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PHPickerViewController No Auto Focus
The issue is, I cannot auto acquire bluetooth keyboard focus in PHPickerViewController after enabling 'Full Keyboard Access' in my IPhone 14 with iOS version 18.3.1. The keyboard focus in PHPickerViewController will show, however, after I tapped on the blank space of the PHPickerViewController. How to make the focus on at the first place then? I'm using UINavigationController and calling setNavigationBarHidden(true, animated: false). Then I use this controller to present PHPickerViewController using some configuration setup below. self.configuration = PHPickerConfiguration() configuration.filter = .any(of: filters) configuration.selectionLimit = selectionLimit if #available(iOS 15.0, *), allowOrdering { configuration.selection = .ordered } configuration.preferredAssetRepresentationMode = .current Finally I set the delegate to PHPickerViewController and call UINavigationController.present(PHPickerViewController, animated: true) to render it. Also I notice animation showing in first video then disappear.
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Mar ’25
VoiceOver Headings Accessibility Rotor with SwiftUI on iOS
Hi, On iOS, I'd like to mark views that are inside a LazyVStack as headers for VoiceOver (make them appear in the headings rotor). In a VStack, you just have add .accessibilityAddTraits(.isHeader) to your header view. However, if your view is in a LazyVStack, that won't work if the view is not visible. As its name implies, LazyVStack is lazy so that makes sense. There is very little information online about system rotors, but it seems you are supposed to use .accessibilityRotor() with the headings system rotor (.accessibilityRotor(.headings)) outside of the LazyVStack. Something like the following. .accessibilityRotor(.headings) { ForEach(entries) { entry in // entry.id must be the same as the id of the SwiftUI view it is about AccessibilityRotorEntry(entry.name, id: entry.id) } } It kinds of work, but only kind of. When using .accessibilityAddTraits(.isHeader) in a VStack, the view is in the headings rotor as soon as you change screen. However, when using .accessibilityRotor(.headings), the headers (headings?) are not in the headings rotor at the time the screen appears. You have to move the accessibility focus inside the screen before your headers show up. I'm a beginner in regards to VoiceOver, so I don't know how a blind user used to VoiceOver would perceive this, but it feels to me that having to move the focus before the headers are in the headings rotor would mean some users would miss them. So my question is: is there a way to have headers inside a LazyVStack (and are not necessarily visible at first) to be in the headings rotor as soon as the screen appears? (be it using .accessibilityRotor(.headings) or anything else) The "SwiftUI Accessibility: Beyond the basics" talk from WWDC 2021 mentions custom rotors, not system rotors, but that should be close enough. It mentions that for accessibilityRotor to work properly it has to be applied on an accessibility container, so just in case I tried to move my .accessibilityRotor(.headings) to multiple places, with and without the accessibilityElement(children: .contain) modifier, but that did not seem to change the behavior (and I could not understand why accessibilityRotor could not automatically make the view it is applied on an accessibility container if needed). Also, a related question: when using .accessibilityRotor(.headings) on a screen, is it fine to mix uses of .accessibilityRotor(.headings) and .accessibilityRotor(.headings)? In a screen with multiple type of contents (something like ScrollView { VStack { MyHeader(); LazyVStack { /* some content */ }; LazyVStack { /* something else */ } } }), having to declare all headers in one place would make code reusability harder. Thanks
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108
Jun ’25
Proposal: Using ARKit Body Tracking & LiDAR for Sign Language Education (Real-time Feedback)
Hi everyone, I’ve been analyzing the current state of Sign Language accessibility tools, and I noticed a significant gap in learning tools: we lack real-time feedback for students (e.g., "Is my hand position correct?"). Most current solutions rely on 2D video processing, which struggles with depth perception and occlusion (hand-over-hand or hand-over-face gestures), which are critical in Sign Language grammar. I'd like to propose/discuss an architecture leveraging the current LiDAR + Neural Engine capabilities found in iPhone devices to solve this. The Concept: Skeleton-based Normalization Instead of training ML models on raw video frames (which introduces noise from lighting, skin tone, and clothing), we could use ARKit's Body Tracking to abstract the input. Capture: Use ARKit/LiDAR to track the user's upper body and hand joints in 3D space. Data Normalization: Extract only the vector coordinates (X, Y, Z of joints). This creates a "clean" dataset, effectively normalizing the user regardless of physical appearance. Comparison: Feed these vectors into a CoreML model trained on "Reference Skeletons" (recorded by native signers). Feedback Loop: The app calculates the geometric distance between the user's pose and the reference pose to provide specific correction (e.g., "Raise your elbow 10 degrees"). Why this approach? Solves Occlusion: LiDAR handles depth much better than standard RGB cameras when hands cross the body. Privacy: We are processing coordinates, not video streams. Efficiency: Comparing vector sequences is computationally cheaper than video analysis, preserving battery life. Has anyone experimented with using ARKit Body Anchors specifically for comparing complex gesture sequences against a stored "correct" database? I believe this "Skeleton First" approach is the key to scalable Sign Language education apps. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.
