levibuzolic · Aug 27, 2026
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-all.yml b/.github/workflows/test-all.yml
@@ -162,6 +162,17 @@ jobs:
           # test_ios_rntester_dynamic_frameworks).
           use-prebuilds: true
           flavor: ${{ matrix.flavor }}
+      - name: Test TextInput caret and selection behavior
+        if: ${{ matrix.flavor == 'Debug' && matrix.frameworks == false }}
+        run: |
+          xcodebuild test \
+            -workspace packages/rn-tester/RNTesterPods.xcworkspace \
+            -scheme RNTesterUnitTests \
+            -configuration Debug \
+            -sdk iphonesimulator \
+            -destination 'platform=iOS Simulator,name=iPhone 16' \
+            -derivedDataPath /tmp/RNTesterBuild \
+            -only-testing:RNTesterUnitTests/RCTUITextFieldTests
 
   test_maestro_cloud_ios:
     needs: test_ios_rntester

diff --git a/packages/react-native/Libraries/Text/TextInput/Singleline/RCTUITextField.mm b/packages/react-native/Libraries/Text/TextInput/Singleline/RCTUITextField.mm
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ @implementation RCTUITextField {
   NSArray<UIBarButtonItemGroup *> *_initialValueLeadingBarButtonGroups;
   NSArray<UIBarButtonItemGroup *> *_initialValueTrailingBarButtonGroups;
   NSArray<NSString *> *_acceptDragAndDropTypes;
+  // Keep the requested tint while a transparent tint hides the caret.
+  UIColor *_requestedTintColor;
 }
 
 // This should not be needed but internal build were failing without it.
@@ -48,6 +50,8 @@ - (instancetype)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame
 - (void)_textDidChange
 {
   _textWasPasted = NO;
+  // Typing can collapse a selection without calling setSelectedTextRange:.
+  [self _updateAppliedTintColor];
 }
 
 #pragma mark - Accessibility
@@ -233,13 +237,31 @@ - (void)removeDictationResultPlaceholder:(id)placeholder willInsertResult:(BOOL)
 
 #pragma mark - Caret Manipulation
 
-- (CGRect)caretRectForPosition:(UITextPosition *)position
+// Returning CGRectZero for a hidden caret causes oversized Metal surface errors on iOS
+// 17. A transparent tint hides the caret without changing its bounds. Restore the tint
+// for non-empty selections to preserve the selection highlight and handles.
+- (void)setCaretHidden:(BOOL)caretHidden
 {
-  if (_caretHidden) {
-    return CGRectZero;
+  if (_caretHidden == caretHidden) {
+    return;
   }
 
-  return [super caretRectForPosition:position];
+  _caretHidden = caretHidden;
+  [self _updateAppliedTintColor];
+}
+
+// Do not override the getter. UIKit reads the applied caret color through `-tintColor`.
+- (void)setTintColor:(UIColor *)tintColor
+{
+  _requestedTintColor = tintColor;
+  [self _updateAppliedTintColor];
+}
+
+- (void)_updateAppliedTintColor
+{
+  UITextRange *selectedTextRange = self.selectedTextRange;
+  BOOL shouldHideCaret = _caretHidden && (selectedTextRange == nil || selectedTextRange.isEmpty);
+  [super setTintColor:shouldHideCaret ? [UIColor clearColor] : _requestedTintColor];
 }
 
 #pragma mark - Positioning Overrides
@@ -262,6 +284,7 @@ - (CGRect)editingRectForBounds:(CGRect)bounds
 - (void)setSelectedTextRange:(UITextRange *)selectedTextRange
 {
   [super setSelectedTextRange:selectedTextRange];
+  [self _updateAppliedTintColor];
   [_textInputDelegateAdapter selectedTextRangeWasSet];
 }
 #pragma clang diagnostic pop
@@ -275,6 +298,7 @@ - (void)setSelectedTextRange:(UITextRange *)selectedTextRange notifyDelegate:(BO
   }
 
   [super setSelectedTextRange:selectedTextRange];
+  [self _updateAppliedTintColor];
 }
 
