Having a UITextField in a UITableViewCell

I'm trying to do that for a couple of days now, and after reading tons of messages of people trying to do that too, I'm still unable to have a fully working UITextField in some of my UITableViewCells, just like in this example:

Either I have the form working but the text is not visible (although I set its color to blue), the keyboard goes on the field when I click on it and I haven't been able to correctly implement the keyboard events. I tried with a bunch of examples from Apple (mainly UICatalog, where there is a kinda similar control) but it's still not working correctly.

Can somebody help me (and all the people trying to realize this control) and post a simple implementation of a UITextField in a UITableViewCell, that works fine?

Try this out. Works like a charm for me (on iPhone devices). I used this code for a login screen once. I configured the table view to have two sections. You can of course get rid of the section conditionals.

- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {
		
UITableViewCell *cell = [self.tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:kCellIdentifier];
if (cell == nil) {
	cell = [[[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault 
								   reuseIdentifier:kCellIdentifier] autorelease];
	cell.accessoryType = UITableViewCellAccessoryNone;
	
	if ([indexPath section] == 0) {
		UITextField *playerTextField = [[UITextField alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(110, 10, 185, 30)];
		playerTextField.adjustsFontSizeToFitWidth = YES;
		playerTextField.textColor = [UIColor blackColor];
		if ([indexPath row] == 0) {
			playerTextField.placeholder = @"[email protected]";
			playerTextField.keyboardType = UIKeyboardTypeEmailAddress;
			playerTextField.returnKeyType = UIReturnKeyNext;
		}
		else {
			playerTextField.placeholder = @"Required";
			playerTextField.keyboardType = UIKeyboardTypeDefault;
			playerTextField.returnKeyType = UIReturnKeyDone;
			playerTextField.secureTextEntry = YES;
		}		
		playerTextField.backgroundColor = [UIColor whiteColor];
		playerTextField.autocorrectionType = UITextAutocorrectionTypeNo; // no auto correction support
		playerTextField.autocapitalizationType = UITextAutocapitalizationTypeNone; // no auto capitalization support
		playerTextField.textAlignment = UITextAlignmentLeft;
		playerTextField.tag = 0;
		//playerTextField.delegate = self;
	
		playerTextField.clearButtonMode = UITextFieldViewModeNever; // no clear 'x' button to the right
		[playerTextField setEnabled: YES];
		
		[cell.contentView addSubview:playerTextField];
	
		[playerTextField release];
	}
}
if ([indexPath section] == 0) { // Email & Password Section
	if ([indexPath row] == 0) { // Email
		cell.textLabel.text = @"Email";
	}
	else {
		cell.textLabel.text = @"Password";
	}
}
else { // Login button section
	cell.textLabel.text = @"Log in";
}
return cell;	
}

Result looks like this:

Here is a solution that looks good under iOS6/7/8/9.

Update 2016-06-10: this still works with iOS 9.3.3

Thanks for all your support, this is now on CocoaPods/Carthage/SPM at https://github.com/fulldecent/FDTextFieldTableViewCell

Basically we take the stock UITableViewCellStyleValue1 and staple a UITextField where the detailTextLabel is supposed to be. This gives us automatic placement for all scenarios: iOS6/7/8/9, iPhone/iPad, Image/No-image, Accessory/No-accessory, Portrait/Landscape, 1x/2x/3x.

Note: this is using storyboard with a UITableViewCellStyleValue1 type cell named "word".

- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
    cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:@"word"];
    cell.detailTextLabel.hidden = YES;
    [[cell viewWithTag:3] removeFromSuperview];
    textField = [[UITextField alloc] init];
    textField.tag = 3;
    textField.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = NO;
    [cell.contentView addSubview:textField];
    [cell addConstraint:[NSLayoutConstraint constraintWithItem:textField attribute:NSLayoutAttributeLeading relatedBy:NSLayoutRelationEqual toItem:cell.textLabel attribute:NSLayoutAttributeTrailing multiplier:1 constant:8]];
    [cell addConstraint:[NSLayoutConstraint constraintWithItem:textField attribute:NSLayoutAttributeTop relatedBy:NSLayoutRelationEqual toItem:cell.contentView attribute:NSLayoutAttributeTop multiplier:1 constant:8]];
    [cell addConstraint:[NSLayoutConstraint constraintWithItem:textField attribute:NSLayoutAttributeBottom relatedBy:NSLayoutRelationEqual toItem:cell.contentView attribute:NSLayoutAttributeBottom multiplier:1 constant:-8]];
    [cell addConstraint:[NSLayoutConstraint constraintWithItem:textField attribute:NSLayoutAttributeTrailing relatedBy:NSLayoutRelationEqual toItem:cell.detailTextLabel attribute:NSLayoutAttributeTrailing multiplier:1 constant:0]];
    textField.textAlignment = NSTextAlignmentRight;
    textField.delegate = self;
    return cell;
}

