Text input is where layout, system behavior and third-party software meet. Your app may look fine on your keyboard and break on a tester's. Run these checks on at least two phones, and with at least two keyboards if you can (the default one and a popular alternative).
Checklist
- Field not hidden by the keyboard. Tap the lowest field on each screen. Expect: the field and the action button stay visible or scroll into view. Why: the keyboard covers a large part of the screen, and a hidden submit button blocks users.
- Landscape. Rotate while typing. Expect: the text stays, the field remains usable. Why: in landscape the keyboard may take nearly the whole screen.
- Correct keyboard type. Check email, number, phone, password and URL fields. Expect: each shows a fitting keyboard. Why: a wrong type is a quiet source of friction and typos.
- Action key behaves. Check the keyboard's Next, Done and Search keys. Expect: Next moves to the next field in a logical order; Done closes the keyboard and submits where sensible.
- Autofill. With a password manager or the system autofill service enabled, open the sign-in screen. Expect: suggestions appear for the right fields and fill them correctly. Why: unlabelled fields confuse autofill. If you can, test with a manager that is installed, not just the system one.
- Paste. Paste long text, text with line breaks and text with trailing spaces into fields. Expect: sensible trimming, no crash. Why: pasted emails often carry a trailing space.
- Long text. Enter a very long string in every free-text field. Expect: no overflow of the layout, no crash, a clear limit if there is one.
- Special characters and emoji. Try accents, umlauts, non-Latin scripts, right-to-left text, and emoji. Expect: the same text comes back when saved and shown again. Why: encoding and length counting errors show up here.
- Voice input and swipe typing. Dictate a sentence; use gesture typing. Expect: the field handles composing text and does not trigger validation too early.
- Validation messages. Submit empty and wrong values. Expect: error text appears near the field, remains visible with the keyboard open, and is readable.
- Return to the field after interruption. Type, switch to another app, come back. Expect: the typed text is still there.
- Hardware keyboard. If your audience may use tablets or foldables, connect a keyboard. Expect: Tab moves focus in order, Enter submits.
- Large font and display size. Raise both in system settings and revisit forms. Expect: labels and fields still fit. See also the accessibility test.
- Low-end phone. Type quickly on a weak device. Expect: no lag between keys, no dropped characters. See entry-level phones.
Quick notes for the developer
- Give each field a clear label and the right input type.
- Prefer scrolling layouts for forms over fixed ones.
- Test with the keyboard open in every screen that has a text field, not only on the sign-in screen.
What to ask the tester
Write down phone model, keyboard app and version, the field, the text entered, and what happened. A screen recording shows keyboard issues better than words.
Part of the Android app testing guide.
Want testers to try your forms on their own keyboards? Start free and get private, structured feedback.