TextBox

Show Deprecated

A TextBox allows the player to provide text input. It behaves similarly to a TextButton, except that a single TextBox can be put in focus by clicking, tapping, or gamepad selection. While in focus, the player can use a keyboard to change the Text property.

  • If there is no text, the PlaceholderText will be visible. This is useful prompting players of the kind or format of data they should input.
  • By default, the ClearTextOnFocus property is enabled and ensures there is no existing text when a TextBox is focused. This may not be desirable for text that should be editable by the player.
  • The MultiLine property allows players to enter multiple lines of text with newline characters (\n).

Focus State

It is possible to detect and change the focus state of a TextBox:

  • You can use CaptureFocus when a dialogue appears so that the player doesn't have to click on a TextBox when it becomes available; you can use ContextActionService:BindAction() to bind a certain key to focus a TextBox using this function. When a TextBox comes into focus, the Focused event fires.
  • You can detect if a certain TextBox is in focus by using IsFocused. Alternatively, UserInputService:GetFocusedTextBox() can be used to check if any TextBox is in focus.
  • When the player is done inputting text, the FocusLost event fires, indicating if the user pressed Enter to submit text along with the InputObject that caused the loss of focus. When using on screen keyboards on mobile and console, ReturnPressedFromOnScreenKeyboard may also fire.
  • If some more important matter comes up during gameplay, you can ReleaseFocus of the TextBox so that a player's keyboard input returns to your game.

Text Editing

A TextBox supports text selection through its CursorPosition and SelectionStart properties. Using GetPropertyChangedSignal, you can detect when a selection changes. Additionally, it is possible for players to copy and paste text within a TextBox, enabling basic clipboard support.

Text Filtering Notice Games that facilitate player-to-player communication using text, such as custom chat or nametags, must properly filter such text using TextService:FilterStringAsync() or Chat:FilterStringAsync(). If this is not properly done, your game may receive moderation action.

Code Samples

This code sample creates a password-like interface for a TextBox, giving visual feedback on the player's input.

TextBox Secret Word

-- Place this code in a LocalScript inside a TextBox
local textBox = script.Parent
local secretWord = "roblox"
local colorNormal = Color3.new(1, 1, 1) -- white
local colorWrong = Color3.new(1, 0, 0) -- red
local colorCorrect = Color3.new(0, 1, 0) -- green
-- Initialize the state of the textBox
textBox.ClearTextOnFocus = true
textBox.Text = ""
textBox.Font = Enum.Font.Code
textBox.PlaceholderText = "What is the secret word?"
textBox.BackgroundColor3 = colorNormal
local function onFocused()
textBox.BackgroundColor3 = colorNormal
end
local function onFocusLost(enterPressed, _inputObject)
if enterPressed then
local guess = textBox.Text
if guess == secretWord then
textBox.Text = "ACCESS GRANTED"
textBox.BackgroundColor3 = colorCorrect
else
textBox.Text = "ACCESS DENIED"
textBox.BackgroundColor3 = colorWrong
end
else
-- The player stopped editing without pressing Enter
textBox.Text = ""
textBox.BackgroundColor3 = colorNormal
end
end
textBox.FocusLost:Connect(onFocusLost)
textBox.Focused:Connect(onFocused)

Summary

Properties

Properties inherited from GuiObject

Properties

Properties inherited from GuiBase2d

Properties

Methods

Methods inherited from GuiObject

Methods

Events

Events inherited from GuiObject

Events

Events inherited from GuiBase2d

Events

Properties

ClearTextOnFocus

Read Parallel

ContentText

Read Only
Not Replicated
Read Parallel

CursorPosition

Read Parallel

Code Samples

TextBox Selections

local textBox = script.Parent
local function showSelection()
if textBox.CursorPosition == -1 or textBox.SelectionStart == -1 then
print("No selection")
else
local selectedText = string.sub(
textBox.Text,
math.min(textBox.CursorPosition, textBox.SelectionStart),
math.max(textBox.CursorPosition, textBox.SelectionStart)
)
print('The selection is:"', selectedText, '"')
end
end
textBox:GetPropertyChangedSignal("CursorPosition"):Connect(showSelection)
textBox:GetPropertyChangedSignal("SelectionStart"):Connect(showSelection)
Hidden
Not Replicated
Read Parallel