Here is how I have achieved this:

TextFormCell.h

#import <UIKit/UIKit.h>

#define CellTextFieldWidth 90.0
#define MarginBetweenControls 20.0

@interface TextFormCell : UITableViewCell {
 UITextField *textField;
}

@property (nonatomic, retain) UITextField *textField;

@end

TextFormCell.m

#import "TextFormCell.h"

@implementation TextFormCell

@synthesize textField;

- (id)initWithReuseIdentifier:(NSString *)reuseIdentifier {
    if (self = [super initWithReuseIdentifier:reuseIdentifier]) {
  // Adding the text field
  textField = [[UITextField alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectZero];
  textField.clearsOnBeginEditing = NO;
  textField.textAlignment = UITextAlignmentRight;
  textField.returnKeyType = UIReturnKeyDone;
  [self.contentView addSubview:textField];
    }
    return self;
}

- (void)dealloc {
 [textField release];
    [super dealloc];
}

#pragma mark -
#pragma mark Laying out subviews

- (void)layoutSubviews {
 CGRect rect = CGRectMake(self.contentView.bounds.size.width - 5.0, 
        12.0, 
        -CellTextFieldWidth, 
        25.0);
 [textField setFrame:rect];
 CGRect rect2 = CGRectMake(MarginBetweenControls,
       12.0,
         self.contentView.bounds.size.width - CellTextFieldWidth - MarginBetweenControls,
         25.0);
 UILabel *theTextLabel = (UILabel *)[self textLabel];
 [theTextLabel setFrame:rect2];
}

It may seems a bit verbose, but it works!

Don't forget to set the delegate!

This should not be difficult. When creating a cell for your table, add a UITextField object to the cell's content view

UITextField *txtField = [[UITextField alloc] initWithFrame....]
...
[cell.contentView addSubview:txtField]

Set the delegate of the UITextField as self (ie your viewcontroller) Give a tag to the text field so you can identify which textfield was edited in your delegate methods. The keyboard should pop up when the user taps the text field. I got it working like this. Hope it helps.

Try this one. It can handle scrolling as well and you can reuse the cells without the hassle of removing subviews you added before.

- (NSInteger)tableView:(UITableView *)table numberOfRowsInSection:(NSInteger)section{
	return 10;
}	

- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)table cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {
	UITableViewCell *cell = [table dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:@"Cell"];
	if( cell == nil)
		cell = [[[UITableViewCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault reuseIdentifier:@"Cell"] autorelease];	
	
	cell.textLabel.text = [[NSArray arrayWithObjects:@"First",@"Second",@"Third",@"Forth",@"Fifth",@"Sixth",@"Seventh",@"Eighth",@"Nineth",@"Tenth",nil] 
						   objectAtIndex:indexPath.row];
	
	if (indexPath.row % 2) {
		UITextField *textField = [[UITextField alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, 200, 21)];
		textField.placeholder = @"Enter Text";
		textField.text = [inputTexts objectAtIndex:indexPath.row/2];
		textField.tag = indexPath.row/2;
		textField.delegate = self;
		cell.accessoryView = textField;
		[textField release];
	} else
		cell.accessoryView = nil;
	
	cell.selectionStyle = UITableViewCellSelectionStyleNone;
	return cell;		
}

- (BOOL)textFieldShouldEndEditing:(UITextField *)textField {
	[inputTexts replaceObjectAtIndex:textField.tag withObject:textField.text];
	return YES;
}

- (void)viewDidLoad {
	inputTexts = [[NSMutableArray alloc] initWithObjects:@"",@"",@"",@"",@"",nil];
    [super viewDidLoad];
}

Details

• Xcode 10.2 (10E125), Swift 5

Full Sample Code

>TextFieldInTableViewCell

import UIKit

protocol TextFieldInTableViewCellDelegate: class {
    func textField(editingDidBeginIn cell:TextFieldInTableViewCell)
    func textField(editingChangedInTextField newText: String, in cell: TextFieldInTableViewCell)
}

class TextFieldInTableViewCell: UITableViewCell {
    
    private(set) weak var textField: UITextField?
    private(set) weak var descriptionLabel: UILabel?
    