 - (void)rct_invalidatePendingTextInputEdit

diff --git a/.../react-native/React/Fabric/Mounting/ComponentViews/TextInput/RCTTextInputComponentView.mm b/.../react-native/React/Fabric/Mounting/ComponentViews/TextInput/RCTTextInputComponentView.mm
@@ -323,7 +323,9 @@ - (void)updateProps:(const Props::Shared &)props oldProps:(const Props::Shared &
     _backedTextInputView.defaultTextAttributes = defaultAttributes;
   }
 
-  if (newTextInputProps.selectionColor != oldTextInputProps.selectionColor) {
+  // A new backing view may have copied a transparent tint from a hidden caret.
+  if (newTextInputProps.selectionColor != oldTextInputProps.selectionColor ||
+      newTextInputProps.multiline != oldTextInputProps.multiline) {
     _backedTextInputView.tintColor = RCTUIColorFromSharedColor(newTextInputProps.selectionColor);
   }
 

diff --git a/packages/react-native/React/Tests/Text/RCTUITextFieldTests.mm b/packages/react-native/React/Tests/Text/RCTUITextFieldTests.mm
@@ -5,8 +5,14 @@
  * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
  */
 
+#import <React/RCTConversions.h>
+#import <React/RCTTextInputComponentView.h>
 #import <React/RCTUITextField.h>
+#import <React/RCTUITextView.h>
 #import <XCTest/XCTest.h>
+#import <react/renderer/components/iostextinput/TextInputProps.h>
+#import <react/renderer/core/RawPropsParser.h>
+#import <react/renderer/graphics/Color.h>
 
 static NSParagraphStyle *RCTPlaceholderParagraphStyle(RCTUITextField *textField)
 {
@@ -54,4 +60,138 @@ - (void)testPlaceholderKeepsParagraphStyleFromTextAttributes
   XCTAssertEqual(RCTPlaceholderParagraphStyle(textField).alignment, NSTextAlignmentCenter);
 }
 
