  // On non-iOS platforms, just return the regular KeyboardAvoidingView
  if (Platform.OS !== "ios") {
    return (
      <RNKeyboardAvoidingView
        style={style}
        keyboardVerticalOffset={keyboardVerticalOffset}
        {...props}
      >
        {children}
      </RNKeyboardAvoidingView>
    );
  }

  // Apply padding bottom based on keyboard height
  const bottomHeight = enabled ? bottom : 0;

  return (
    <View
      style={[style, { paddingBottom: bottomHeight }]}
      onLayout={handleLayout}
      {...props}
    >
      {children}
    </View>
  );
};

and then you can use it just like a basic KeyboardAvoidingView:

<KeyboardPasswordsAvoidingView keyboardVerticalOffset={20}>
  <SignupForm />
</KeyboardPasswordsAvoidingView>

Still waiting on this issue being properly resolved. I use this patch and update it every time I upgrade to the next react-native version.

@Ario99

Still waiting on this issue being properly resolved. I use this patch and update it every time I upgrade to the next react-native version.

@Ario99 Same, though I am glad the solution still works for you!

@ShadReyes

@ShadReyes thanks for the solution! Would you happen to be using expo sdk 53? I started to upgrade from expo sdk 52 but haven't been able to properly test it yet.

@Ario99

@ShadReyes thanks for the solution! Would you happen to be using expo sdk 53? I started to upgrade from expo sdk 52 but haven't been able to properly test it yet.

@Ario99 I stopped contracting for the company that had the problem described in this issue, so I have not had a chance to test in on Expo 53. Though, I would say it is unlikely that the new Expo version would fix the issues. This is a problem stemming from a native iOS bug that was introduced a little before iOS 17. Though, when I get a second, I can spin up a test app and test it out.

In my RN project version 0.79.3, using iOS 18.7, this problem persists.

I can confirm that is also related to Passwords app suggestion on my side as well. When I disable Password & Autofill service in settings everything works properly. For now I have set textContentType="oneTimeCode" for some of the text inputs in the app.

Simulator.Screen.Recording.-.iPhone.16.-.2025-11-09.at.21.30.22.mov

Test/from dev (#159)

Test/from dev : staging (37) 내용 적용됨 (#163)

@ThorANilsson I tried this, but it's not working for me.

Yes, that didn't work for me either.

Having the same issue, no resolutions yet using Expo SDK 54 using react-native-keyboard-controller.

Issue still persists with latest IOS and Expo SDK

@apolyanov

@apolyanov Flicker was triggered due to autofill in secure entry field. Below is how I resolved the same in my app.

Set textContentType="none" and autoCorrect={false} on the TextInput to prevent iOS from treating the fields as login credentials and showing the auto-fill bar:

<TextInput
  placeholder="Username"
  textContentType="none"
  autoCorrect={false}
  // ... other props
/>

<TextInput
  placeholder="Password"
  secureTextEntry
  textContentType="none"
  autoCorrect={false}
  // ... other props
/>

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Keyboard Flickering on TextInput with secureTextEntry #39411

Description

React Native Version

Output of `npx react-native info`

Steps to reproduce

Snack, screenshot, or link to a repository

I figured out the problem

For those who are using KeyboardAvoidingView (RN V0.72.* Patch Fix)

84 remaining items

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Keyboard Flickering on TextInput with secureTextEntry #39411

Description

Description

React Native Version

Output of npx react-native info

Steps to reproduce

Snack, screenshot, or link to a repository

Activity

tianlinjill commented on Sep 15, 2023

ShadReyes commented on Sep 19, 2023

ShadReyes commented on Sep 19, 2023

I figured out the problem

For those who are using KeyboardAvoidingView (RN V0.72.* Patch Fix)

ThorANilsson commented on Oct 3, 2023

ThorANilsson commented on Oct 3, 2023

gcon97 commented on Oct 3, 2023

ThorANilsson commented on Oct 4, 2023

Shubham0850 commented on Oct 12, 2023

mkhoussid commented on Oct 12, 2023

Engazan commented on Nov 17, 2023

84 remaining items

KoenCa commented on Apr 15, 2025

Xavirocha09 commented on Apr 18, 2025

ababol commented on Jul 22, 2025

Ario99 commented on Aug 28, 2025

ShadReyes commented on Aug 29, 2025

Ario99 commented on Aug 29, 2025

ShadReyes commented on Sep 4, 2025

DanielAraldi commented on Sep 19, 2025

matinzd commented on Nov 9, 2025

chizirumizuhara269-rgb commented on Mar 24, 2026

LarsDanau commented on Mar 31, 2026

apolyanov commented on Apr 6, 2026

chizirumizuhara269-rgb commented on Apr 10, 2026

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Output of `npx react-native info`