iPhone Keyboard Covers UITextField

I have an app where, in Interface Builder, I set up a UIView that has a text field near the bottom of the view. When I run the app and try to enter text into that field, the keyboard slides up overtop of the field so I can't see what I'm typing until I hide the keyboard again.

Has anyone else run into this problem and found a good way to solve it without either making the parent view scrollable or moving the text field farther up the screen?

The usual solution is to slide the field (and everything above it) up with an animation, and then back down when you are done. You may need to put the text field and some of the other items into another view and slide the view as a unit. (I call these things "plates" as in "tectonic plates", but that's just me). But here is the general idea if you don't need to get fancy.

- (void)textFieldDidBeginEditing:(UITextField *)textField
{
    [self animateTextField: textField up: YES];
}


- (void)textFieldDidEndEditing:(UITextField *)textField
{
    [self animateTextField: textField up: NO];
}

- (void) animateTextField: (UITextField*) textField up: (BOOL) up
{
    const int movementDistance = 80; // tweak as needed
    const float movementDuration = 0.3f; // tweak as needed

    int movement = (up ? -movementDistance : movementDistance);
   
    [UIView beginAnimations: @"anim" context: nil];
    [UIView setAnimationBeginsFromCurrentState: YES];
    [UIView setAnimationDuration: movementDuration];
    self.view.frame = CGRectOffset(self.view.frame, 0, movement);
    [UIView commitAnimations];
}

This worked wonders for me sliding uitextfields

In particular it has the benefit of calculating the slide animation distance depending on the position of the text field.

IQKeyboardManager do this for you with NO LINE OF CODE, only need to drag and drop related source file to project. IQKeyboardManager also support Device Orientation, Automatic UIToolbar Management, keyboardDistanceFromTextField and much more than you think.

Here is the Control Flow Chart:

Step1:- Added global notifications of UITextField, UITextView, and UIKeyboard in a singleton class. I called it IQKeyboardManager.

Step2:- If found UIKeyboardWillShowNotification, UITextFieldTextDidBeginEditingNotification or UITextViewTextDidBeginEditingNotification notifications, then try to get topMostViewController instance from the UIWindow.rootViewController hierarchy. In order to properly uncover UITextField/UITextView on it, topMostViewController.view's frame needs to be adjusted.

Step3:- Calculated expected move distance of topMostViewController.view with respect to first responded UITextField/UITextView.

Step4:- Moved topMostViewController.view.frame up/down according to the expected move distance.

Step5:- If found UIKeyboardWillHideNotification, UITextFieldTextDidEndEditingNotification or UITextViewTextDidEndEditingNotification notification, then again try to get topMostViewController instance from the UIWindow.rootViewController hierarchy.

Step6:- Calculated disturbed distance of topMostViewController.view which needs to be restored to it's original position.

Step7:- Restored topMostViewController.view.frame down according to the disturbed distance.

Step8:- Instantiated singleton IQKeyboardManager class instance on app load, so every UITextField/UITextView in the app will adjust automatically according to the expected move distance.

That's all

I have face the same issue in UITableView textField cells. I solve this issue by implementing following method to listen the keyboard notification.

Observer for the notifications here:

[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter]addObserver:self selector:@selector(keyboardWasShown:) name:UIKeyboardWillShowNotification object:nil];
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter]addObserver:self selector:@selector(keyboardWillBeHidden:) name:UIKeyboardWillHideNotification object:nil];

Handle those notification by using below function:

(void)keyboardWasShown:(NSNotification*)aNotification 
(void)keyboardWillBeHidden:(NSNotification*)aNotification 

To expand on Amagrammer answer, here is a sample class:

LoginViewController.h

@interface LoginViewController : UIViewController <UITextFieldDelegate> {

}

@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UITextField    *emailTextField;
@property (nonatomic, retain) IBOutlet UITextField    *passwordTextField;

Notice we are implementing the "UITextFieldDelegate"

LoginViewController.m

@implementation LoginViewController
@synthesize emailTextField=_emailTextField;
@synthesize passwordTextField=_passwordTextField;

- (id)initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil
{
    self = [super initWithNibName:nibNameOrNil bundle:nibBundleOrNil];
    if (self) {
        //Register to receive an update when the app goes into the backround
        //It will call our "appEnteredBackground method
        [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
                                             selector:@selector(appEnteredBackground)
                                                 name:UIApplicationDidEnterBackgroundNotification
                                               object:nil];
    }
    return self;
}


- (void) animateTextField: (UITextField*) textField up: (BOOL) up
{
    const int movementDistance = 80; // tweak as needed
    const float movementDuration = 0.3f; // tweak as needed

    int movement = (up ? -movementDistance : movementDistance);