Code Samples

Cycle Font

local textLabel = script.Parent
while true do
-- Iterate over all the different fonts
for _, font in pairs(Enum.Font:GetEnumItems()) do
textLabel.Font = font
textLabel.Text = font.Name
task.wait(1)
end
end
Show All Fonts

local frame = script.Parent
-- Create a TextLabel displaying each font
for _, font in pairs(Enum.Font:GetEnumItems()) do
local textLabel = Instance.new("TextLabel")
textLabel.Name = font.Name
-- Set the text properties
textLabel.Text = font.Name
textLabel.Font = font
-- Some rendering properties
textLabel.TextSize = 24
textLabel.TextXAlignment = Enum.TextXAlignment.Left
-- Size the frame equal to the height of the text
textLabel.Size = UDim2.new(1, 0, 0, textLabel.TextSize)
-- Add to the parent frame
textLabel.Parent = frame
end
-- Layout the frames in a list (if they aren't already)
if not frame:FindFirstChildOfClass("UIListLayout") then
local uiListLayout = Instance.new("UIListLayout")
uiListLayout.Parent = frame
end

FontFace

Read Parallel

LineHeight

Read Parallel

MaxVisibleGraphemes

Read Parallel

MultiLine

Read Parallel

OpenTypeFeatures

Read Parallel

OpenTypeFeaturesError

Read Only
Not Replicated
Read Parallel

PlaceholderColor3

Read Parallel

PlaceholderText

Read Parallel

RichText

Read Parallel

SelectionStart

Read Parallel

Code Samples

TextBox Selections

local textBox = script.Parent
local function showSelection()
if textBox.CursorPosition == -1 or textBox.SelectionStart == -1 then
print("No selection")
else
local selectedText = string.sub(
textBox.Text,
math.min(textBox.CursorPosition, textBox.SelectionStart),
math.max(textBox.CursorPosition, textBox.SelectionStart)
)
print('The selection is:"', selectedText, '"')
end
end
textBox:GetPropertyChangedSignal("CursorPosition"):Connect(showSelection)
textBox:GetPropertyChangedSignal("SelectionStart"):Connect(showSelection)

ShowNativeInput

Read Parallel

Text

Read Parallel

Code Samples

Fading Banner

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local textLabel = script.Parent
local content = {
"Welcome to my game!",
"Be sure to have fun!",
"Please give suggestions!",
"Be nice to other players!",
"Don't grief other players!",
"Check out the shop!",
"Tip: Don't die!",
}
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(1, Enum.EasingStyle.Sine, Enum.EasingDirection.InOut)
local RNG = Random.new()
local fadeIn = TweenService:Create(textLabel, tweenInfo, {
TextTransparency = 0,
})
local fadeOut = TweenService:Create(textLabel, tweenInfo, {
TextTransparency = 1,
})
local lastIndex
while true do
-- Step 0: Fade out before doing anything
fadeOut:Play()
task.wait(tweenInfo.Time)
-- Step 1: pick content that wasn't the last displayed
local index
repeat
index = RNG:NextInteger(1, #content)
until lastIndex ~= index
-- Make sure we don't show the same thing next time
lastIndex = index
-- Step 2: show the content
textLabel.Text = content[index]
fadeIn:Play()
task.wait(tweenInfo.Time + 1)
end
"Kaboom!" Text

local textLabel = script.Parent
textLabel.Text = "Kaboom!"
while true do
for size = 5, 100, 5 do
textLabel.TextSize = size
textLabel.TextTransparency = size / 100
task.wait()
end
task.wait(1)
end
Show All Fonts

local frame = script.Parent
-- Create a TextLabel displaying each font
for _, font in pairs(Enum.Font:GetEnumItems()) do
local textLabel = Instance.new("TextLabel")
textLabel.Name = font.Name
-- Set the text properties
textLabel.Text = font.Name
textLabel.Font = font
-- Some rendering properties
textLabel.TextSize = 24
textLabel.TextXAlignment = Enum.TextXAlignment.Left
-- Size the frame equal to the height of the text
textLabel.Size = UDim2.new(1, 0, 0, textLabel.TextSize)
-- Add to the parent frame
textLabel.Parent = frame
end
-- Layout the frames in a list (if they aren't already)
if not frame:FindFirstChildOfClass("UIListLayout") then
local uiListLayout = Instance.new("UIListLayout")
uiListLayout.Parent = frame
end
Long Text Wrapping

