Adds three methods, `showToolbar`, `insertTextPlaceholder`, and `removeTextPlaceholder` to the `TextInputClient` interface to allow the iOS 14 Scribble feature to insert and remove text placeholders and show the toolbar.
Original behavior
As of iOS 14, iPads support the Scribble feature when using the Apple Pencil. This feature allows users to use the pencil to interact with text fields to add, delete, select, and modify text.
New behavior
In native text widgets, the text toolbar is shown when a user uses the pencil to select text on an iPad running iOS 14 or higher. To replicate this behavior, the platform sends a `textInput` channel message called `TextInputClient.showToolbar`. This notifies the Dart code that the toolbar should be shown.
- Who is affected
- Applications and packages relying on the previous behaviour or signature. Code that uses TextInputClient, TextInputClient.showToolbar, TextInputClient.insertTextPlaceholder and related APIs.
- Practical impact
- Behaviour or API differences that can break builds or change runtime behaviour.
- What action should I take?
- Follow the official migration guide below, update affected call sites, run `dart fix --apply` where a fix is available, then run your tests.
Before and after (from the official guide)
| 1 | class MyCustomTextInputClient implements TextInputClient { | |
| 2 | ... | |
| 3 | } |
| 1 | class MyCustomTextInputClient implements TextInputClient { | |
| 2 | ... | |
| 3 | + | @override |
| 4 | + | void showToolbar() { |
| 5 | + | ... |
| 6 | + | } |
| 7 | + | |
| 8 | + | @override |
| 9 | + | void insertTextPlaceholder(Size size) { |
| 10 | + | ... |
| 11 | + | } |
| 12 | + | |
| 13 | + | @override |
| 14 | + | void removeTextPlaceholder() { |
| 15 | + | ... |
| 16 | + | } |
| 17 | } |
Raw before / after
class MyCustomTextInputClient implements TextInputClient {
...
}class MyCustomTextInputClient implements TextInputClient {
...
@override
void showToolbar() {
...
}
@override
void insertTextPlaceholder(Size size) {
...
}
@override
void removeTextPlaceholder() {
...
}
}Official migration guide (excerpt, © The Flutter Authors, CC BY 3.0)
If you previously implemented TextEditingClient, you must override
showToolbar, insertTextPlaceholder, and removeTextPlaceholder to either
support these Scribble features or provide an empty implementation.
To migrate, implement showToolbar, insertTextPlaceholder, and
removeTextPlaceholder.
Code before migration:
class MyCustomTextInputClient implements TextInputClient {
...
}Code after migration:
class MyCustomTextInputClient implements TextInputClient {
...
@override
void showToolbar() {
...
}
@override
void insertTextPlaceholder(Size size) {
...
}
@override
void removeTextPlaceholder() {
...
}
}AI_PROVIDER (for example to openai-compatible with a local Ollama or LM Studio endpoint) to enable grounded explanations. Everything else on this page works without an AI provider.Listed in the official breaking-changes index (docs.flutter.dev/release/breaking-changes).
An official announcement or migration guide documents an intended behaviour or API change. A verified source change (git diff) shows code changed but does not by itself prove a public API is breaking. AI interpretations are labelled and never used to classify a change.
- Official migration guide
- 24224: Support Scribble Handwriting (engine)
- 75472: Support Scribble Handwriting
- 97437: Re-land Support Scribble Handwriting
- TextInputClient
- Issue 61278
- Source commit
- b3045439b7c0
- Source last updated
- Oct 21, 2026
- Last synchronized
- Oct 21, 2026
- Publication status
- published
Publication history
- Oct 21, 2026, 8:31 PM: new → published (ingestion) — Backed by an official breaking-change/migration guide.
AI_PROVIDER (for example to openai-compatible with a local Ollama or LM Studio endpoint) to enable grounded explanations. Everything else on this page works without an AI provider.