Set the maximum character length of a UITextField in Swift

Question

I know there are other topics on this but I can't seem to find out how to implement it.

I'm trying to limit a UITextField to only 5 Characters

Preferably Alphanumeric and - and . and _

I've seen this code

func textField(textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange,
                       replacementString string: String) -> Bool
{
    let maxLength = 4
    let currentString: NSString = textField.text
    let newString: NSString =
             currentString.stringByReplacingCharactersInRange(range, withString: string)
    return newString.length <= maxLength
}

and

func textField(textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {

    let length = count(textField.text.utf16) + count(string.utf16) - range.length
    return length <= 10 
}

I just don't know how to actually implement it or which "textfield" should I swap out for my custom named UITextField

Answer 1

1. Your view controller should conform to UITextFieldDelegate, like below:

   class MyViewController: UIViewController, UITextFieldDelegate {
   
   }
   

2. Set the delegate of your textfield: myTextField.delegate = self

3. Implement the method in your view controller : textField(_:shouldChangeCharactersInRange:replacementString:)

All together:

class MyViewController: UIViewController,UITextFieldDelegate  //set delegate to class 

@IBOutlet var mytextField: UITextField             //  textfield variable 

override func viewDidLoad() {
    super.viewDidLoad()
    mytextField.delegate = self                  //set delegate
}


func textField(textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange,
                       replacementString string: String) -> Bool
{
    let maxLength = 4
    let currentString: NSString = textField.text
    let newString: NSString =
             currentString.stringByReplacingCharactersInRange(range, withString: string)
    return newString.length <= maxLength
}

For Swift 4

func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
    let maxLength = 1
    let currentString: NSString = (textField.text ?? "") as NSString
    let newString: NSString =
        currentString.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: string) as NSString
    return newString.length <= maxLength
}

Allowing only a specified set of characters to be entered into a given text field

func textField(textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersInRange range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
  var result = true
  
  if mytextField == numberField {
    if count(string) > 0 {
      let disallowedCharacterSet = NSCharacterSet(charactersInString: "0123456789.-").invertedSet
      let replacementStringIsLegal = string.rangeOfCharacterFromSet(disallowedCharacterSet) == nil
      result = replacementStringIsLegal
    }
  }
 
  return result
}

How to program an iOS text field that takes only numeric input with a maximum length

Answer 2

Modern Swift

Note that much of the example code online regarding this problem is extremely out of date.

Paste the following into any Swift file in your project. (You can name the file anything, for example, "Handy.swift".)

This finally fixes one of the stupidest problems in iOS:

Your text fields now have a .maxLength.

It is completely OK to set that value in storyboard during development, or, set it in code while the app is running.

// simply have this in any Swift file, say, Handy.swift

import UIKit
private var __maxLengths = [UITextField: Int]()
extension UITextField {
    @IBInspectable var maxLength: Int {
        get {
            guard let l = __maxLengths[self] else {
               return 150 // (global default-limit. or just, Int.max)
            }
            return l
        }
        set {
            __maxLengths[self] = newValue
            addTarget(self, action: #selector(fix), for: .editingChanged)
        }
    }
    func fix(textField: UITextField) {
        let t = textField.text
        textField.text = t?.prefix(maxLength).string
    }
}

It's that simple.

---

Footnote - these days to safely truncate a String in swift, you simply .prefix(n)

---

An even simpler one-off version...

The above fixes all text fields in your project.

If you just want one particular text field to simply be limited to say "4", and that's that...

class PinCodeEntry: UITextField {
    
    override func didMoveToSuperview() {
        
        super.didMoveToSuperview()
        addTarget(self, action: #selector(fixMe), for: .editingChanged)
    }
    
    @objc private func fixMe() { text = text?.prefix(4) }
}

Phew! That's all there is to it.

(Just BTW, here's a similar very useful tip relating to UITextView, https://stackoverflow.com/a/42333832/294884 )

---

For the OCD programmer (like me)...

As @LeoDabus reminds, .prefix returns a substring. If you're incredibly caring, this

let t = textField.text
textField.text = t?.prefix(maxLength)

would be

if let t: String = textField.text {
    textField.text = String(t.prefix(maxLength))
}

Enjoy!