local textLabel = script.Parent
-- This text wrapping demo is best shown on a 200x50 px rectangle
textLabel.Size = UDim2.new(0, 200, 0, 50)
-- Some content to spell out
local content = "Here's a long string of words that will "
.. "eventually exceed the UI element's width "
.. "and form line breaks. Useful for paragraphs "
.. "that are really long."
-- A function that will spell text out two characters at a time
local function spellTheText()
-- Iterate from 1 to the length of our content
for i = 1, content:len() do
-- Get a substring of our content: 1 to i
textLabel.Text = content:sub(1, i)
-- Color the text if it doesn't fit in our box
if textLabel.TextFits then
textLabel.TextColor3 = Color3.new(0, 0, 0) -- Black
else
textLabel.TextColor3 = Color3.new(1, 0, 0) -- Red
end
-- Wait a brief moment on even lengths
if i % 2 == 0 then
task.wait()
end
end
end
while true do
-- Spell the text with scale/wrap off
textLabel.TextWrapped = false
textLabel.TextScaled = false
spellTheText()
task.wait(1)
-- Spell the text with wrap on
textLabel.TextWrapped = true
textLabel.TextScaled = false
spellTheText()
task.wait(1)
-- Spell the text with text scaling on
-- Note: Text turns red (TextFits = false) once text has to be
-- scaled down in order to fit within the UI element.
textLabel.TextScaled = true
-- Note: TextWrapped is enabled implicitly when TextScaled = true
--textLabel.TextWrapped = true
spellTheText()
task.wait(1)
end
Emoji in Text

local textLabel = script.Parent
local moods = {
["happy"] = "😃",
["sad"] = "😢",
["neutral"] = "😐",
["tired"] = "😫",
}
while true do
for mood, face in pairs(moods) do
textLabel.Text = "I am feeling " .. mood .. "! " .. face
task.wait(1)
end
end

TextBounds

Read Only
Not Replicated
Read Parallel

Code Samples

Dynamic TextBox Size

local textBox = script.Parent
-- The smallest the TextBox will go
local minWidth, minHeight = 10, 10
-- Set alignment so our text doesn't wobble a bit while we type
textBox.TextXAlignment = Enum.TextXAlignment.Left
textBox.TextYAlignment = Enum.TextYAlignment.Top
local function updateSize()
textBox.Size = UDim2.new(0, math.max(minWidth, textBox.TextBounds.X), 0, math.max(minHeight, textBox.TextBounds.Y))
end
textBox:GetPropertyChangedSignal("TextBounds"):Connect(updateSize)

TextColor3

Read Parallel

Code Samples

Vowel Detector

local textBox = script.Parent
local function hasVowels(str)
return str:lower():find("[aeiou]")
end
local function onTextChanged()
local text = textBox.Text
-- Check for vowels
if hasVowels(text) then
textBox.TextColor3 = Color3.new(0, 0, 0) -- Black
else
textBox.TextColor3 = Color3.new(1, 0, 0) -- Red
end
end
textBox:GetPropertyChangedSignal("Text"):Connect(onTextChanged)
TextBox Secret Word

-- Place this code in a LocalScript inside a TextBox
local textBox = script.Parent
local secretWord = "roblox"
local colorNormal = Color3.new(1, 1, 1) -- white
local colorWrong = Color3.new(1, 0, 0) -- red
local colorCorrect = Color3.new(0, 1, 0) -- green
-- Initialize the state of the textBox
textBox.ClearTextOnFocus = true
textBox.Text = ""
textBox.Font = Enum.Font.Code
textBox.PlaceholderText = "What is the secret word?"
textBox.BackgroundColor3 = colorNormal
local function onFocused()
textBox.BackgroundColor3 = colorNormal
end
local function onFocusLost(enterPressed, _inputObject)
if enterPressed then
local guess = textBox.Text
if guess == secretWord then
textBox.Text = "ACCESS GRANTED"
textBox.BackgroundColor3 = colorCorrect
else
textBox.Text = "ACCESS DENIED"
textBox.BackgroundColor3 = colorWrong
end
else
-- The player stopped editing without pressing Enter
textBox.Text = ""
textBox.BackgroundColor3 = colorNormal
end
end
textBox.FocusLost:Connect(onFocusLost)
textBox.Focused:Connect(onFocused)
Countdown Text

