This is documentation for the next SDK version. For up-to-date documentation, see the latest version (SDK 55).

TextField

A SwiftUI TextField component for text input.

iOS

tvOS

Included in Expo Go

Expo UI TextField matches the official SwiftUI TextField API and supports single-line and multiline input, keyboard configuration, submit handling, and an imperative ref for programmatic control.

Installation

Terminal

- npx expo install @expo/ui

If you are installing this in an existing React Native app, make sure to install expo in your project.

Usage

Basic text field

BasicTextFieldExample.tsx

import { useState } from 'react';
import { Host, TextField } from '@expo/ui/swift-ui';

export default function BasicTextFieldExample() {
  const [value, setValue] = useState('');

  return (
    <Host matchContents>
      <TextField placeholder="Username" onTextChange={setValue} />
    </Host>
  );
}

Multiline text field

Set axis="vertical" to allow the text field to expand vertically. Use the lineLimit modifier to control the visible line count. When using Host matchContents, add fixedSize({ horizontal: false, vertical: true }) so the text field accepts the parent's width while using its ideal height.

MultilineTextFieldExample.tsx

import { useState } from 'react';
import { Host, TextField } from '@expo/ui/swift-ui';
import { lineLimit, fixedSize } from '@expo/ui/swift-ui/modifiers';

export default function MultilineTextFieldExample() {
  const [value, setValue] = useState('');

  return (
    <Host matchContents>
      <TextField
        axis="vertical"
        placeholder="Tell us about yourself..."
        onTextChange={setValue}
        modifiers={[lineLimit(5), fixedSize({ horizontal: false, vertical: true })]}
      />
    </Host>
  );
}

Keyboard type

Use the keyboardType modifier to display a specific keyboard layout.

KeyboardTypeExample.tsx

import { useState } from 'react';
import { Host, TextField } from '@expo/ui/swift-ui';
import { keyboardType, autocorrectionDisabled } from '@expo/ui/swift-ui/modifiers';

export default function KeyboardTypeExample() {
  const [value, setValue] = useState('');

  return (
    <Host matchContents>
      <TextField
        placeholder="Email"
        onTextChange={setValue}
        modifiers={[keyboardType('email-address'), autocorrectionDisabled()]}
      />
    </Host>
  );
}

Submit handling

Use the submitLabel modifier to customize the return key and onSubmit to handle the submit action.

SubmitHandlingExample.tsx

import { useState } from 'react';
import { Host, TextField } from '@expo/ui/swift-ui';
import { submitLabel, onSubmit } from '@expo/ui/swift-ui/modifiers';

export default function SubmitHandlingExample() {
  const [value, setValue] = useState('');

  return (
    <Host matchContents>
      <TextField
        placeholder="Search..."
        onTextChange={setValue}
        modifiers={[submitLabel('search'), onSubmit(() => console.log('Submitted:', value))]}
      />
    </Host>
  );
}

Imperative ref

Use a ref to imperatively set text, focus, blur, or select text.

Note: setSelection requires iOS 18.0+ / tvOS 18.0+. The other ref methods work on all supported versions.

ImperativeRefExample.tsx

import { useRef } from 'react';
import {
  Host,
  TextField,
  TextFieldRef,
  Button,
  HStack,
  VStack,
  useNativeState,
} from '@expo/ui/swift-ui';
import { buttonStyle } from '@expo/ui/swift-ui/modifiers';

export default function ImperativeRefExample() {
  const ref = useRef<TextFieldRef>(null);
  const text = useNativeState('Select me!');

  return (
    <Host matchContents>
      <VStack>
        <TextField ref={ref} text={text} placeholder="Imperative field" />
        <HStack spacing={12}>
          <Button
            modifiers={[buttonStyle('bordered')]}
            onPress={() => ref.current?.focus()}
            label="Focus"
          />
          <Button
            modifiers={[buttonStyle('bordered')]}
            onPress={() => ref.current?.blur()}
            label="Blur"
          />
          <Button
            modifiers={[buttonStyle('bordered')]}
            onPress={() => ref.current?.setText('SwiftUI rocks!')}
            label="Set Text"
          />
          <Button
            modifiers={[buttonStyle('bordered')]}
            onPress={() => ref.current?.clear()}
            label="Clear"
          />
          <Button
            modifiers={[buttonStyle('bordered')]}
            onPress={() => ref.current?.setSelection(0, 7)}
            label="Select"
          />
        </HStack>
      </VStack>
    </Host>
  );
}

