[HOLD #64085] [$250] iOS - Keyboard doesn’t appear after tapping “Edit comment"

[nlemma]

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Version Number: v9.2.45-2
Reproducible in staging?: Yes
Reproducible in production?: Yes
If this was caught during regression testing, add the test name, ID and link from BrowserStack: https://test-management.browserstack.com/projects/2219752/folder/13176686/test-cases/44007893
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers): N/A
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Device used: iPhone SE 3rd generation, Tahoe 26.0.1, Chrome
App Component: Other

Action Performed:

1. Go to https://staging.new.expensify.com/ or open iOS app
2. Create a report
3. Navigate to the report and send a message.
4. Tap anywhere to dismiss the keyboard.
5. Long press the message.
6. Tap on 'Edit comment'

Expected Result:

When the user taps “Edit comment”, the keyboard should automatically pop up, allowing immediate text input.

Actual Result:

After tapping “Edit comment”, the keyboard does not appear.

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

• Android: App
• Android: mWeb Chrome
• iOS: App
• iOS: mWeb Safari
• iOS: mWeb Chrome
• Windows: Chrome
• MacOS: Chrome / Safari
• MacOS: Desktop

Screenshots/Videos

Bug6996118_1762451909458.iOS_native_app.mp4

View all open jobs on GitHub

Upwork Automation - Do Not Edit

• Upwork Job URL: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021988406217086898481
• Upwork Job ID: 1988406217086898481
• Last Price Increase: 2025-11-12

Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @getusha

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to @mallenexpensify (Bug), see https://stackoverflow.com/c/expensify/questions/14418 for more details. Please add this bug to a GH project, as outlined in the SO.

[nlemma]

More context can be found here – #69469 (comment)

[abbasifaizan70]

Problem:

iOS edit composer loses its focused input after switching into edit mode, leaving the focus manager pointing at a stale ref and preventing the composer from auto-focusing.

Root Cause:

focus manager registers before the text input ref mounts, and nothing re-registers when the actual composer mounts on iOS, so the manager holds the old ref.

Proposed Changes:

src/pages/home/report/ReportActionItemMessageEdit.tsx (line 4) import Platform; src/pages/home/report/ReportActionItemMessageEdit.tsx (line 134) add isComposerMounted state; src/pages/home/report/ReportActionItemMessageEdit.tsx (line 150) track one-time auto-focus with hasFocusedOnMount; src/pages/home/report/ReportActionItemMessageEdit.tsx (line 212) re-register focus manager and refocus once the composer mounts on iOS; src/pages/home/report/ReportActionItemMessageEdit.tsx (line 510) toggle the mounted flag inside the text-input ref callback.

diff

--git a/src/pages/home/report/ReportActionItemMessageEdit.tsx b/src/pages/home/report/ReportActionItemMessageEdit.tsx
--- a/src/pages/home/report/ReportActionItemMessageEdit.tsx
+++ b/src/pages/home/report/ReportActionItemMessageEdit.tsx
@@
-import {InteractionManager, View} from 'react-native';
+import {InteractionManager, Platform, View} from 'react-native';
@@
-    const [isFocused, setIsFocused] = useState<boolean>(false);
+    const [isFocused, setIsFocused] = useState<boolean>(false);
+    const [isComposerMounted, setIsComposerMounted] = useState(false);
@@
-    const emojiPickerSelectionRef = useRef<Selection | undefined>(undefined);
+    const emojiPickerSelectionRef = useRef<Selection | undefined>(undefined);
+    const hasFocusedOnMount = useRef(false);
@@
+    useEffect(() => {
+        if (!isComposerMounted || hasFocusedOnMount.current || Platform.OS !== CONST.OS.IOS.toLowerCase()) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        hasFocusedOnMount.current = true;
+        setUpComposeFocusManager();
+        focus(true, emojiPickerSelectionRef.current ? {...emojiPickerSelectionRef.current} : undefined);
+    }, [focus, isComposerMounted, setUpComposeFocusManager]);
@@
-                                textInputRef.current = el;
+                                textInputRef.current = el;
+                                setIsComposerMounted(!!el);

Alternatives Considered:

delaying the initial focus call or re-focusing on every render—both either failed to guarantee the ref was ready or risked disruptive refocus loops across platforms.

[mallenexpensify]

Able to reproduce, making External

[melvin-bot]

Job added to Upwork: https://www.upwork.com/jobs/~021988406217086898481