    weak var delegate: TextFieldInTableViewCellDelegate?
    
    override init(style: UITableViewCell.CellStyle, reuseIdentifier: String?) {
        super.init(style: style, reuseIdentifier: reuseIdentifier)
        setupSubviews()
    }
    
    private func setupSubviews() {
        let stackView = UIStackView()
        stackView.distribution = .fill
        stackView.alignment = .leading
        stackView.spacing = 8
        contentView.addSubview(stackView)
        stackView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        stackView.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: topAnchor, constant: 6).isActive = true
        stackView.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: bottomAnchor, constant: -6).isActive = true
        stackView.leftAnchor.constraint(equalTo: leftAnchor, constant: 16).isActive = true
        stackView.rightAnchor.constraint(equalTo: rightAnchor, constant: -16).isActive = true
        
        let label = UILabel()
        label.text = "Label"
        stackView.addArrangedSubview(label)
        descriptionLabel = label
        
        let textField = UITextField()
        textField.textAlignment = .left
        textField.placeholder = "enter text"
        textField.setContentHuggingPriority(.fittingSizeLevel, for: .horizontal)
        stackView.addArrangedSubview(textField)
        textField.addTarget(self, action: #selector(textFieldValueChanged(_:)), for: .editingChanged)
        textField.addTarget(self, action: #selector(editingDidBegin), for: .editingDidBegin)
        self.textField = textField
        
        stackView.layoutSubviews()
        selectionStyle = .none
        
        let gesture = UITapGestureRecognizer(target: self, action: #selector(didSelectCell))
        addGestureRecognizer(gesture)
    }
    
    required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) { super.init(coder: aDecoder) }
}

extension TextFieldInTableViewCell {
    @objc func didSelectCell() { textField?.becomeFirstResponder() }
    @objc func editingDidBegin() { delegate?.textField(editingDidBeginIn: self) }
    @objc func textFieldValueChanged(_ sender: UITextField) {
        if let text = sender.text { delegate?.textField(editingChangedInTextField: text, in: self) }
    }
}

>ViewController

import UIKit

class ViewController: UIViewController {
    
    private weak var tableView: UITableView?
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        setupTableView()
    }
}

extension ViewController {
    
    func setupTableView() {
        
        let tableView = UITableView(frame: .zero)
        tableView.register(TextFieldInTableViewCell.self, forCellReuseIdentifier: "TextFieldInTableViewCell")
        view.addSubview(tableView)
        tableView.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = false
        tableView.topAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.topAnchor).isActive = true
        tableView.bottomAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.bottomAnchor).isActive = true
        tableView.leftAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.leftAnchor).isActive = true
        tableView.rightAnchor.constraint(equalTo: view.rightAnchor).isActive = true
        tableView.rowHeight = UITableView.automaticDimension
        tableView.estimatedRowHeight = UITableView.automaticDimension
        tableView.tableFooterView = UIView()
        self.tableView = tableView
        tableView.dataSource = self
    
        let gesture = UITapGestureRecognizer(target: tableView, action: #selector(UITextView.endEditing(_:)))
        tableView.addGestureRecognizer(gesture)
    }
}

extension ViewController: UITableViewDataSource {

    func numberOfSections(in tableView: UITableView) -> Int { return 1 }
    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, numberOfRowsInSection section: Int) -> Int { return 2 }
    func tableView(_ tableView: UITableView, cellForRowAt indexPath: IndexPath) -> UITableViewCell {
        let cell = tableView.dequeueReusableCell(withIdentifier: "TextFieldInTableViewCell") as! TextFieldInTableViewCell
        cell.delegate = self
        return cell
    }
}

extension ViewController: TextFieldInTableViewCellDelegate {

    func textField(editingDidBeginIn cell: TextFieldInTableViewCell) {
        if let indexPath = tableView?.indexPath(for: cell) {
            print("textfield selected in cell at \(indexPath)")
        }
    }

    func textField(editingChangedInTextField newText: String, in cell: TextFieldInTableViewCell) {
        if let indexPath = tableView?.indexPath(for: cell) {
            print("updated text in textfield in cell as \(indexPath), value = \"\(newText)\"")
        }
    }
}

Result

I had been avoiding this by calling a method to run [cell.contentView bringSubviewToFront:textField] every time my cells appeared, but then I discovered this relatively simple technique:

cell.accessoryView = textField;

Doesn't seem to have the same background-overpasting issue, and it aligns itself on its own (somewhat). Also, the textLabel auto-truncates to avoid overflowing into (or under) it, which is handy.

