[$250] DEV: Blank space above keyboard

[izarutskaya]

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Version Number: v9.2.45-0
Reproducible in staging?: Needs Reproduction (The steps described could not be executed - inaccessible environment)
Reproducible in production?: Needs reproduction
If this was caught during regression testing, add the test name, ID and link from TestRail:
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers):
Logs: https://stackoverflow.com/c/expensify/questions/4856
Expensify/Expensify Issue URL:
Issue reported by: @bernhardoj
Slack conversation (hyperlinked to channel name): #expensify_bugs

Action Performed:

1. Open the new room page
2. Press the Room description field
3. Observe the blank space above keyboard

Expected Result:

No blank space above keyboard

Actual Result:

Blank space above keyboard

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

Select the officially supported platforms where the issue was reproduced:

• Android: App
• Android: mWeb Chrome
• iOS: App
• iOS: mWeb Safari
• iOS: mWeb Chrome
• Windows: Chrome
• MacOS: Chrome / Safari
• MacOS: Desktop

Platforms Tested:

On which of our officially supported platforms was this issue tested:

• Android: App
• Android: mWeb Chrome
• iOS: App
• iOS: mWeb Safari
• iOS: mWeb Chrome
• Windows: Chrome
• MacOS: Chrome / Safari
• MacOS: Desktop

Screenshots/Videos

ios.mp4

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Issue Owner

Current Issue Owner: @bernhardoj

[melvin-bot]

Triggered auto assignment to @bfitzexpensify (Bug), see https://stackoverflow.com/c/expensify/questions/14418 for more details. Please add this bug to a GH project, as outlined in the SO.

[MelvinBot]

This has been labelled "Needs Reproduction". Follow the steps here: https://stackoverflowteams.com/c/expensify/questions/16989

[abzokhattab]

Can reproduce

Steps:

Preconditions: account has a workspace

1. Navigate to: Chats → "+" → "Room"
2. Room name field is auto-focused, keyboard appears
3. Dismiss the keyboard without typing anything
4. Error message "Please enter a room name" appears under the field
5. Tap the Room name field again to refocus it
6. Keyboard reappears

Expected Result:

No blank space above the keyboard. The keyboard should appear directly below the input field.

Actual Result:

Blank space/gap appears on top of the keyboard.

Note: The gap disappears when you start typing (because the error message is removed).

Screen.Recording.2025-11-07.at.12.55.15.mov

[abzokhattab]

its also reproducible on production:

Screen.Recording.2025-11-07.at.13.02.04.mov

I can work on it as C+.

[situchan]

@abzokhattab you tested on iOS 26 but I won't say it's bug on iOS 26+. Rather, we might need to add padding on iOS 26+. Issue: #73240

If we remove padding, "Create room" button will be cut off by site header view.

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Padding on iOS <26 is real bug to fix: (this is the one @bernhardoj reported as bug)

Screen.Recording.2025-11-07.at.6.15.15.PM.mov

[lorretheboy]

Proposal

Please re-state the problem that we are trying to solve in this issue.

Blank space above keyboard

What is the root cause of that problem?

The FormHelpMessage component has a bottom margin (styles.mb1 = 4px) that was creating extra space when the KeyboardAvoidingView calculated the layout. When the error message was present and the keyboard reappeared, this bottom margin was being counted in the layout calculation, creating a visible gap.

App/src/components/TextInput/BaseTextInput/implementation/index.tsx

Lines 515 to 518 in 3a07b88

	<FormHelpMessage
	isError={!!errorText}
	message={inputHelpText}
	/>

What changes do you think we should make in order to solve the problem?

Add mb0

style={styles.mb0}

App/src/components/TextInput/BaseTextInput/implementation/index.tsx

Lines 515 to 518 in 3a07b88

	<FormHelpMessage
	isError={!!errorText}
	message={inputHelpText}
	/>

Do similar to native file

What alternative solutions did you explore? (Optional)

Reminder: Please use plain English, be brief and avoid jargon. Feel free to use images, charts or pseudo-code if necessary. Do not post large multi-line diffs or write walls of text. Do not create PRs unless you have been hired for this job.

[situchan]

@lorretheboy your root cause is not correct. Do you think this is 4px margin? 😄

[lorretheboy]

I already withdrew btw. It was not remove completely

[abzokhattab]

@situchan I think you’re referring to the same bug i mentioned

The only difference is that in iOS 26 there is a bar that lets you go to the next or previous field. If you look below this bar, the gap is still there.

The bar is just a transparent overlay; it doesn’t take up any rendering/layout space.

Here is before and after the gap:

let me know what u think