    [UIView beginAnimations: @"anim" context: nil];
    [UIView setAnimationBeginsFromCurrentState: YES];
    [UIView setAnimationDuration: movementDuration];
    self.view.frame = CGRectOffset(self.view.frame, 0, movement);
    [UIView commitAnimations];
}

- (void)textFieldDidBeginEditing:(UITextField *)textField
{
    [self animateTextField: textField up: YES];
}


- (void)textFieldDidEndEditing:(UITextField *)textField
{
    [self animateTextField: textField up: NO];
}

- (BOOL)textFieldShouldReturn:(UITextField *)textField
{
    [textField resignFirstResponder];
    return YES;
}
//This is called when the app goes into the background.
//We must reset the responder because animations will not be saved
- (void)appEnteredBackground{
    [self.emailTextField resignFirstResponder];
    [self.passwordTextField resignFirstResponder];
}

How about the official solution: Moving Content That Is Located Under the Keyboard

> Adjusting your content typically involves temporarily resizing one or > more views and positioning them so that the text object remains > visible. The simplest way to manage text objects with the keyboard is > to embed them inside a UIScrollView object (or one of its subclasses > like UITableView). When the keyboard is displayed, all you have to do > is reset the content area of the scroll view and scroll the desired > text object into position. Thus, in response to a > UIKeyboardDidShowNotification, your handler method would do the > following: > > > 1. Get the size of the keyboard. > 2. Adjust the bottom content inset of your scroll view by the keyboard > height. > 3. Scroll the target text field into view.

// Call this method somewhere in your view controller setup code.
- (void)registerForKeyboardNotifications
{
    [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
            selector:@selector(keyboardWasShown:)
            name:UIKeyboardDidShowNotification object:nil];
 
   [[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
             selector:@selector(keyboardWillBeHidden:)
             name:UIKeyboardWillHideNotification object:nil];
 
}
 
// Called when the UIKeyboardDidShowNotification is sent.
- (void)keyboardWasShown:(NSNotification*)aNotification
{
    NSDictionary* info = [aNotification userInfo];
    CGSize kbSize = [[info objectForKey:UIKeyboardFrameBeginUserInfoKey] CGRectValue].size;
 
    UIEdgeInsets contentInsets = UIEdgeInsetsMake(0.0, 0.0, kbSize.height, 0.0);
    scrollView.contentInset = contentInsets;
    scrollView.scrollIndicatorInsets = contentInsets;
 
    // If active text field is hidden by keyboard, scroll it so it's visible
    // Your app might not need or want this behavior.
    CGRect aRect = self.view.frame;
    aRect.size.height -= kbSize.height;
    if (!CGRectContainsPoint(aRect, activeField.frame.origin) ) {
        [self.scrollView scrollRectToVisible:activeField.frame animated:YES];
    }
}
 
// Called when the UIKeyboardWillHideNotification is sent
- (void)keyboardWillBeHidden:(NSNotification*)aNotification
{
    UIEdgeInsets contentInsets = UIEdgeInsetsZero;
    scrollView.contentInset = contentInsets;
    scrollView.scrollIndicatorInsets = contentInsets;
}

Check this out. No hassle for you.

This solution is very neat. All you have to do is to add your textfields in a UIScrollView and change its class to TPKeyboardAvoidingScollView, if you are using storyboards. The scroll view is extended in such a way that it would detect when keyboard is visible and will move itself above keyboard at a reasonable distance. It is perfect solution because its independent of your UIViewController. Every necessary thing is done within the the above mentioned class. Thanks Michael Tyson et all.

TPKeyboardAvoiding

Below is a swift version of Amagrammer's answer. Also, a variation using the UIKeyboardWillShowNotification event since I needed to know the keyboards size before moving the view out of the way.

var keyboardHeight:CGFloat = 0

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()
    NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().addObserver(self, selector: "keyboardWillChange:", name: UIKeyboardWillShowNotification, object: nil)
}

func textFieldDidBeginEditing(textField: UITextField) {
    //keyboardWillChange (below) is used instead of textFieldDidBeginEditing because textFieldDidBeginEditing
    //is called before the UIKeyboardWillShowNotification necessary to determine the keyboard height.
}

func textFieldDidEndEditing(textField: UITextField) {
    animateTextField(false)
}

func animateTextField(textFieldUp:Bool) {
    let movementDistance:CGFloat = keyboardHeight
    let movementDuration = 0.3
    
    let movement:CGFloat = (textFieldUp ? -movementDistance : movementDistance)
    
