Android EditText delete(backspace) key event

android events android-edittext key
Buda Gavril picture Buda Gavril · Feb 3, 2011 · Viewed 130.8k times · Source

How can I detect delete (backspace) key event for a editText? I've tried using TextWatcher, but when the editText is empty, when I press delete key, nothing happens. I want to detect delete key press foe an editText even if it has no text.

Answer

Labeeb Panampullan picture Labeeb Panampullan · Feb 3, 2011

NOTE: onKeyListener doesn't work for soft keyboards.

You can set OnKeyListener for you editText so you can detect any key press
EDIT: A common mistake we are checking KeyEvent.KEYCODE_BACK for backspace, but really it is KeyEvent.KEYCODE_DEL (Really that name is very confusing! )

editText.setOnKeyListener(new OnKeyListener() {                 
    @Override
    public boolean onKey(View v, int keyCode, KeyEvent event) {
        //You can identify which key pressed buy checking keyCode value with KeyEvent.KEYCODE_
        if(keyCode == KeyEvent.KEYCODE_DEL) {  
            //this is for backspace
        }
        return false;       
    }
});

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