Answer 3

Swift 4, simply use:

public func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
    return range.location < 10
}

Answer 4

The same way Steven Schmatz did it but using Swift 3.0 :

//max Length
func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange,
               replacementString string: String) -> Bool
{
    let maxLength = 4
    let currentString: NSString = textField.text! as NSString
    let newString: NSString = currentString.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: string) as NSString
    return newString.length <= maxLength
}

Answer 5

For Swift 5:
Just write one line to set the max char length:

 self.textField.maxLength = 10

For more details click here

Credit: http://www.swiftdevcenter.com/max-character-limit-of-uitextfield-and-allowed-characters-swift/

Answer 6

I think extension is more handy for this. See full answer here

private var maxLengths = [UITextField: Int]()

// 2
extension UITextField {

  // 3
  @IBInspectable var maxLength: Int {
    get {
      // 4
      guard let length = maxLengths[self] else {
        return Int.max
      }
      return length
    }
    set {
      maxLengths[self] = newValue
      // 5
      addTarget(
        self,
        action: #selector(limitLength),
        forControlEvents: UIControlEvents.EditingChanged
      )
    }
  }

  func limitLength(textField: UITextField) {
    // 6
    guard let prospectiveText = textField.text
      where prospectiveText.characters.count > maxLength else {
        return
    }

    let selection = selectedTextRange
    // 7
    text = prospectiveText.substringWithRange(
      Range<String.Index>(prospectiveText.startIndex ..< prospectiveText.startIndex.advancedBy(maxLength))
    )
    selectedTextRange = selection
  }

}

Answer 7

Simple solution without using delegate:

TEXT_FIELD.addTarget(self, action: #selector(editingChanged(sender:)), for: .editingChanged)


@objc private func editingChanged(sender: UITextField) {

        if let text = sender.text, text.count >= MAX_LENGHT {
            sender.text = String(text.dropLast(text.count - MAX_LENGHT))
            return
        }
}

Answer 8

My Swift 4 version of shouldChangeCharactersIn

func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange,
               replacementString string: String) -> Bool {

        guard let preText = textField.text as NSString?,
            preText.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: string).count <= MAX_TEXT_LENGTH else {
            return false
        }

        return true
    }

Answer 9

Other solutions posted above produce a retain cycle due to the textfield map. Besides, the maxLength property should be nullable if not set instead of artificial Int.max constructions; and the target will be set multiple times if maxLength is changed.

Here an updated solution for Swift4 with a weak map to prevent memory leaks and the other fixes

private var maxLengths = NSMapTable<UITextField, NSNumber>(keyOptions: NSPointerFunctions.Options.weakMemory, valueOptions: NSPointerFunctions.Options.strongMemory)

extension UITextField {

    var maxLength: Int? {
        get {
            return maxLengths.object(forKey: self)?.intValue
        }
        set {
            removeTarget(self, action: #selector(limitLength), for: .editingChanged)
            if let newValue = newValue {
                maxLengths.setObject(NSNumber(value: newValue), forKey: self)
                addTarget(self, action: #selector(limitLength), for: .editingChanged)
            } else {
                maxLengths.removeObject(forKey: self)
            }
        }
    }

    @IBInspectable var maxLengthInspectable: Int {
        get {
            return maxLength ?? Int.max
        }
        set {
            maxLength = newValue
        }
    }

    @objc private func limitLength(_ textField: UITextField) {
        guard let maxLength = maxLength, let prospectiveText = textField.text, prospectiveText.count > maxLength else {
            return
        }
        let selection = selectedTextRange
        text = String(prospectiveText[..<prospectiveText.index(from: maxLength)])
        selectedTextRange = selection
    }
}

Answer 10

I give a supplementary answer based on @Frouo. I think his answer is the most beautiful way. Becuase it's a common control we can reuse. And there is no leak problem here.

    private var kAssociationKeyMaxLength: Int = 0

    extension UITextField {

        @IBInspectable var maxLength: Int {
            get {
                if let length = objc_getAssociatedObject(self, &kAssociationKeyMaxLength) as? Int {
                    return length
                } else {
                    return Int.max
                }
            }
            set {
                objc_setAssociatedObject(self, &kAssociationKeyMaxLength, newValue, .OBJC_ASSOCIATION_RETAIN)
                self.addTarget(self, action: #selector(checkMaxLength), for: .editingChanged)
            }
        }

