How to detect when keyboard is shown and hidden

Question

How can I detect when the keyboard is shown and hidden from my application?

Maibach

https://mcmap.net/q/76925/-how-can-i-programmatically-check-whether-a-keyboard-is-present-in-ios-app – Carmel

Answer 1

In the ViewDidLoad method of your class set up to listen for messages about the keyboard:

// Listen for keyboard appearances and disappearances
[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self 
                                         selector:@selector(keyboardDidShow:)
                                             name:UIKeyboardDidShowNotification
                                           object:nil];

[[NSNotificationCenter defaultCenter] addObserver:self
                                         selector:@selector(keyboardDidHide:)
                                             name:UIKeyboardDidHideNotification
                                           object:nil];

Then in the methods you specify (in this case keyboardDidShow and keyboardDidHide) you can do something about it:

- (void)keyboardDidShow: (NSNotification *) notif{
    // Do something here
}

- (void)keyboardDidHide: (NSNotification *) notif{
    // Do something here
}

Barbusse

Does not work if you tab thru fields. Wonder what the solution for that would be and if you can even tab thru on an actual iPad? – Ibarra

if there are fields still covered by keyboard below the one with the focus, the view will stay still on tab due to notification being dispatched only at the moment the keyboard slides up – Ibarra

@apprentice You have to manage that by hand, sliding the scrollview around based on each text field becoming active, a different problem than knowing when the keyboard appears. Make your view controller a UITextFieldDelegate, then implement the textFieldShouldReturn: method. You'll get the textField just entered as an argument, which you can compare to your own textFields and scroll the scrollView so that the appropriate textField is showing. – Barbusse

Answer 2

You may just need addObserver in viewDidLoad. But having addObserver in viewWillAppear and removeObserver in viewWillDisappear prevents rare crashes which happens when you are changing your view.

Swift 4.2

override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
    super.viewWillAppear(animated)
    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(keyboardWillDisappear), name: UIResponder.keyboardWillHideNotification, object: nil)
    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(keyboardWillAppear), name: UIResponder.keyboardWillShowNotification, object: nil)
}

@objc func keyboardWillAppear() {
    //Do something here
}

@objc func keyboardWillDisappear() {
    //Do something here
}

override func viewWillDisappear(_ animated: Bool) {
    super.viewWillDisappear(animated)
    NotificationCenter.default.removeObserver(self)
}

Swift 3 and 4

override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
    super.viewWillAppear(animated)
    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(keyboardWillDisappear), name: Notification.Name.UIKeyboardWillHide, object: nil)
    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(keyboardWillAppear), name: Notification.Name.UIKeyboardWillShow, object: nil)
}

@objc func keyboardWillAppear() {
    //Do something here
}

@objc func keyboardWillDisappear() {
    //Do something here
}

override func viewWillDisappear(_ animated: Bool) {
    super.viewWillDisappear(animated)
    NotificationCenter.default.removeObserver(self)
}

Older Swift

override func viewWillAppear(animated: Bool) {
    super.viewWillAppear(animated)

    NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().addObserver(self, selector:"keyboardWillAppear:", name: UIKeyboardWillShowNotification, object: nil)
    NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().addObserver(self, selector:"keyboardWillDisappear:", name: UIKeyboardWillHideNotification, object: nil)
}

func keyboardWillAppear(notification: NSNotification){
    // Do something here
}

func keyboardWillDisappear(notification: NSNotification){
    // Do something here
}

override func viewWillDisappear(animated: Bool) {
    super.viewWillDisappear(animated)
    NSNotificationCenter.defaultCenter().removeObserver(self)
}

Decennary

Answer 3

Swift 3:

NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(viewController.keyboardWillShow(_:)), name: NSNotification.Name.UIKeyboardWillShow, object: nil)
NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(viewController.keyboardWillHide(_:)), name: NSNotification.Name.UIKeyboardWillHide, object: nil)

func keyboardWillShow(_ notification: NSNotification){
    // Do something here
}

func keyboardWillHide(_ notification: NSNotification){
    // Do something here
}

Immoderation

Answer 4

Swift 5

There answers above are correct. Although I would prefer to create a helper to wrap up the notification's observers.