-- Place this code in a LocalScript within a TextLabel/TextButton
local textLabel = script.Parent
-- Some colors we'll use with TextColor3
local colorNormal = Color3.new(0, 0, 0) -- black
local colorSoon = Color3.new(1, 0.5, 0.5) -- red
local colorDone = Color3.new(0.5, 1, 0.5) -- green
-- Loop infinitely
while true do
-- Count backwards from 10 to 1
for i = 10, 1, -1 do
-- Set the text
textLabel.Text = "Time: " .. i
-- Set the color based on how much time is left
if i > 3 then
textLabel.TextColor3 = colorNormal
else
textLabel.TextColor3 = colorSoon
end
task.wait(1)
end
textLabel.Text = "GO!"
textLabel.TextColor3 = colorDone
task.wait(2)
end
Game State Text

local ReplicatedStorage = game:GetService("ReplicatedStorage")
-- Place a StringValue called "GameState" in the ReplicatedStorage
local vGameState = ReplicatedStorage:WaitForChild("GameState")
-- Place this code in a TextLabel
local textLabel = script.Parent
-- Some colors we'll use with TextColor3
local colorNormal = Color3.new(0, 0, 0) -- black
local colorCountdown = Color3.new(1, 0.5, 0) -- orange
local colorRound = Color3.new(0.25, 0.25, 1) -- blue
-- We'll run this function to update the TextLabel as the state of the
-- game changes.
local function update()
-- Update the text
textLabel.Text = "State: " .. vGameState.Value
-- Set the color of the text based on the current game state
if vGameState.Value == "Countdown" then
textLabel.TextColor3 = colorCountdown
elseif vGameState.Value == "Round" then
textLabel.TextColor3 = colorRound
else
textLabel.TextColor3 = colorNormal
end
end
-- Pattern: update once when we start and also when vGameState changes
-- We should always see the most updated GameState.
update()
vGameState.Changed:Connect(update)

TextDirection

Read Parallel

TextEditable

Read Parallel

TextFits

Read Only
Not Replicated
Read Parallel

TextScaled

Read Parallel

Code Samples

Long Text Wrapping

local textLabel = script.Parent
-- This text wrapping demo is best shown on a 200x50 px rectangle
textLabel.Size = UDim2.new(0, 200, 0, 50)
-- Some content to spell out
local content = "Here's a long string of words that will "
.. "eventually exceed the UI element's width "
.. "and form line breaks. Useful for paragraphs "
.. "that are really long."
-- A function that will spell text out two characters at a time
local function spellTheText()
-- Iterate from 1 to the length of our content
for i = 1, content:len() do
-- Get a substring of our content: 1 to i
textLabel.Text = content:sub(1, i)
-- Color the text if it doesn't fit in our box
if textLabel.TextFits then
textLabel.TextColor3 = Color3.new(0, 0, 0) -- Black
else
textLabel.TextColor3 = Color3.new(1, 0, 0) -- Red
end
-- Wait a brief moment on even lengths
if i % 2 == 0 then
task.wait()
end
end
end
while true do
-- Spell the text with scale/wrap off
textLabel.TextWrapped = false
textLabel.TextScaled = false
spellTheText()
task.wait(1)
-- Spell the text with wrap on
textLabel.TextWrapped = true
textLabel.TextScaled = false
spellTheText()
task.wait(1)
-- Spell the text with text scaling on
-- Note: Text turns red (TextFits = false) once text has to be
-- scaled down in order to fit within the UI element.
textLabel.TextScaled = true
-- Note: TextWrapped is enabled implicitly when TextScaled = true
--textLabel.TextWrapped = true
spellTheText()
task.wait(1)
end

TextSize

Read Parallel

Code Samples

"Kaboom!" Text

local textLabel = script.Parent
textLabel.Text = "Kaboom!"
while true do
for size = 5, 100, 5 do
textLabel.TextSize = size
textLabel.TextTransparency = size / 100
task.wait()
end
task.wait(1)
end

TextStrokeColor3

Read Parallel

Code Samples

Text Highlight Oscillation

local textLabel = script.Parent
-- How fast the highlight ought to blink
local freq = 2
-- Set to yellow highlight color
textLabel.TextStrokeColor3 = Color3.new(1, 1, 0)
while true do
-- math.sin oscillates from -1 to 1, so we change the range to 0 to 1:
local transparency = math.sin(workspace.DistributedGameTime * math.pi * freq) * 0.5 + 0.5
textLabel.TextStrokeTransparency = transparency
task.wait()
end

