Fix: Modal Shifts Too High With Keyboard On Android (Expo 52)

Aug 13, 2025 by Luna Greco 62 views

SDK 0.76.9 (Expo 52) Modal Issue: Keyboard Pushing Modal Too High on Android

Hey everyone! Today, we're diving deep into a peculiar issue that some React Native developers have encountered while using SDK 0.76.9 (Expo 52) on Android. Specifically, we're talking about a scenario where a modal dialog shifts upwards excessively when the keyboard appears. This can be quite frustrating, leading to a poor user experience. Let's break down the problem, explore potential causes, and discuss solutions to get your modals behaving as expected.

Understanding the Modal Behavior with Keyboard on Android

When dealing with React Native keyboard interactions, especially concerning modals on Android, things can get tricky. The expected behavior is that when a keyboard pops up, it should push the modal up just enough to keep the focused input field visible. However, in certain situations, the modal can shoot up way too high, obscuring crucial parts of the UI and making it difficult for users to interact with the modal. This issue seems to be more prevalent in Expo 52 with SDK 0.76.9, suggesting a potential quirk within this specific configuration.

The core of the problem often lies in how Android handles screen resizing when the keyboard is displayed. Android provides different windowSoftInputMode options in the AndroidManifest.xml, such as adjustResize and adjustPan. These modes dictate how the screen should adjust when the keyboard appears. Typically, adjustResize is used to resize the entire screen, which includes pushing the modal up. However, if not handled correctly, this can result in an overly aggressive upward shift.

Another factor contributing to this issue is the way modal dialogs are implemented in React Native. Modals are often rendered as separate views that overlay the rest of the application. While this provides flexibility, it also means that the modal's positioning and sizing need to be carefully managed, especially when considering keyboard interactions. The interplay between the modal's styling, the screen's windowSoftInputMode, and the keyboard's appearance can create unexpected results.

To further complicate matters, the dimensions and layout of the content within the modal play a crucial role. If the modal's content is not properly constrained or if it contains elements that take up a significant portion of the screen, the keyboard may push the modal up more than necessary to accommodate the input field. This is why a thorough understanding of the modal's structure and styling is essential for troubleshooting this issue. We will dig deeper into solutions shortly, but first, let’s look at a minimal reproducible example of this issue.

Minimal Reproducible Example: A Closer Look

To really get to the bottom of this, let's examine a minimal reproducible example. This will give you a hands-on understanding of the issue and make it easier to test potential fixes. The following code snippet demonstrates a basic modal setup with a text input. When the input is focused on Android devices running SDK 0.76.9 (Expo 52), you might notice the modal shooting upward excessively.

import {
 SafeAreaView,
 Dimensions,
 View,
 Modal,
 TouchableOpacity,
 TextInput,
 Text,
} from "react-native";
import { useState } from "react";

const App = () => {
 const [modalVisible, setModalVisible] = useState(false);

 return (
 <SafeAreaView style={{ flex: 1 }}>
 <TouchableOpacity
 style={{
 backgroundColor: "lightblue",
 padding: 20,
 margin: 20,
 alignItems: "center",
 }}
 onPress={() => setModalVisible(true)}
 >
 Open Modal
 </TouchableOpacity>

 <Modal
 visible={modalVisible}
 animationType="slide"
 transparent={true}
 onRequestClose={() => setModalVisible(false)}
 >
 <View
 style={{
 flex: 1,
 justifyContent: "center",
 alignItems: "center",
 backgroundColor: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)",
 }}
 >
 <View
 style={{
 width: Dimensions.get("window").width * 0.8,
 backgroundColor: "white",
 padding: 20,
 borderRadius: 10,
 }}
 >
 <Text style={{ fontSize: 20, marginBottom: 10 }}>Modal Content</Text>
 <TextInput
 style={{
 height: 40,
 borderColor: "gray",
 borderWidth: 1,
 marginBottom: 20,
 paddingHorizontal: 10,
 }}
 placeholder="Enter text"
 />
 <TouchableOpacity
 style={{
 backgroundColor: "lightgreen",
 padding: 10,
 alignItems: "center",
 }}
 onPress={() => setModalVisible(false)}
 >
 Close Modal
 </TouchableOpacity>
 </View>
 </View>
 </Modal>
 </SafeAreaView>
 );
};

export default App;

