Keyboard won´t open at initial start

[Djungelfeber]

Guidelines

• [x] I have searched searched open and closed issues for duplicates
• [x] I am submitting a bug report for existing functionality that does not work as intended
• [x] This isn't a feature request or a discussion topic

Bug description

When I launch the Signal app for the first time after a restart, my keyboard (FUTOkeyboard) does not appear. The keyboard shows up if I first press the emoji button and then return to text input, or if I lock the phone and unlock it again. The keyboard appears if the app is running in the background. The issue can be replicated if I force close the app and restart it.

I have isolated the problem to the Signal app. FUTOkeyboard works with, for example, my SMS app, notes app, etc. I have also cleared the cache for both the Signal app and the keyboard app.

Screenshots

No response

Device

Mudita Kompakt

Android version

AOSP 12

Signal version

7.67.1 7.68.4

Link to debug log

https://debuglogs.org/android/7.68.4/b07386ea51769374980b473fe1e372ddd5befe1634749c4aeb2d2430092efa7f

[niftyhack]

I can confirm this exact behaviour.

Huawei Mate 20 lite, Signal 7.67.1, Android 12.0.0.232

[mtang-signal]

For anyone with this issue, could you attach a debug log?

[niftyhack]

For anyone with this issue, could you attach a debug log?

https://debuglogs.org/android/7.67.1/a4f398f996718f7ce69fb757ba633673dda3201e5f599504beaab953f082bdb1

[greyson-signal]

@niftyhack Are you also using FUTO? I installed FUTO and personally cannot reproduce the bug on my Pixel 10 Pro.

[niftyhack]

@niftyhack Are you also using FUTO? I installed FUTO and personally cannot reproduce the bug on my Pixel 10 Pro.

No, I'm using the default keyboard, MS Swiftkey.

[Djungelfeber]

For anyone with this issue, could you attach a debug log?

https://debuglogs.org/android/7.67.1/68635d65c2bbda3e799f48d9c3d78652e89fd90f2eb8a10fe65b550400e10613

[Djungelfeber]

I forgot to mention that I experience the same bug even when I temporarily switch to the phone's stock keyboard.

[niftyhack]

I just noticed that the keyboard also appears...

• after showing the group details in a group chat
• after showing message details of a previously sent message
• after turning on and off the camera in Signal
• after going back from a chat view to the start view, and back to the same chat view

What does not work is going from a chat view to another chat view. Then the keyboard won't open.

I'm not an app developer, but it seems to me that the first “view” (?) of a chat is broken. Returning to the same chat from another “view,” the keyboard appears.

[Djungelfeber]

I am experiencing the same bug with the latest version (7.68.4) as well. Here is my debug log:

https://debuglogs.org/android/7.68.4/b07386ea51769374980b473fe1e372ddd5befe1634749c4aeb2d2430092efa7f

[zentropia]

Same buggy behaviour still observed in version 7.68.5.

Workarounds mentioned by @niftyhack (e.g., touching the camera icon and then going back) seem to restore the keyboard visibility, but only while Signal app is kept open in the background.

[Djungelfeber]

What Android version are you running @zentropia? And what keyboard? (but that seems not to be the problem) @niftyhack and I are both using Android 12; maybe that's what's causing the issues?

[zentropia]

My concerning case occurs on an (even older) Android 11 (OxygenOS 11.1.2.2 in a OnePlus device), and the default Gboard (Google) keyboard.

[Spud455]

Keyboard not coming up for me on Android 12 on Samsung S10e on initial launch. Touching a chat image, camera etc. resolves keyboard bug until next app closure/launch. Using stock Samsung keyboard.

[Joachim-Otahal]

The keyboard shows up if I first press the emoji button and then return to text input

Thank you thank you for that workaround!

Same issue, with standard GBoard, on: Xiaomi Mi 9 (the one variant qith Qi), Android 10 QKQ1.190825.002 Signal 7.68.5

ONLY happens in Signal app, no other app. Started about two weeks ago, i guess?

[emailprivateofcourse-Si]

Exactly same issue on my phone and my wife's phone. We have Samsung A12 mobiles. Running Android 12. Keyboard stopped opening initially after last update. You have to tap three dots then go back and then the Keyboard will open. In fact there are other ways too but all involve taking focus away from chat and going back to it.

[emailprivateofcourse-Si]

For anyone with this issue, could you attach a debug log?

https://debuglogs.org/android/7.68.5/52222f0daa27d81a8da0ec2babc04e0a9d17ed7335f539519700570edef615c1

[emailprivateofcourse-Si]

I have discovered what is causing the problem.

First of all, I cleared the keyboard cache, data etc. and restarted....But in Signal the keyboard not only wouldn't immediately display but also, the Shift key wouldn't remain solid blue or in shift and reverted as if you hadn't tapped it. Drove me crazy. BUT...check this:

If you have turned off Animations under accessibility or another way, turn them back on! They keyboard shows and works as normal. Unforuntately you cannot now have the animations off and have the Signal keyboard work correctly too. I have no idea how this was broken, but it really does need fixing. I tried Hope This Helps.

BTW it is repeateable....turn animations off...keyboard works, turn no animations on, it doesn't

To be 100% clear: I'm talking about the Samsung keyboard when using Signal, not outside of Signal. Keyboard works fine with animations on or off outside of Signal, only when you open Signal and try to type in a chat that it goes things up!

[Djungelfeber]

Thank you for that, @emailprivateofcourse-Si! It seems to be as you describe.

It would be great if it could be resolved. I use Signal on an e-ink screen and have turned off animations for a better user experience. Do you think this can be solved, @greyson-signal, @mtang-signal?

[emailprivateofcourse-Si]

Thank you for that, @emailprivateofcourse-Si! It seems to be as you describe.

Well it enables the keyboard to display but it is still not properly functional. Not recognising key touches so missing characters ...something totally messed up still. Outside of signal everything okay.

So, hopefully Signal devs will fix soon but, also, allow us to rollback to an unborked version. I really would like an older version just to wait it out until this is fixed.

Edit If you have issues like described (key taps not immediately recognised etc) turn off Auto Replace and Auto Space setting under your keyboard settings. I only know it fixes the issue on Samsung A12s running Android 12. Signal is useable now.

[emailprivateofcourse-Si]

Solution:

Backup Signal chats

Install F-Droid if you don't have it already F-Droid settings: Repositories: select Guardian Project Anti-Features: select Tethered Network Services if not ticked Search for Signal Install version 7.66.5 ...not latest / recommended one

You can now turn off animations again under accessibility. Restore your backup. And any keyboard features that worked for you previously will work again. Issue gone..

Hope this helps someone. My wife and I are back to using Signal. Thankfully. Trouble is, we won't know when or if this ever gets fixed so won't be able to update.

[greyson-signal]

@emailprivateofcourse-Si Now that we know that it's animations-disabled-related (which was learned while the team was on holiday break), we will start to look at it.

[mats-ng]

Confirm that the issue exists in version 7.69.2 as well (installed from F-Droid on /e/OS 3.3, using the stock keyboard), but only when opening and trying to reply to a message after starting the app. Disabling the "remove animation" setting fixes the issue as well. When composing a message from scratch, the keyboard is showing, regardless of the animation setting.

[Djungelfeber]

It's still an issue in 7.70.2. Will this be addressed soon, @greyson-signal ? :)

[jeffrey-signal]

This should be fixed in 7.73.0