The benefit:

1. You don't have to repeat each time you handle the keyboard behaviors.
2. You can extend other notification by implement other enum value
3. It's useful when you have to deal with keyboard in several controllers.

Sample code:

extension KeyboardHelper {
    enum Animation {
        case keyboardWillShow
        case keyboardWillHide
    }

    typealias HandleBlock = (_ animation: Animation, _ keyboardFrame: CGRect, _ duration: TimeInterval) -> Void
}

final class KeyboardHelper {
    private let handleBlock: HandleBlock

    init(handleBlock: @escaping HandleBlock) {
        self.handleBlock = handleBlock
        setupNotification()
    }

    deinit {
        NotificationCenter.default.removeObserver(self)
    }

    private func setupNotification() {
        _ = NotificationCenter.default
            .addObserver(forName: UIResponder.keyboardWillShowNotification, object: nil, queue: .main) { [weak self] notification in
                self?.handle(animation: .keyboardWillShow, notification: notification)
            }

        _ = NotificationCenter.default
            .addObserver(forName: UIResponder.keyboardWillHideNotification, object: nil, queue: .main) { [weak self] notification in
                self?.handle(animation: .keyboardWillHide, notification: notification)
            }
    }

    private func handle(animation: Animation, notification: Notification) {
        guard let userInfo = notification.userInfo,
            let keyboardFrame = (userInfo[UIResponder.keyboardFrameEndUserInfoKey] as? NSValue)?.cgRectValue,
            let duration = userInfo[UIResponder.keyboardAnimationDurationUserInfoKey] as? Double
        else { return }

        handleBlock(animation, keyboardFrame, duration)
    }
}

How to use:

private var keyboardHelper: KeyboardHelper?
...

override func viewDidLoad() {
   ...
   keyboardHelper = KeyboardHelper { [unowned self] animation, keyboardFrame, duration in
        switch animation {
        case .keyboardWillShow:
            print("keyboard will show")
        case .keyboardWillHide:
            print("keyboard will hide")
        }
    }

}

Grillroom

Answer 5

Swift 4:

  NotificationCenter.default.addObserver( self, selector: #selector(ControllerClassName.keyboardWillShow(_:)),
  name: Notification.Name.UIKeyboardWillShow,
  object: nil)
  NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(ControllerClassName.keyboardWillHide(_:)),
  name: Notification.Name.UIKeyboardWillHide,
  object: nil)

Next, adding method to stop listening for notifications when the object’s life ends:-

Then add the promised methods from above to the view controller:
deinit {
  NotificationCenter.default.removeObserver(self)
}
func adjustKeyboardShow(_ open: Bool, notification: Notification) {
  let userInfo = notification.userInfo ?? [:]
  let keyboardFrame = (userInfo[UIKeyboardFrameBeginUserInfoKey] as! NSValue).cgRectValue
  let height = (keyboardFrame.height + 20) * (open ? 1 : -1)
  scrollView.contentInset.bottom += height
  scrollView.scrollIndicatorInsets.bottom += height
}

@objc func keyboardWillShow(_ notification: Notification) {
  adjustKeyboardShow(true, notification: notification)
}
@objc func keyboardWillHide(_ notification: Notification) {
  adjustKeyboardShow(false, notification: notification)
}

Amorete

The += appears to make the insets get larger and larger. – Ettie

as of Swift 5 notification name is UIResponder.keyboardWillShowNotification and UIResponder.keyboardWillHideNotification, and the keyboard info key is UIResponder.keyboardFrameBeginUserInfoKey. – Arielle

Answer 6

In Swift 4.2 the notification names have moved to a different namespace. So now it's

override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
    super.viewWillAppear(animated)
    addKeyboardListeners()
}


override func viewWillDisappear(_ animated: Bool) {
    super.viewWillDisappear(animated)
    NotificationCenter.default.removeObserver(self)
}


func addKeyboardListeners() {
    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(keyboardWillHide), name: UIResponder.keyboardWillHideNotification, object: nil)
    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(keyboardWillShow), name: UIResponder.keyboardWillShowNotification, object: nil)
}

@objc private extension WhateverTheClassNameIs {

    func keyboardWillShow(_ notification: Notification) {
        // Do something here.
    }

    func keyboardWillHide(_ notification: Notification) {
        // Do something here.
    }
}

