Remove autofocus from an EditText in Android

Fri, 02/04/2011 - 03:54 | by ztomi

SDK Version:

When we create a layout with an EditText or an AutoCompleteTextView, for some reason, it always gains the focus on starting.

Here is the main.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        android:orientation="vertical" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent">
        <Button android:text="@string/button_text"; android:id="@+id/Button01"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content">
        </Button>
        <EditText android:text="" android:id="@+id/EditText01"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:hint="@string/hint">
        </EditText>
        <Button android:text="@string/button_text"; android:id="@+id/Button02"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content">
        </Button>
</LinearLayout>

How can we remove the focus form the EditText, without giving it to an other visible layout element?
The simplest (and I think, the only 100% working) solution is, to create an invisible LinearLayout. This LinearLayout will grab the focus from the EditText.

Modify the main.xml like this, add a LinearLayout before the EditText:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
        android:orientation="vertical" android:layout_width="fill_parent"
        android:layout_height="fill_parent">
        <Button android:text="@string/button_text"; android:id="@+id/Button01"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content">
        </Button>
        <LinearLayout android:focusable="true"
                android:focusableInTouchMode="true" android:layout_width="0px"
                android:layout_height="0px" />
        <EditText android:text="" android:id="@+id/EditText01"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content"
                android:hint="@string/hint">
        </EditText>
        <Button android:text="@string/button_text"; android:id="@+id/Button02"
                android:layout_width="wrap_content" android:layout_height="wrap_content">
        </Button>
</LinearLayout>

No other coding needed, it's a simple and clear solution.

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