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Dec ’25
AirPlay connection to a large monitor
I created a desktop app for Mac using Xojo. The app has a controller in the main window and displays advertisements and notices on a connected external display. I'm currently connecting my iMac24 to a REGZA-55M550M via AirPlay, and displaying video from the iMac to the REGZA, but the connection occasionally drops out. Yesterday, the connection dropped about 3.5 hours after connecting. Of course, I have other apps running on the iMac, but I'm not using any operations that would put a strain on the network or memory. Does AirPlay connection to non-Apple products become unstable over long periods of time?
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687
Sep ’25
VoiceOver Not Scrolling to Focused TableView Cell
I have a view dynamically overlaid on a UITableView with proper padding (added when certain conditions are met). When VoiceOver focuses on a cell beneath this overlay, the focused element does not scroll into view. I’ve noticed similar behavior in Apple’s first-party Podcasts app. Please find the attached image for reference. How can I resolve this issue and ensure VoiceOver scrolls the focused cell into view?
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210
Apr ’25
Frames rotated and shifted in landscape for iOS simulator
When I try to get the frames of a AXUIElementRef using AXUIElementCopyAttributeValue(element, (CFStringRef)attribute, &result) the frames are shifted and rotated on the iOS simulator. I get the same frames when using the Accessibility Inspector when the Max is selected as the host. When I switch the host to the iOS simulator the frames are correct. How is the Accessibility Inspector getting the correct frames? And how can I do the same in my app?
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137
Jun ’25
pairedUUIDsDidChangeNotification never fires, even with MFi hearing aids paired
Hi everyone — I’m implementing the new Hearing Device Support API described here: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/accessibility/hearing-device-support I have MFi hearing aids paired and visible under Settings → Accessibility → Hearing Devices, and I’ve added the com.apple.developer.hearing.aid.app entitlement (and also tested with Wireless Accessory Configuration: https://developer.apple.com/documentation/bundleresources/entitlements/com.apple.external-accessory.wireless-configuration ). com.apple.developer.hearing.aid.app xxxxx but the app won't even compile with this entitlement Problem NotificationCenter.default.addObserver(...) for pairedUUIDsDidChangeNotification never fires — not on app launch, not after pairing/unpairing, and not after reconnecting the hearing aids. Because the notification never triggers, calls like: HearingDeviceSession.shared.pairedDevices always return an empty list. What I expected According to the docs, the notification should be posted whenever paired device UUIDs change, and the session should expose those devices — but nothing happens. Questions Does the hearing.aid.app entitlement require special approval from Apple beyond adding it to the entitlements file? Is there a way to verify that iOS is actually honoring this entitlement? Has anyone successfully received this notification on a real device? Any help or confirmation would be greatly appreciated.
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650
Dec ’25
iPadOS 26 Floating Keyboard jumping up and down
Using the floating keyboard extensively. Often It starts to jump up and down. I have to pinch out to see the large version and pinch in again to restore the floating version. Sometimes just touching a key sets it off. Sometimes returning to a window from which the keyboard is displayed starts the issue. This was never a problem in ipad os 18.
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498
Sep ’25
Please consider having Name Recognition in a shortcut automation
Request: Name Recognition → Shortcut for SOS Flashlight + Vibration Right now, iOS Name Recognition works, but all I can do is flash the tiny notification light. It would be much more useful if Name Recognition could trigger a Shortcut. That way, I could set it to flash the flashlight in an SOS pattern and vibrate, making the alert impossible to miss. I tried using Custom Alarm, but it won’t let me record my spoken name, so it doesn’t really solve the problem. If Apple allowed Name Recognition to trigger Shortcuts — or expanded “Custom” to support names/words — this would open up far more practical, real-world alerts.
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640
Sep ’25
Camera Crashes
Hi everybody, I'm trying to build a QR-Code Scanner and Generator App for IOS. Whenever I try to implement the camera the app crashes with this comment: This app has crashed because it attempted to access privacy-sensitive data without a usage description. The app's Info.plist must contain an NSCameraUsageDescription key with a string value explaining to the user how the app uses this data. I tried to reduce the app to the minimum of nothing but camera with the same result. Any ideas? Tank you and best Regards Horst Schippers
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Apr ’25
How to Ensure Data Privacy with VoiceOver Reading Sensitive Information?
VoiceOver reads out all visible content on the screen, which is essential for visually challenged users. However, this raises a privacy concern—what if a user accidentally focuses on sensitive information, like a bank account password, and it gets read aloud? How can developers prevent VoiceOver from exposing confidential data while still maintaining accessibility? Are there best practices or recommended approaches to handle such scenarios effectively?