This example creates a simple modal containing a text input field. When you run this code on an Android device with Expo 52, and you focus on the text input, you may observe the modal shifting upwards more than expected. This example code serves as a perfect starting point for experimenting with different solutions and understanding how various factors contribute to the issue. You can copy this code, run it in your Expo environment, and directly observe the problem. From there, you can start tweaking different aspects, such as the modal's styling, the windowSoftInputMode, or the content layout, to see how they affect the modal's behavior.

Diving into Solutions: How to Fix the Modal Issue

Okay, so we've identified the problem and have a reproducible example. Now, let's talk solutions! There are several approaches you can take to address this modal upward shifting issue on Android. It's worth trying them one by one, as the optimal solution can vary depending on your specific app structure and requirements.

1. Adjusting `windowSoftInputMode` in `AndroidManifest.xml`

As mentioned earlier, the windowSoftInputMode attribute in your AndroidManifest.xml file plays a crucial role in how your app handles keyboard visibility. By default, Expo apps often use adjustResize, which resizes the entire screen when the keyboard appears. While this works in many cases, it can lead to the modal shifting too much. A potential solution is to switch to adjustPan or adjustNothing.

adjustPan: This option pans the screen to ensure the focused input is visible, without resizing the entire screen. This can prevent the modal from shifting excessively, but it might also obscure other parts of your UI.
adjustNothing: As the name suggests, this option does nothing to the screen when the keyboard appears. You'll need to handle the keyboard visibility and modal positioning manually.

To modify the windowSoftInputMode, you'll need to use Expo's configuration file, app.json or app.config.js. Add the following within the android section:

{
 "expo": {
 // ... other configurations
 "android": {
 "softwareKeyboardLayoutMode": "pan", // or "nothing"
 // ... other Android configurations
 }
 }
}

After making this change, rebuild your app and test if the modal behavior improves. Keep in mind that you might need to adjust other parts of your UI to ensure everything remains visible and functional.

2. Using `KeyboardAvoidingView`

React Native's KeyboardAvoidingView component is designed to automatically adjust its height based on the keyboard's visibility. You can wrap your modal content with KeyboardAvoidingView to potentially mitigate the issue. Here's how you can use it:

import { KeyboardAvoidingView, Platform } from "react-native";

// Inside your modal content view
<KeyboardAvoidingView
 behavior={Platform.OS === "ios" ? "padding" : "height"}
 style={{ flex: 1 }}
>
 {/* Your modal content here */ }
</KeyboardAvoidingView>

The behavior prop is essential here. On iOS, padding is often the most effective choice, while on Android, height usually works better. KeyboardAvoidingView measures the keyboard's height and adjusts the layout accordingly. This can help prevent the modal from being pushed too far up, ensuring a more stable and predictable user experience. However, you may need to experiment with different behaviors and styles to achieve the desired outcome. Sometimes, combining KeyboardAvoidingView with other techniques, such as adjusting the windowSoftInputMode, might be necessary.

3. Manual Keyboard Height Handling

For more fine-grained control, you can manually handle the keyboard's height and adjust the modal's position accordingly. This involves using the Keyboard API from React Native to listen for keyboard events (keyboardDidShow and keyboardDidHide) and then adjusting the modal's style based on the keyboard height.