//The method is used to cancel the check when use Chinese Pinyin input method.
        //Becuase the alphabet also appears in the textfield when inputting, we should cancel the check.
        func isInputMethod() -> Bool {
            if let positionRange = self.markedTextRange {
                if let _ = self.position(from: positionRange.start, offset: 0) {
                    return true
                }
            }
            return false
        }


        func checkMaxLength(textField: UITextField) {

            guard !self.isInputMethod(), let prospectiveText = self.text,
                prospectiveText.count > maxLength
                else {
                    return
            }

            let selection = selectedTextRange
            let maxCharIndex = prospectiveText.index(prospectiveText.startIndex, offsetBy: maxLength)
            text = prospectiveText.substring(to: maxCharIndex)
            selectedTextRange = selection
        }



    }

Answer 11

Simply just check with the number of characters in the string

1. Add a delegate to view controller ans asign delegate

    class YorsClassName : UITextFieldDelegate {

    }

2. check the number of chars allowed for textfield

func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
    if textField.text?.count == 1 {
        return false
    }
    return true
}

Note: Here I checked for only char allowed in textField

Answer 12

I have something to add to Aladin's answer:

1. Your view controller should conform to UITextFieldDelegate

   class MyViewController: UIViewController, UITextViewDelegate {
   
   }
   

2. Set the delegate of your textfield: To set the delegate, you can control drag from the textfield to your view controller in the storyboard. I think this is preferable to setting it in code

3. Implement the method in your view controller : textField(_:shouldChangeCharactersInRange:replacementString:)

Answer 13

update for this Fattie answer

thanks

extension UITextField {

    /// Runtime key
    private struct AssociatedKeys {
        /// max lenght key
        static var maxlength: UInt8 = 0
        /// temp string key
        static var tempString: UInt8 = 0
    }

    /// Limit the maximum input length of the textfiled
    @IBInspectable var maxLength: Int {
        get {
            return objc_getAssociatedObject(self, &AssociatedKeys.maxlength) as? Int ?? 0
        }
        set {
            objc_setAssociatedObject(self, &AssociatedKeys.maxlength, newValue, objc_AssociationPolicy.OBJC_ASSOCIATION_RETAIN_NONATOMIC)
            addTarget(self, action: #selector(handleEditingChanged(textField:)), for: .editingChanged)
        }
    }

    /// temp string
    private var tempString: String? {
        get {
            return objc_getAssociatedObject(self, &AssociatedKeys.tempString) as? String
        }
        set {
            objc_setAssociatedObject(self, &AssociatedKeys.tempString, newValue, objc_AssociationPolicy.OBJC_ASSOCIATION_RETAIN_NONATOMIC)
        }
    }

    /// When the text changes, process the amount of text in the input box so that its length is within the controllable range.
    @objc private func handleEditingChanged(textField: UITextField) {

        /// Special Processing for Chinese Input Method
        guard markedTextRange == nil else { return }

        if textField.text?.count == maxLength {

            /// SET lastQualifiedString where text length == max lenght
            tempString = textField.text
        } else if textField.text?.count ?? 0 < maxLength {

            /// clear lastQualifiedString when text lengeht > maxlength
            tempString = nil
        }

        /// keep current text range in arcgives
        let archivesEditRange: UITextRange?

        if textField.text?.count ?? 0 > maxLength {

            /// if text length > maxlength,remove last range,to move to -1 postion.
            let position = textField.position(from: safeTextPosition(selectedTextRange?.start), offset: -1) ?? textField.endOfDocument
            archivesEditRange = textField.textRange(from: safeTextPosition(position), to: safeTextPosition(position))
        } else {

            /// just set current select text range
            archivesEditRange = selectedTextRange
        }

        /// main handle string max length
        textField.text = tempString ?? String((textField.text ?? "").prefix(maxLength))

        /// last config edit text range
        textField.selectedTextRange = archivesEditRange
    }

    /// get safe textPosition
    private func safeTextPosition(_ optionlTextPosition: UITextPosition?) -> UITextPosition {