    UIView.beginAnimations("anim", context: nil)
    UIView.setAnimationBeginsFromCurrentState(true)
    UIView.setAnimationDuration(movementDuration)
    self.view.frame = CGRectOffset(self.view.frame, 0, movement)
    UIView.commitAnimations()
}

func keyboardWillChange(notification:NSNotification) {
    let keyboardRect:CGRect = ((notification.userInfo![UIKeyboardFrameEndUserInfoKey])?.CGRectValue)!
    keyboardHeight = keyboardRect.height
    animateTextField(true)
}

There was a great walkthrough at editing textfields without obscuring (link dead now, here's a Wayback link: https://web.archive.org/web/20091123074029/http://acts-as-geek.blogspot.com/2009/11/editing-textfields-without-obscuring.html). It shows how to move an existing UIView onto a UIScrollView, and to scroll it automatically when the keyboard appears.

I've updated it a bit to calculate the correct height for the UIScrollView when there are controls (such as a UITabBar) below the UIScrollBar. See post updating uiview.

Here's a solution using Xcode5, iOS7:

Use the UITextfieldDelegate and animation blocks.

This is nearly all the code for the ViewController but I wanted to include the delegate code for those still somewhat unfamiliar with the delegate pattern (like me). I also included code to hide the keyboard when you tap away from the textview.

You can move the views(buttons, textfields, etc) as high as you'd like just make sure to put them back in place (+100 then later -100).

@interface ViewController () <UITextFieldDelegate>
@property (strong, nonatomic) IBOutlet UITextField *MyTextField;
    
@implementation ViewController
    
- (void)viewDidLoad
{
    [super viewDidLoad];
  
    self.MyTextField.delegate = self;
        
}
        
- (void)textFieldDidBeginEditing:(UITextField *)textField
{
      NSLog(@"text began editing");
            
      CGPoint MyPoint = self.MyTextField.center;
            
      [UIView animateWithDuration:0.3
                    animations:^{
                                 
                    self.MyTextField.center = CGPointMake(MyPoint.x, MyPoint.y - 100);
                                }];
}
        
- (void)textFieldDidEndEditing:(UITextField *)textField
{
     NSLog(@"text ENDED editing");
            
     CGPoint MyPoint = self.MyTextField.center;
            
     [UIView animateWithDuration:0.3
                 animations:^{
                                 
     self.MyTextField.center = CGPointMake(MyPoint.x, MyPoint.y + 100);
                             }];
}
    
- (void)touchesBegan:(NSSet *)touches withEvent:(UIEvent *)event {
     [self.view endEditing:YES];
}

I guess one way would be to move your whole views position from (x,y) to (x,y-keybaardHeight) when the textfield is clicked and put it back when the keyboard is dismissed , might look a little odd as the view just comes up (maybe it wouldnt be bad if you animate it).

- (void)textFieldDidBeginEditing:(UITextField *)textField
{
	CGRect frame=self.view.frame;
	frame.origin=CGPointMake(x...//set point here
	self.view.frame=frame;
}

Drag and drop framework that I use in my projects. Supports automatic dismissal when you tap outside of a first responder or when you scroll.

GTKeyboardHelper

In addition to Amagrammer's solution, if you are using cocos2d in portrait mode change this line:

self.view.frame = CGRectOffset(self.view.frame, 0, movement);

to this:

[CCDirector sharedDirector].openGLView.frame = CGRectOffset([CCDirector sharedDirector].openGLView.frame, movement, 0);

If you are using cocos2d in landscape mode, make the above change and switch the up values in textFieldDidBeginEditing: and textFieldDidEndEditing:

- (void)textFieldDidBeginEditing:(UITextField *)textField {
    [self animateTextField:textField up:NO];
}

- (void)textFieldDidEndEditing:(UITextField *)textField {
    [self animateTextField:textField up:YES];
}

I had the same problem and found GTKeyboardHelper to be an easy way out.

After drag and drop the framework in your project, include the header file. Download and open the example project, then drag the "Keyboard Helper" object from the objects section in the xib to the objects section in your project's interface builder.

Drag and drop all your views to be children of the "Keyboard Helper".

Just slide the view up and down as needed :

- (void)textFieldDidEndEditing:(UITextField *)textField {
    self.currentTextField = nil;
    [self animateTextField: textField up: NO];
}

- (BOOL)textFieldShouldReturn:(UITextField *)textField {
    [self.currentTextField resignFirstResponder];
    return YES;
}

- (void) animateTextField:(UITextField*) textField up:(BOOL)up {
    const int movementDistance = 80; // tweak as needed
    const float movementDuration = 0.3f; // tweak as needed
    
    int movement = (up ? -movementDistance : movementDistance);
    
    [UIView animateWithDuration:movementDuration animations:^{
        self.view.frame = CGRectOffset(self.view.frame, 0, movement);
    }];
}

Don't forget to set self as a UITextFieldDelegate and as the actual textField delegate.