+- (void)testCaretHiddenMakesTheCaretTransparent
+{
+  RCTUITextField *textField = [RCTUITextField new];
+  textField.tintColor = UIColor.redColor;
+
+  textField.caretHidden = YES;
+
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.tintColor, UIColor.clearColor);
+}
+
+- (void)testClearingCaretHiddenRestoresTheSelectionColor
+{
+  RCTUITextField *textField = [RCTUITextField new];
+  textField.tintColor = UIColor.redColor;
+  textField.caretHidden = YES;
+
+  textField.caretHidden = NO;
+
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.tintColor, UIColor.redColor);
+}
+
+- (void)testSelectionColorSetWhileCaretHiddenIsAppliedOnceTheCaretIsShown
+{
+  RCTUITextField *textField = [RCTUITextField new];
+  textField.caretHidden = YES;
+
+  textField.tintColor = UIColor.redColor;
+
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.tintColor, UIColor.clearColor);
+
+  textField.caretHidden = NO;
+
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.tintColor, UIColor.redColor);
+}
+
+- (void)testSelectionColorIsRestoredForSelectionsAndHiddenAgainWhenCollapsed
+{
+  RCTUITextField *textField = [RCTUITextField new];
+  textField.attributedText = [[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString:@"Hello"];
+  textField.tintColor = UIColor.redColor;
+  textField.caretHidden = YES;
+
+  UITextPosition *start = textField.beginningOfDocument;
+  UITextPosition *end = [textField positionFromPosition:start offset:textField.attributedText.length];
+  for (NSNumber *notifyDelegate in @[ @YES, @NO ]) {
+    [textField setSelectedTextRange:[textField textRangeFromPosition:start toPosition:end]
+                     notifyDelegate:notifyDelegate.boolValue];
+    XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.tintColor, UIColor.redColor);
+
+    [textField setSelectedTextRange:[textField textRangeFromPosition:end toPosition:end]
+                     notifyDelegate:notifyDelegate.boolValue];
+    XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.tintColor, UIColor.clearColor);
+  }
+}
+
+- (void)testReplacingASelectionHidesTheCaretAgain
+{
+  RCTUITextField *textField = [RCTUITextField new];
+  textField.delegate = nil;
+  textField.attributedText = [[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString:@"Hello"];
+  textField.tintColor = UIColor.redColor;
+  textField.caretHidden = YES;
+  [textField setSelectedTextRange:[textField textRangeFromPosition:textField.beginningOfDocument
+                                                        toPosition:textField.endOfDocument]
+                   notifyDelegate:NO];
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.tintColor, UIColor.redColor);
+
+  [textField insertText:@"X"];
+
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.attributedText.string, @"X");
+  XCTAssertTrue(textField.selectedTextRange.isEmpty);
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.tintColor, UIColor.clearColor);
+}
+
+- (void)testHidingCaretPreservesItsGeometry
+{
+  RCTUITextField *textField = [[RCTUITextField alloc] initWithFrame:CGRectMake(0, 0, 200, 40)];
+  textField.attributedText = [[NSAttributedString alloc] initWithString:@"Hello"];
+  [textField layoutIfNeeded];
+  CGRect visibleCaret = [textField caretRectForPosition:textField.endOfDocument];
+  XCTAssertGreaterThan(visibleCaret.size.width, 0);
+  XCTAssertGreaterThan(visibleCaret.size.height, 0);
+
+  textField.caretHidden = YES;
+
+  XCTAssertTrue(CGRectEqualToRect([textField caretRectForPosition:textField.endOfDocument], visibleCaret));
+}
+
+- (void)testClearingSelectionColorRestoresInheritedTint
+{
+  UIView *parent = [UIView new];
+  parent.tintColor = UIColor.blueColor;
+  RCTUITextField *textField = [RCTUITextField new];
+  [parent addSubview:textField];
+  textField.tintColor = UIColor.redColor;
+  textField.caretHidden = YES;
+
+  textField.tintColor = nil;
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.tintColor, UIColor.clearColor);
+  textField.caretHidden = NO;
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.tintColor, UIColor.blueColor);
+}
+
+- (void)testSwitchingBackingViewsPreservesSelectionColor
+{
+  using namespace facebook::react;
+
+  RCTTextInputComponentView *componentView = [RCTTextInputComponentView new];
+  ContextContainer contextContainer{};
+  PropsParserContext context{-1, contextContainer};
+  RawProps rawProps(folly::dynamic::object("caretHidden", true));
+  RawPropsParser parser;
+  parser.prepare<TextInputProps>();
+  rawProps.parse(parser);
+  auto singleline = std::make_shared<TextInputProps>(context, TextInputProps{}, rawProps);
+  singleline->selectionColor = colorFromRGBA(255, 0, 0, 255);
+  UIColor *selectionColor = RCTUIColorFromSharedColor(singleline->selectionColor);
+  [componentView updateProps:singleline oldProps:nullptr];
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(componentView.subviews.firstObject.tintColor, UIColor.clearColor);
+
+  auto multiline = std::make_shared<TextInputProps>(*singleline);
+  multiline->multiline = true;
+  [componentView updateProps:multiline oldProps:singleline];
+  XCTAssertTrue([componentView.subviews.firstObject isKindOfClass:RCTUITextView.class]);
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(componentView.subviews.firstObject.tintColor, selectionColor);
+
+  [componentView updateProps:singleline oldProps:multiline];
+  RCTUITextField *textField = (RCTUITextField *)componentView.subviews.firstObject;
+  XCTAssertTrue([textField isKindOfClass:RCTUITextField.class]);
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.tintColor, UIColor.clearColor);
+  textField.caretHidden = NO;
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(textField.tintColor, selectionColor);
+}
+
 @end
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/RNTesterPods.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj b/packages/rn-tester/RNTesterPods.xcodeproj/project.pbxproj
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@
 		F1A0B1C23D4E5F6071829302 /* RCTTurboModuleArrayBufferTests.mm in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = F1A0B1C23D4E5F6071829301 /* RCTTurboModuleArrayBufferTests.mm */; };
 		F1A0B1C23D4E5F6071829322 /* RCTTurboModuleStringConversionTests.mm in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = F1A0B1C23D4E5F6071829321 /* RCTTurboModuleStringConversionTests.mm */; };
 		D1A60AD11B9247A080734F02 /* RCTDevLoadingViewTests.m in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = D1A60AD11B9247A080734F01 /* RCTDevLoadingViewTests.m */; };
+		F58158000000000000000002 /* RCTUITextFieldTests.mm in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = F58158000000000000000001 /* RCTUITextFieldTests.mm */; };
+		F58158000000000000000003 /* SwiftTest.swift in Sources */ = {isa = PBXBuildFile; fileRef = 832F45BA2A8A6E1F0097B4E6 /* SwiftTest.swift */; };
 /* End PBXBuildFile section */
 