Bangtail

Answer 7

You'll want to register yourself for the 2 keyboard notifications:

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

Great post on how to adjust your TextField to the keyboard - http://iosdevelopertips.com/user-interface/adjust-textfield-hidden-by-keyboard.html

Gulfweed

Answer 8

Swift - 4

override func viewWillAppear(_ animated: Bool) {
   super.viewWillAppear(animated)
   addKeyBoardListener()
}

override func viewWillDisappear(_ animated: Bool) {
    super.viewWillDisappear(animated)
    NotificationCenter.default.removeObserver(self) //remove observer
}

func addKeyBoardListener() {
    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(self.keyboardWillShow(_:)), name: NSNotification.Name.UIKeyboardWillShow, object: nil);
    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(self.keyboardWillHide(_:)), name: NSNotification.Name.UIKeyboardWillHide, object: nil);
}

@objc func keyboardWillShow(_ notification: Notification) {

}

@objc func keyboardWillHide(_ notification: Notification) {

}

Whistling

Answer 9

Check out the Managing the Keyboard section of the "Text, Web, and Editing Programming Guide" for information on tracking the keyboard being shown or hidden, and how to display/dismiss it manually.

Darter

Answer 10

Swift 4 - dd 20 october 2017

override func viewDidLoad() {
    [..]

    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(keyboardWillDisappear(_:)), name: Notification.Name.UIKeyboardWillHide, object: nil)
    NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(self, selector: #selector(keyboardWillAppear(_:)), name: Notification.Name.UIKeyboardWillShow, object: nil)
}

@objc func keyboardWillAppear(_ notification: NSNotification) {
    if let userInfo = notification.userInfo, 
       let keyboardFrame = (userInfo[UIKeyboardFrameEndUserInfoKey] as? NSValue).cgRectValue {
           let inset = keyboardFrame.height // if scrollView is not aligned to bottom of screen, subtract offset
           scrollView.contentInset.bottom = inset
           scrollView.scrollIndicatorInsets.bottom = inset
    }
}

@objc func keyboardWillDisappear(_ notification: NSNotification) {
    scrollView.contentInset.bottom = 0
    scrollView.scrollIndicatorInsets.bottom = 0
}

deinit {
    NotificationCenter.default.removeObserver(self)
}

Forfeiture

Answer 11

If you have more then one UITextFields and you need to do something when (or before) keyboard appears or disappears, you can implement this approach.

Add UITextFieldDelegate to your class. Assign integer counter, let's say:

NSInteger editCounter; 

Set this counter to zero somewhere in viewDidLoad. Then, implement textFieldShouldBeginEditing and textFieldShouldEndEditing delegate methods.

In the first one add 1 to editCounter. If value of editCounter becomes 1 - this means that keyboard will appear (in case if you return YES). If editCounter > 1 - this means that keyboard is already visible and another UITextField holds the focus.

In textFieldShouldEndEditing subtract 1 from editCounter. If you get zero - keyboard will be dismissed, otherwise it will remain on the screen.

Grier

Answer 12

So ah, this is the real answer now.

import Combine


class MrEnvironmentObject {
    /// Bind into yr SwiftUI views
    @Published public var isKeyboardShowing: Bool = false

    /// Keep 'em from deallocatin'
    var subscribers: [AnyCancellable]? = nil

    /// Adds certain Combine subscribers that will handle updating the
    ///  `isKeyboardShowing` property 
    ///
    /// - Parameter host: the UIHostingController of your views. 
    func setupSubscribers<V: View>(
        host: inout UIHostingController<V>
    ) {
        subscribers = [
            NotificationCenter
                .default
                .publisher(for: UIResponder.keyboardWillShowNotification)
                .sink { [weak self] _ in
                    self?.isKeyboardShowing = true
                },
            NotificationCenter
                .default
                .publisher(for: UIResponder.keyboardWillHideNotification)
                .sink { [weak self, weak host] _ in
                    self?.isKeyboardShowing = false
                    // Hidden gem, ask me how I know:
                    UIAccessibility.post(
                        notification: .layoutChanged, 
                        argument: host
                    )
                },
            // ...
            Profit
                .sink { [weak self] profit in profit() },
        ]
    }
}

Cyclopean