---
title: "TextInputService"
description: "Handles communication with the IME. Informs about the IME changes via [EditCommand]s and provides
utilities for working with software keyboard.

This class is responsible for ensuring there is only one open [TextInputSession] which will
interact with software keyboards. Start new a TextInputSession by calling [startInput] and close
it with [stopInput]."
type: "class"
---

<div class='type'>Class</div>


<a id='references'></a>

<div class='sourceset sourceset-common'>Common</div>


> **Deprecated** Use PlatformTextInputModifierNode instead.

```kotlin
open class TextInputService(private val platformTextInputService: PlatformTextInputService)
```


Handles communication with the IME. Informs about the IME changes via `EditCommand`s and provides
utilities for working with software keyboard.

This class is responsible for ensuring there is only one open `TextInputSession` which will
interact with software keyboards. Start new a TextInputSession by calling `startInput` and close
it with `stopInput`.


## Functions

```kotlin
open fun startInput(
        value: TextFieldValue,
        imeOptions: ImeOptions,
        onEditCommand: (List<EditCommand>) -> Unit,
        onImeActionPerformed: (ImeAction) -> Unit,
    ): TextInputSession
```


Start text input session for given client.

If there is a previous `TextInputSession` open, it will immediately be closed by this call to
`startInput`.

#### Parameters

| | |
| --- | --- |
| value | initial `TextFieldValue` |
| imeOptions | IME configuration |
| onEditCommand | callback to inform about changes requested by IME |
| onImeActionPerformed | callback to inform if an IME action such as `ImeAction.Done` etc occurred. |



```kotlin
@InternalTextApi
    @RestrictTo(RestrictTo.Scope.LIBRARY_GROUP)
    fun startInput()
```


Restart input and show the keyboard. This should only be called when starting a new
`PlatformTextInputModifierNode.textInputSession`.


```kotlin
open fun stopInput(session: TextInputSession)
```


Stop text input session.

If the `session` is not the currently open session, no action will occur.

#### Parameters

| | |
| --- | --- |
| session | the session returned by `startInput` call. |



```kotlin
@InternalTextApi
    @RestrictTo(RestrictTo.Scope.LIBRARY_GROUP)
    fun stopInput()
```

```kotlin
fun showSoftwareKeyboard()
```


Request showing onscreen keyboard.

This call will be ignored if there is not an open `TextInputSession`, as it means there is
nothing that will accept typed input. The most common way to open a TextInputSession is to
set the focus to an editable text composable.

There is no guarantee that the keyboard will be shown. The software keyboard or system
service may silently ignore this request.


```kotlin
fun hideSoftwareKeyboard(): Unit
```


Hide onscreen keyboard.