Worklet text masking

When onTextChange is marked with the 'worklet' directive, it runs synchronously on the UI thread, so writes to useNativeState observables inside the callback take effect before the next frame. There is no flicker between the typed text and the masked text. The example below masks a phone number as the user types and writes both text and selection from the worklet to keep the cursor at the end of the formatted value.

Note: Worklets require installing react-native-reanimated and react-native-worklets. The selection prop requires iOS 18.0+ / tvOS 18.0+. On older versions the worklet can still update the text but cursor positioning is unavailable.

WorkletPhoneMaskExample.tsx

import { Host, TextField, useNativeState } from '@expo/ui/swift-ui';
import { keyboardType } from '@expo/ui/swift-ui/modifiers';
import { useEffectEvent } from 'react';

export default function WorkletPhoneMaskExample() {
  const phone = useNativeState('');
  const selection = useNativeState({ start: 0, end: 0 });

  const handleTextChange = useEffectEvent((v: string) => {
    'worklet';
    const digits = v.replace(/\D/g, '').slice(0, 10);
    let formatted = digits;
    if (digits.length > 6) {
      formatted = `(${digits.slice(0, 3)}) ${digits.slice(3, 6)}-${digits.slice(6)}`;
    } else if (digits.length > 3) {
      formatted = `(${digits.slice(0, 3)}) ${digits.slice(3)}`;
    }
    if (formatted !== v) {
      phone.value = formatted;
      // Snaps to end for demo. Real masks need smarter cursor handling.
      selection.value = { start: formatted.length, end: formatted.length };
    }
  });

  return (
    <Host matchContents>
      <TextField
        text={phone}
        selection={selection}
        placeholder="(555) 123-4567"
        modifiers={[keyboardType('phone-pad')]}
        onTextChange={handleTextChange}
      />
    </Host>
  );
}

API

import { TextField } from '@expo/ui/swift-ui';

Component

`TextField`

iOS

tvOS

Type: React.Element<TextFieldProps>

Renders a SwiftUI TextField.

TextFieldProps

`autoFocus`

iOS

tvOS

Optional • Type: boolean • Default: false

If true, the text field will be focused automatically when mounted.

`axis`

iOS

tvOS

Optional • Literal type: string • Default: 'horizontal'

The axis along which the text field grows when content exceeds a single line.

'horizontal' — single line (default).
'vertical' — expands vertically for multiline content. Use lineLimit modifier to cap visible lines.

Acceptable values are: 'horizontal' | 'vertical'

`defaultValue`

iOS

tvOS

Optional • Type: string

Initial value displayed when mounted. Uncontrolled — change key to reset.

`onFocusChange`

iOS

tvOS

Optional • Type: (focused: boolean) => void

A callback triggered when the field gains or loses focus.

`onSelectionChange`

iOS 18.0+ tvos 18.0+

Optional • Type:

({ start, end }: {
  end: number, 
  start: number
}) => void

A callback triggered when user selects text in the TextField.

`onValueChange`

iOS

tvOS

Optional • Type: (value: string) => void

A callback triggered when the text value changes.

`placeholder`

iOS

tvOS

Optional • Type: string

A text that is displayed when the field is empty.

`ref`

iOS

tvOS

Optional • Type: Ref<TextFieldRef>

Inherited Props

CommonViewModifierProps

Types

`TextFieldRef`

iOS

tvOS

Can be used for imperatively setting text and focus on the TextField component.

Property	Type	Description
blur	`() => Promise<void>`	-
focus	`() => Promise<void>`	-
setSelection	`(start: number, end: number) => Promise<void>`	Only for: iOS 18.0+ tvos 18.0+ Programmatically select text using start and end indices.
setText	`(newText: string) => Promise<void>`	-