Deploy a UI with a SuperEditor or SuperTextField

Oct 13, 2025 by thesweetdesigns.com 91 views

SuperEditor, SuperTextField, and Android: Bug with Keyboard Getting Stuck Closed After Switching to/from Another App

As a developer, you've likely encountered a frustrating issue with the keyboard getting stuck closed on Android after switching to and from another app. This problem can be particularly challenging when working with custom text fields like SuperEditor and SuperTextField. In this article, we'll delve into the root cause of this issue, explore the reproduction steps, and discuss potential solutions to resolve this problem.

To reproduce this issue, follow these steps:

Deploy a UI with a SuperEditor or SuperTextField: Create a Flutter app with a SuperEditor or SuperTextField widget.
Place the caret so the keyboard pops up: Type some text in the SuperEditor or SuperTextField to make the keyboard appear.
Switch to another app: Press the home button or swipe to switch to another app.
Switch back to the SuperEditor app: Return to the SuperEditor app.

After switching back to the SuperEditor app, you would expect either of the following scenarios:

The SuperEditor/SuperTextField has focus, and the keyboard is up.
The keyboard is down, and the SuperEditor/SuperTextField doesn't have focus.

However, the actual result is that the SuperEditor/SuperTextField has focus, with a selection, but the keyboard is down. Tapping on the SuperEditor/SuperTextField doesn't cause the keyboard to raise.

The root problem lies either in a Flutter bug or an Android timing limitation that impacts Flutter. To understand this issue better, let's examine the behavior of a regular Flutter TextField.

Regular Flutter TextField Behavior

When switching back to the app, a regular Flutter TextField retains focus, selection, and an open IME connection. There are no rebuilds of the TextField that run when returning to the app, and no apparent focus change or callbacks or any other signals. From a Flutter app's perspective, it's as if focus, selection, and the IME connection remained exactly the same, and yet there's no software keyboard.

Based on some hacking in the super_keyboard plugin, we found slightly different Android behavior depending on whether we're using API 34 or API 35. Using API 34 as an example, it seems that Android runs onPause() and onStop() and only then does it report the updated view insets telling us that the keyboard is gone. At this point, Flutter code can't run any more, because UI code can't run after onPause() or at least can't run after onStop(). This is either something that Flutter can't effectively monitor, or Flutter is missing the nuances in the embedding to correctly report this information.

To resolve this issue, we can consider the following potential solutions:

1. Revisit Gesture Code

We should revisit the gesture code and identify when a user taps under the above conditions. If the keyboard is already open, a tap should toggle the popover toolbar. However, if the user taps on a Super Editor that already has a selection, and the keyboard isn't up, then we should show the keyboard.

2. Add a WidgetsBindingObserver

We can add a WidgetsBindingObserver to an appropriate place, look for the app to resume from a non-resumed state, check to see if SuperEditor/SuperTextField currently has focus/selection, and if it does, open the keyboard. We might want to introduce some kind of property to configure this behavior.

The keyboard getting stuck closed after switching to and from another app is a frustrating issue that can be challenging to resolve. By understanding the root cause of this problem, we can explore potential solutions to resolve this issue. By revisiting the gesture code and adding a WidgetsBindingObserver, we can potentially resolve this issue and provide a better user experience for our users.
SuperEditor, SuperTextField, and Android: Bug with Keyboard Getting Stuck Closed After Switching to/from Another App - Q&A

In our previous article, we discussed the issue of the keyboard getting stuck closed on Android after switching to and from another app when using SuperEditor and SuperTextField. We explored the reproduction steps, expected and actual results, and potential solutions to resolve this problem. In this article, we'll answer some frequently asked questions related to this issue.

Q: What is the root cause of this issue?

A: The root problem lies either in a Flutter bug or an Android timing limitation that impacts Flutter. We've found that Android runs onPause() and onStop() and only then does it report the updated view insets telling us that the keyboard is gone. At this point, Flutter code can't run any more, because UI code can't run after onPause() or at least can't run after onStop().

Q: Why doesn't a regular Flutter TextField behave the same way?

A: A regular Flutter TextField retains focus, selection, and an open IME connection when switching back to the app. There are no rebuilds of the TextField that run when returning to the app, and no apparent focus change or callbacks or any other signals. From a Flutter app's perspective, it's as if focus, selection, and the IME connection remained exactly the same, and yet there's no software keyboard.

Q: What are the potential solutions to resolve this issue?

A: We've identified two potential solutions:

Revisit Gesture Code: We should revisit the gesture code and identify when a user taps under the above conditions. If the keyboard is already open, a tap should toggle the popover toolbar. However, if the user taps on a Super Editor that already has a selection, and the keyboard isn't up, then we should show the keyboard.
Add a WidgetsBindingObserver: We can add a WidgetsBindingObserver to an appropriate place, look for the app to resume from a non-resumed state, check to see if SuperEditor/SuperTextField currently has focus/selection, and if it does, open the keyboard. We might want to introduce some kind of property to configure this behavior.

Q: How can I implement the WidgetsBindingObserver solution?

A: To implement the WidgetsBindingObserver solution, you can add a WidgetsBindingObserver to your app's widget tree. You can then override the didChangeAppLifecycleState method to check if the app has resumed from a non-resumed state. If it has, you can check if the SuperEditor/SuperTextField currently has focus/selection and open the keyboard if it does.

Q: What are the benefits of using the WidgetsBindingObserver solution?

A: The WidgetsBindingObserver solution provides a more robust and reliable way to detect when the app has resumed from a non-resumed state. This can help ensure that the keyboard is opened correctly and that the user experience is improved.

Q: Are there any known workarounds for this issue?

A: Yes, there are a few known workarounds for this issue. One workaround is to use a Timer to delay the opening of the keyboard by a short period of time after the app has resumed from a non-resumed state. This can help ensure that the keyboard is opened correctly and that the user experience is improved.

The keyboard getting stuck closed after switching to and from another app is a frustrating issue that can be challenging to resolve. By understanding the root cause of this problem and exploring potential solutions, we can improve the user experience for our users. We hope this Q&A article has provided valuable insights and information to help you resolve this issue.