 /* Begin PBXContainerItemProxy section */
@@ -163,6 +165,7 @@
 		F1A0B1C23D4E5F6071829301 /* RCTTurboModuleArrayBufferTests.mm */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.cpp.objcpp; path = RCTTurboModuleArrayBufferTests.mm; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		F1A0B1C23D4E5F6071829321 /* RCTTurboModuleStringConversionTests.mm */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; fileEncoding = 4; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.cpp.objcpp; path = RCTTurboModuleStringConversionTests.mm; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 		D1A60AD11B9247A080734F01 /* RCTDevLoadingViewTests.m */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.c.objc; path = RCTDevLoadingViewTests.m; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
+		F58158000000000000000001 /* RCTUITextFieldTests.mm */ = {isa = PBXFileReference; lastKnownFileType = sourcecode.cpp.objcpp; name = RCTUITextFieldTests.mm; path = "../../react-native/React/Tests/Text/RCTUITextFieldTests.mm"; sourceTree = "<group>"; };
 /* End PBXFileReference section */
 
 /* Begin PBXFrameworksBuildPhase section */
@@ -346,6 +349,7 @@
 				A975CA6B2C05EADE0043F72A /* RCTNetworkTaskTests.m */,
 				E7DB20BE22B2BAA4005AC45F /* RCTNativeAnimatedNodesManagerTests.m */,
 				E7DB20AD22B2BAA3005AC45F /* RCTPerformanceLoggerTests.m */,
+				F58158000000000000000001 /* RCTUITextFieldTests.mm */,
 				E7DB20C122B2BAA4005AC45F /* RCTUnicodeDecodeTests.m */,
 				E7DB20D022B2BAA5005AC45F /* RCTURLUtilsTests.m */,
 				D5D13FB1445C5C19639921CC /* RCTUtilsTests.m */,
@@ -749,6 +753,8 @@
 			isa = PBXSourcesBuildPhase;
 			buildActionMask = 2147483647;
 			files = (
+				F58158000000000000000002 /* RCTUITextFieldTests.mm in Sources */,
+				F58158000000000000000003 /* SwiftTest.swift in Sources */,
 				A975CA6C2C05EADF0043F72A /* RCTNetworkTaskTests.m in Sources */,
 				E7DB20DF22B2BAA6005AC45F /* RCTImageLoaderTests.m in Sources */,
 				E7DB20D522B2BAA6005AC45F /* RCTPerformanceLoggerTests.m in Sources */,
@@ -1109,6 +1115,7 @@
 				OTHER_SWIFT_FLAGS = "$(inherited)";
 				PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER = com.meta.RNTesterUnitTests;
 				PRODUCT_NAME = "$(TARGET_NAME)";
+				SWIFT_VERSION = 5.0;
 				TARGETED_DEVICE_FAMILY = "1,2";
 			};
 			name = Debug;
@@ -1147,6 +1154,7 @@
 				OTHER_SWIFT_FLAGS = "$(inherited)";
 				PRODUCT_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER = com.meta.RNTesterUnitTests;
 				PRODUCT_NAME = "$(TARGET_NAME)";
+				SWIFT_VERSION = 5.0;
 				TARGETED_DEVICE_FAMILY = "1,2";
 			};
 			name = Release;