        /* beginningOfDocument -> The end of the the text document. */
        return optionlTextPosition ?? endOfDocument
    }
}

Answer 14

TextField Limit Character After Block the Text in Swift 4

func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: 
    NSRange,replacementString string: String) -> Bool
{


    if textField == self.txtDescription {
        let maxLength = 200
        let currentString: NSString = textField.text! as NSString
        let newString: NSString = currentString.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: string) as NSString
        return newString.length <= maxLength
    }

    return true


}

Answer 15

Working In Swift4

// STEP 1 set UITextFieldDelegate

    class SignUPViewController: UIViewController , UITextFieldDelegate {

       @IBOutlet weak var userMobileNoTextFiled: UITextField!

        override func viewDidLoad() {
            super.viewDidLoad()

// STEP 2 set delegate
userMobileNoTextFiled.delegate = self //set delegate }

     func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
    //        guard let text = userMobileNoTextFiled.text else { return true }
    //        let newLength = text.count + string.count - range.length
    //        return newLength <= 10
    //    }

// STEP 3 call func

        func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
            let maxLength = 10          // set your need
            let currentString: NSString = textField.text! as NSString
            let newString: NSString =
                currentString.replacingCharacters(in: range, with: string) as NSString
            return newString.length <= maxLength
        }
    }

Answer 16

This answer is for Swift 4, and is pretty straight forward with the ability to let backspace through.

func textField(_ textField: UITextField, 
               shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, 
               replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
    return textField.text!.count < 10 || string == ""
}

Answer 17

I use this step, first Set delegate texfield in viewdidload.

    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()

        textfield.delegate = self

    }

and then shouldChangeCharactersIn after you include UITextFieldDelegate.

extension viewController: UITextFieldDelegate {
    func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
                let newLength = (textField.text?.utf16.count)! + string.utf16.count - range.length
                if newLength <= 8 { 
                    return true
                } else {
                    return false
                }
            }
    }

Answer 18

Just in case, don't forget to guard range size before applying it to the string. Otherwise, you will get crash if the user will do this:

Type maximum length text Insert something (Nothing will be inserted due to length limitation, but iOS doesn't know about it) Undo insertion (You get crash, cause range will be greater than actual string size)

Also, using iOS 13 users can accidentally trigger this by gestures

I suggest you add to your project this

extension String {
    func replace(with text: String, in range: NSRange) -> String? {
        guard range.location + range.length <= self.count else { return nil }
        return (self as NSString).replacingCharacters(in: range, with: text)
    }
}

And use it like this:

func textView(_ textView: UITextView, shouldChangeTextIn range: NSRange, replacementText text: String) -> Bool {
    guard let newText = textView.text.replace(with: text, in: range) else { return false }
    return newText.count < maxNumberOfCharacters
}

Otherwise, you will constantly be getting crashed in your app

Answer 19

Here's a Swift 3.2+ alternative that avoids unnecessary string manipulation. In this case, the maximum length is 10:

func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
    let text = textField.text ?? ""

    return text.count - range.length + string.count <= 10
}

Answer 20

If you have multiple textField that have various length checks on one page I've found an easy and short solution.

class MultipleTextField: UIViewController {

    let MAX_LENGTH_TEXTFIELD_A = 10
    let MAX_LENGTH_TEXTFIELD_B = 11

    lazy var textFieldA: UITextField = {
        let textField = UITextField()
        textField.tag = MAX_LENGTH_TEXTFIELD_A
        textField.delegate = self
        return textField
    }()
    lazy var textFieldB: UITextField = {
        let textField = UITextField()
        textField.tag = MAX_LENGTH_TEXTFIELD_B
        textField.delegate = self
        return textField
    }()
}

extension MultipleTextField: UITextFieldDelegate {
    func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
        return (range.location < textField.tag) && (string.count < textField.tag)
    }
}

Answer 21

1.Set the delegate of your textfield:

 textField.delegate = self

2.Implement the method in your view controller :

// MARK: Text field delegate

extension ViewController: UITextFieldDelegate {
    func textField(_ textField: UITextField, shouldChangeCharactersIn range: NSRange, replacementString string: String) -> Bool {
        return range.location < maxLength (maxLength can be any maximum length you can define)
    }
}