import { Keyboard, Animated, Easing } from "react-native";
import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";

const App = () => {
 const [modalVisible, setModalVisible] = useState(false);
 const keyboardHeight = useRef(new Animated.Value(0)).current;

 useEffect(() => {
 const keyboardDidShowListener = Keyboard.addListener(
 "keyboardDidShow",
 (event) => {
 Animated.timing(keyboardHeight, {
 toValue: event.endCoordinates.height,
 duration: 250,
 easing: Easing.linear,
 useNativeDriver: false,
 }).start();
 }
 );
 const keyboardDidHideListener = Keyboard.addListener(
 "keyboardDidHide",
 () => {
 Animated.timing(keyboardHeight, {
 toValue: 0,
 duration: 250,
 easing: Easing.linear,
 useNativeDriver: false,
 }).start();
 }
 );

 return () => {
 keyboardDidShowListener.remove();
 keyboardDidHideListener.remove();
 };
 }, []);

 return (
 <SafeAreaView style={{ flex: 1 }}>
 <TouchableOpacity
 style={{
 backgroundColor: "lightblue",
 padding: 20,
 margin: 20,
 alignItems: "center",
 }}
 onPress={() => setModalVisible(true)}
 >
 Open Modal
 </TouchableOpacity>

 <Modal
 visible={modalVisible}
 animationType="slide"
 transparent={true}
 onRequestClose={() => setModalVisible(false)}
 >
 <View
 style={{
 flex: 1,
 justifyContent: "center",
 alignItems: "center",
 backgroundColor: "rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5)",
 paddingBottom: keyboardHeight,
 }}
 >
 <View
 style={{
 width: Dimensions.get("window").width * 0.8,
 backgroundColor: "white",
 padding: 20,
 borderRadius: 10,
 }}
 >
 <Text style={{ fontSize: 20, marginBottom: 10 }}>Modal Content</Text>
 <TextInput
 style={{
 height: 40,
 borderColor: "gray",
 borderWidth: 1,
 marginBottom: 20,
 paddingHorizontal: 10,
 }}
 placeholder="Enter text"
 />
 <TouchableOpacity
 style={{
 backgroundColor: "lightgreen",
 padding: 10,
 alignItems: "center",
 }}
 onPress={() => setModalVisible(false)}
 >
 Close Modal
 </TouchableOpacity>
 </View>
 </View>
 </Modal>
 </SafeAreaView>
 );
};

export default App;

In this approach, we listen for keyboard events and update the modal's bottom padding using an animated value. This allows for a smooth transition as the keyboard appears and disappears. This method provides the most control but also requires more code and careful adjustment to ensure the modal behaves correctly across different devices and screen sizes. Experimenting with animation curves and durations can also enhance the user experience.

4. Check Expo and React Native Versions Compatibility

Sometimes, issues like this can arise due to incompatibilities between Expo versions, React Native versions, and other dependencies. Ensure that you're using compatible versions of all your libraries. Check the Expo documentation and React Native release notes for any known issues or compatibility guidelines. If you've recently upgraded any of your dependencies, try downgrading them one by one to see if that resolves the problem. Additionally, ensure that your Expo CLI and Expo Go app are up to date, as outdated tools can sometimes lead to unexpected behavior.

5. Modal Presentation Style (Android)

On Android, you might also consider experimenting with different modal presentation styles. React Native modals don't expose this directly, but if you're using a library for more advanced modal behavior, it might offer options to control the modal's presentation style. Different styles can affect how the modal interacts with the keyboard and the overall screen layout. While this is a less common solution, it's worth exploring if other methods haven't yielded the desired results.

Wrapping Up: Getting Your Modals to Behave

The issue of a modal shifting upward too much when the keyboard appears on Android in Expo 52 with SDK 0.76.9 can be a real head-scratcher. But, armed with the knowledge of how Android handles keyboard visibility, how React Native modals work, and the various solutions we've discussed, you should be well-equipped to tackle this problem.

Remember, the key is to understand the interplay between the windowSoftInputMode, the modal's layout, and the keyboard's behavior. Start by adjusting the windowSoftInputMode in your app.json or app.config.js. If that doesn't fully resolve the issue, try wrapping your modal content with KeyboardAvoidingView. For more granular control, consider manually handling keyboard events and adjusting the modal's position accordingly.

And hey, don't forget to check for version compatibility issues and consider experimenting with different modal presentation styles if you're using a library that offers them.

By systematically trying these solutions and thoroughly testing on your target devices, you'll be able to get your modals behaving exactly as you intend, providing a smooth and seamless user experience. Happy coding, guys! If you have any further questions or need additional assistance, feel free to reach out. We're all in this together!