(Thanks to Ammagrammer, this is just a shorter answer using blocks for animations)

I have something else if you want. The point here is that you want to set the center your UIView on the text field you are editing.

Before that, you have to save your INITIAL_CENTER, as a CGPoint, from self.view.center and your INITIAL_VIEW as a CGRect from self.view.frame in a const property.

You can create a method like this :

- (void) centerOn: (CGRect) fieldFrame {

    // Set up the center by taking the original view center
    CGPoint center = CGPointMake(INITIAL_CENTER.x,
                             INITIAL_CENTER.y - ((fieldFrame.origin.y + fieldFrame.size.height/2) - INITIAL_CENTER.y));


    [UIView beginAnimations:@"centerViewOnField" context:nil];
    [UIView setAnimationDuration:0.50];

    if (CGRectEqualToRect(fieldFrame,INITIAL_VIEW)) {
        self.view.frame = INITIAL_VIEW;
        [self.view setCenter:INITIAL_CENTER];
    } else {
        [self.view setCenter:center];
    }


    [UIView commitAnimations];
}

Then, on your UITextFieldDelegate, you have to call centerOn:(CGRect) in following methods :

textFieldDidBeginEditing:(UITextField)* with, as a parameter, the frame of the text field you want to center on.

And you have to call it in your event handler, where you close your keyboard,

textFieldDidEndEditing:(UITextField)* can be one of the ways to do it, putting the INITIAL_VIEW as a parameter of centerOn:(CGRect).

I believe on newer versions of iOS (6.1+, possibly even earlier), the underlying view, at least for UITableView, auto-shrinks when the keyboard pops up. So you only need to make the text field visible in that view. In init:

[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
                                         selector:@selector(keyboardWasShown:)
                                             name:UIKeyboardDidShowNotification
                                           object:nil];

then:

- (void)keyboardWasShown:(NSNotification*)notification
{
    // Scroll the text field into view so it's not under the keyboard.
    CGRect rect = [self.tableView convertRect:inputView.bounds fromView:inputView];
    [self.tableView scrollRectToVisible:rect animated:YES];
}

https://github.com/ZulwiyozaPutra/Shift-Keyboard-Example I hope this solution helped. They are all Swift 3 written.

//
//  ViewController.swift
//  Shift Keyboard Example
//
//  Created by Zulwiyoza Putra on 11/23/16.
//  Copyright © 2016 Zulwiyoza Putra. All rights reserved.
//

import UIKit

class ViewController: UIViewController, UITextFieldDelegate {
    
    
    //connecting textfield from storyboard
    @IBOutlet weak var textField: UITextField!
    
    override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
        super.viewWillAppear(animated)
        subscribeToKeyboardNotifications()
    }
    
    override func viewDidAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
        self.textField.delegate = self
    }
    
    override func viewWillDisappear(_ animated: Bool) {
        super.viewWillDisappear(animated)
        unsubscribeFromKeyboardNotifications()
    }
    
    //Hide keyboard after finished editing
    func textFieldShouldReturn(_ textField: UITextField) -> Bool {
        textField.resignFirstResponder()
        return true
    }
    
    //Setup view before keyboard appeared
    func keyboardWillAppear(_ notification:Notification) {
        view.frame.origin.y = 0 - getKeyboardHeight(notification)
    }
    
    //Setup view before keyboard disappeared
    func keyboardWillDisappear(_ notification: Notification) {
        view.frame.origin.y = 0
    }
    
    //Getting keyboard height
    func getKeyboardHeight(_ notification:Notification) -> CGFloat {
        let userInfo = notification.userInfo
        let keyboardSize = userInfo![UIKeyboardFrameEndUserInfoKey] as! NSValue // of CGRect
        return keyboardSize.cgRectValue.height
    }
    
    //Subscribing to notifications to execute functions
    func subscribeToKeyboardNotifications() {
        NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(keyboardWillAppear(_:)), name: .UIKeyboardWillShow, object: nil)
        NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(keyboardWillDisappear(_:)), name: .UIKeyboardWillHide, object: nil)
    }
    
    //Unsubscribing from notifications
    func unsubscribeFromKeyboardNotifications() {
        NotificationCenter.default.removeObserver(self, name: .UIKeyboardWillShow, object: nil)
        NotificationCenter.default.removeObserver(self, name: .UIKeyboardWillHide, object: nil)
    }
    
}