I ran into the same problem. It seems that setting the cell.textlabel.text property brings the UILabel to the front of the contentView of the cell. Add the textView after setting textLabel.text, or (if that's not possible) call this:

[cell.contentView bringSubviewToFront:textField]

I really struggled with this task on the iPad, with text fields showing up invisible in the UITableView, and the whole row turning blue when it gets focus.

What worked for me in the end was the technique described under "The Technique for Static Row Content" in Apple's Table View Programming Guide. I put both the label and the textField in a UITableViewCell in the NIB for the view, and pull that cell out via an outlet in cellForRowAtIndexPath:. The resulting code is much neater than UICatalog.

Here's how its done i believe the correct way. It works on Ipad and Iphone as i tested it. We have to create our own customCells by classing a uitableviewcell:

start off in interfaceBuilder ... create a new UIViewcontroller call it customCell (volunteer for a xib while your there) Make sure customCell is a subclass of uitableviewcell

erase all views now and create one view make it the size of a individual cell. make that view subclass customcell. now create two other views (duplicate the first).
Go to your connections inspector and find 2 IBOutlets you can connect to these views now.

-backgroundView -SelectedBackground

connect these to the last two views you just duplicated and dont worry about them. the very first view that extends customCell, put your label and uitextfield inside of it. got into customCell.h and hook up your label and textfield. Set the height of this view to say 75 (height of each cell) all done.

In your customCell.m file make sure the constructor looks something like this:

- (id)initWithStyle:(UITableViewCellStyle)style reuseIdentifier:(NSString *)reuseIdentifier
{
self = [super initWithStyle:style reuseIdentifier:reuseIdentifier];
if (self) {
    // Initialization code
    NSArray *nibArray = [[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:@"CustomCell"       owner:self options:nil]; 
    self = [nibArray objectAtIndex:0];
}
return self;
}

Now create a UITableViewcontroller and in this method use the customCell class like this :

- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath
{
static NSString *CellIdentifier = @"Cell";
// lets use our customCell which has a label and textfield already installed for us

customCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:CellIdentifier];
if (cell == nil) {
    //cell = [[[customCell alloc] initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleDefault reuseIdentifier:CellIdentifier] autorelease];

    
    NSArray *topLevelsObjects = [[NSBundle mainBundle] loadNibNamed:@"NewUserCustomCell" owner:nil options:nil];
    for (id currentObject in topLevelsObjects){
        if ([currentObject  isKindOfClass:[UITableViewCell class]]){
            cell = (customCell *) currentObject;
            break;
        }
    }

    NSUInteger row = [indexPath row];

switch (row) {
    case 0:
    {

        cell.titleLabel.text = @"First Name"; //label we made (uitextfield also available now)

        break;
    }
               
                    
        }
return cell;

}

- (CGFloat)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView heightForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath{

return 75.0;
}

Here's a drop-in subclass for UITableViewCell which replaces the detailTextLabel with an editable UITextField (or, in case of UITableViewCellStyleDefault, replaces the textLabel). This has the benefit that it allows you to re-use all the familiar UITableViewCellStyles, accessoryViews, etc, just now the detail is editable!

@interface GSBEditableTableViewCell : UITableViewCell <UITextFieldDelegate>
@property UITextField *textField;
@end

@interface GSBEditableTableViewCell ()
@property UILabel *replace;
@end

@implementation GSBEditableTableViewCell

- (instancetype)initWithStyle:(UITableViewCellStyle)style reuseIdentifier:(NSString *)reuseIdentifier
{
    self = [super initWithStyle:style reuseIdentifier:reuseIdentifier];
    if (self) {
        _replace = (style == UITableViewCellStyleDefault)? self.textLabel : self.detailTextLabel;
        _replace.hidden = YES;

        // Impersonate UILabel with an identical UITextField
        _textField = UITextField.new;
        [self.contentView addSubview:_textField];
        _textField.translatesAutoresizingMaskIntoConstraints = NO;
        [_textField.leftAnchor constraintEqualToAnchor:_replace.leftAnchor].active = YES;
        [_textField.rightAnchor constraintEqualToAnchor:_replace.rightAnchor].active = YES;
        [_textField.topAnchor constraintEqualToAnchor:_replace.topAnchor].active = YES;
        [_textField.bottomAnchor constraintEqualToAnchor:_replace.bottomAnchor].active = YES;
        _textField.font = _replace.font;
        _textField.textColor = _replace.textColor;
        _textField.textAlignment = _replace.textAlignment;
    