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452
Mar ’25
FocusState Issue in iOS 18 with Keyboard Navigation
I have implemented a SwiftUI view containing a grid of TextField elements, where focus moves automatically to the next field upon input. This behavior works well on iOS 16 and 17, maintaining proper focus highlighting when keyboard full access is enabled. However, in iOS 18 and above, the keyboard full access focus behaves differently. It always stays behind the actual focus state, causing a mismatch between the visually highlighted field and the active text input. This leads to usability issues, especially for users navigating with an external keyboard. Below is the SwiftUI code for reference: struct AutoFocusGridTextFieldsView: View { private let fieldCount: Int private let columns: Int @State private var textFields: [String] @FocusState private var focusedField: Int? init(fieldCount: Int = 17, columns: Int = 5) { self.fieldCount = fieldCount self.columns = columns _textFields = State(initialValue: Array(repeating: "", count: fieldCount)) } var body: some View { let rows = (fieldCount / columns) + (fieldCount % columns == 0 ? 0 : 1) VStack(spacing: 10) { ForEach(0..<rows, id: \.self) { row in HStack(spacing: 10) { ForEach(0..<columns, id: \.self) { col in let index = row * columns + col if index < fieldCount { TextField("", text: $textFields[index]) .frame(width: 40, height: 40) .multilineTextAlignment(.center) .textFieldStyle(RoundedBorderTextFieldStyle()) .focused($focusedField, equals: index) .onChange(of: textFields[index]) { newValue in if newValue.count > 1 { textFields[index] = String(newValue.prefix(1)) } if !textFields[index].isEmpty { moveToNextField(from: index) } } } } } } } .padding() .onAppear { focusedField = 0 } } private func moveToNextField(from index: Int) { if index + 1 < fieldCount { focusedField = index + 1 } } } struct AutoFocusGridTextFieldsView_Previews: PreviewProvider { static var previews: some View { AutoFocusGridTextFieldsView(fieldCount: 10, columns: 5) } } Has anyone else encountered this issue with FocusState in iOS 18? I really do believe that this is a bug strictly connected to keyboard navigation since I experienced similar problem also on UIKit equivalent of the view. Any insights or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!
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619
Mar ’25
SwiftUI List Accessibility VoiceOver
I have been working on a feature, where I have a List in SwiftUI with previous and next data loading, user can scroll up and down to load previous/next page data. Recently, I faced one accessibility issue while testing voice-over, when user lands on the listing screen and swipe across the screen from navigation and when focus comes on list it should highlight the first item visible. But when user swipes back: Should it load the previous data and announce the previous item or it should go back to the navigation items? If it loads the previous item, what if the user wants to go to the navigation to switch to other actions and vice-versa? Did anyone come across this kind of issue? What can be the standard expected behavior in this case if list has both previous and next page scroll? I different tried gestures https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/iphone/iph3e2e2281/ios, but it isn't working
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130
Apr ’25
Solo Developer User Feedback Avenues
I have a couple follow up questions after the "Accessibility technologies group lab". I know it was briefly mentioned that user feedback is an excellent way to grow inclusivity in the design an app and utilizing these forums were one for example. Is inviting folks here on the forum via test flight a reasonable approach to this for a solo developer? Are there other strategies, avenues, or examples to promote user feedback?
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106
Jun ’25
Attaching procedural audio to an ARKit SCNNode
I’m developing an ARKit application where I aim to attach procedurally generated audio to detected planes in the environment. While using a static audio file with SCNAudioSource and SCNAudioPlayer works as expected, integrating procedural audio via AVAudioSourceNode does not produce any sound, nor does it generate any error messages: Stack Overflow Post Working Implementation with Static Audio File: let audioPlayer = SCNAudioPlayer(source: audioSource) node.addAudioPlayer(audioPlayer) Attempted Implementation with Procedural Audio: // Audio generation code } let audioPlayer = SCNAudioPlayer(avAudioNode: audioNode) node.addAudioPlayer(audioPlayer) In this setup, the AVAudioSourceNode successfully generates audio when connected directly to an AVAudioEngine. However, when used with SCNAudioPlayer and attached to an SCNNode, it fails to produce sound. What doesn’t work is creating some procedural audio with an AVAudioNode, as documented here: Apple docs Additionally, I explored the WWDC18 AR game project, SwiftShot, which utilizes SCNAudioPlayer(avAudioNode:). After updating it for the latest Xcode, the graphics function correctly, but the audio does not play. I also noted that the Apple documentation mentions an audioPlayerWithAVAudioNode: method, stating: Using this initializer is typically not necessary. Instead, call the audioPlayerWithAVAudioNode: method, which returns a cached audio player object if one for the specified AVAudioNode object has already been created and is available for use. However, this method does not appear to be available in Swift. Any insights or guidance on this matter would be greatly appreciated.
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229
Apr ’25
Voice Over Sound
Hello, When I listen to title in my app with VoiceOver, it makes a strange sound. This characters make with Korean+number+Alphabet. Is this combination makes some strange sound with voice over? I would like to ask if Apple can fix this issue. Thank you.
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215
Mar ’25
SpaceBar Not functioning as expected
When I am doing a file search, in TextEdit, and on certain webistes the space bar will quit functioning as soon as i start typing. If I hold down the "Option" key it allows the space bar to work as normal. I have checked every setting I can think of and nothing has helped.
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162
Apr ’25