        // Dont want to intercept UITextFieldDelegate, so use UITextFieldTextDidChangeNotification instead
        [NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter addObserver:self                                           selector:@selector(textDidChange:)                                               name:UITextFieldTextDidChangeNotification                                             object:_textField];
    
        // Also need KVO because UITextFieldTextDidChangeNotification not fired when change programmatically
        [_textField addObserver:self forKeyPath:@"text" options:0 context:nil];
    }
    return self;
}

- (void)textDidChange:(NSNotification*)notification
{
    // Update (hidden) UILabel to ensure correct layout
    if (_textField.text.length) {
        _replace.text = _textField.text;
    } else if (_textField.placeholder.length) {
        _replace.text = _textField.placeholder;
    } else {
        _replace.text = @" "; // otherwise UILabel removed from cell (!?)
    }
    [self setNeedsLayout];
}

- (void)observeValueForKeyPath:(NSString *)keyPath ofObject:(id)object change:(NSDictionary *)change context:(void *)context
{
    if ((object == _textField) && [keyPath isEqualToString:@"text"]) [self textDidChange:nil];
}

- (void)dealloc
{
    [_textField removeObserver:self forKeyPath:@"text"];
}

@end

Simple to use - just create your cell as before, but now use cell.textField instead of cell.detailTextLabel (or cell.textLabel in case of UITableViewCellStyleDefault). eg

GSBEditableTableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:@"Cell"];
if (!cell) cell = [GSBEditableTableViewCell.alloc initWithStyle:UITableViewCellStyleValue2 reuseIdentifier:@"Cell"];

cell.textLabel.text = @"Name";
cell.textField.text = _editablename;
cell.textField.delegate = self; // to pickup edits
...

Inspired by, and improved upon, FD's answer

For next/return events on multiple UITextfield inside UITableViewCell in this method I had taken UITextField in storyboard.

@interface MyViewController () {
    NSInteger currentTxtRow;
}
@end
@property (strong, nonatomic) NSIndexPath   *currentIndex;//Current Selected Row

@implementation MyViewController


- (UITableViewCell *)tableView:(UITableView *)tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:(NSIndexPath *)indexPath {

        UITableViewCell *cell = [tableView dequeueReusableCellWithIdentifier:@"CELL" forIndexPath:indexPath];
        cell.selectionStyle = UITableViewCellSelectionStyleNone;
        
        UITextField *txtDetails = (UITextField *)[cell.contentView viewWithTag:100];
        txtDetails.delegate = self;
                        
        txtDetails.placeholder = self.arrReciversDetails[indexPath.row];
        return cell;
}


#pragma mark - UITextFieldDelegate
- (BOOL)textFieldShouldBeginEditing:(UITextField *)textField {

    CGPoint point = [textField convertPoint:CGPointZero toView:self.tableView];
    self.currentIndex = [self.tableView indexPathForRowAtPoint:point];//Get Current UITableView row
    currentTxtRow = self.currentIndex.row;
    return YES;
}


- (BOOL)textFieldShouldReturn:(UITextField *)textField {
    currentTxtRow += 1;
    self.currentIndex = [NSIndexPath indexPathForRow:currentTxtRow inSection:0];
    
    UITableViewCell *cell = [self.tableView cellForRowAtIndexPath:self.currentIndex];
    UITextField *currentTxtfield = (UITextField *)[cell.contentView viewWithTag:100];
    if (currentTxtRow < 3) {//Currently I have 3 Cells each cell have 1 UITextfield
        [currentTxtfield becomeFirstResponder];
    } else {
        [self.view endEditing:YES];
        [currentTxtfield resignFirstResponder];
    }

}  

To grab the text from textfield-

- (BOOL)textField:(UITextField *)textField shouldChangeCharactersInRange:(NSRange)range replacementString:(NSString *)string {
      switch (self.currentIndex.row) {
            
            case 0:
                NSLog(@"%@",[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@%@",textField.text,string]);//Take current word and previous text from textfield
                break;
                
            case 1:
                 NSLog(@"%@",[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@%@",textField.text,string]);//Take current word and previous text from textfield
                break;
              
            case 2:
                 NSLog(@"%@",[NSString stringWithFormat:@"%@%@",textField.text,string]);//Take current word and previous text from textfield
                break;

            default:
                break;
        }
}