TextStrokeTransparency

Read Parallel

Code Samples

Text Highlight Oscillation

local textLabel = script.Parent
-- How fast the highlight ought to blink
local freq = 2
-- Set to yellow highlight color
textLabel.TextStrokeColor3 = Color3.new(1, 1, 0)
while true do
-- math.sin oscillates from -1 to 1, so we change the range to 0 to 1:
local transparency = math.sin(workspace.DistributedGameTime * math.pi * freq) * 0.5 + 0.5
textLabel.TextStrokeTransparency = transparency
task.wait()
end

TextTransparency

Read Parallel

Code Samples

Fading Banner

local TweenService = game:GetService("TweenService")
local textLabel = script.Parent
local content = {
"Welcome to my game!",
"Be sure to have fun!",
"Please give suggestions!",
"Be nice to other players!",
"Don't grief other players!",
"Check out the shop!",
"Tip: Don't die!",
}
local tweenInfo = TweenInfo.new(1, Enum.EasingStyle.Sine, Enum.EasingDirection.InOut)
local RNG = Random.new()
local fadeIn = TweenService:Create(textLabel, tweenInfo, {
TextTransparency = 0,
})
local fadeOut = TweenService:Create(textLabel, tweenInfo, {
TextTransparency = 1,
})
local lastIndex
while true do
-- Step 0: Fade out before doing anything
fadeOut:Play()
task.wait(tweenInfo.Time)
-- Step 1: pick content that wasn't the last displayed
local index
repeat
index = RNG:NextInteger(1, #content)
until lastIndex ~= index
-- Make sure we don't show the same thing next time
lastIndex = index
-- Step 2: show the content
textLabel.Text = content[index]
fadeIn:Play()
task.wait(tweenInfo.Time + 1)
end
"Kaboom!" Text

local textLabel = script.Parent
textLabel.Text = "Kaboom!"
while true do
for size = 5, 100, 5 do
textLabel.TextSize = size
textLabel.TextTransparency = size / 100
task.wait()
end
task.wait(1)
end

TextTruncate

Read Parallel

TextWrapped

Read Parallel

Code Samples

Long Text Wrapping

local textLabel = script.Parent
-- This text wrapping demo is best shown on a 200x50 px rectangle
textLabel.Size = UDim2.new(0, 200, 0, 50)
-- Some content to spell out
local content = "Here's a long string of words that will "
.. "eventually exceed the UI element's width "
.. "and form line breaks. Useful for paragraphs "
.. "that are really long."
-- A function that will spell text out two characters at a time
local function spellTheText()
-- Iterate from 1 to the length of our content
for i = 1, content:len() do
-- Get a substring of our content: 1 to i
textLabel.Text = content:sub(1, i)
-- Color the text if it doesn't fit in our box
if textLabel.TextFits then
textLabel.TextColor3 = Color3.new(0, 0, 0) -- Black
else
textLabel.TextColor3 = Color3.new(1, 0, 0) -- Red
end
-- Wait a brief moment on even lengths
if i % 2 == 0 then
task.wait()
end
end
end
while true do
-- Spell the text with scale/wrap off
textLabel.TextWrapped = false
textLabel.TextScaled = false
spellTheText()
task.wait(1)
-- Spell the text with wrap on
textLabel.TextWrapped = true
textLabel.TextScaled = false
spellTheText()
task.wait(1)
-- Spell the text with text scaling on
-- Note: Text turns red (TextFits = false) once text has to be
-- scaled down in order to fit within the UI element.
textLabel.TextScaled = true
-- Note: TextWrapped is enabled implicitly when TextScaled = true
--textLabel.TextWrapped = true
spellTheText()
task.wait(1)
end

TextXAlignment

Read Parallel

Code Samples

Text Alignment

-- Paste this in a LocalScript within a TextLabel/TextButton/TextBox
local textLabel = script.Parent
local function setAlignment(xAlign, yAlign)
textLabel.TextXAlignment = xAlign
textLabel.TextYAlignment = yAlign
textLabel.Text = xAlign.Name .. " + " .. yAlign.Name
end
while true do
-- Iterate over both TextXAlignment and TextYAlignment enum items
for _, yAlign in pairs(Enum.TextYAlignment:GetEnumItems()) do
for _, xAlign in pairs(Enum.TextXAlignment:GetEnumItems()) do
setAlignment(xAlign, yAlign)
task.wait(1)
end
end
end

TextYAlignment

Read Parallel

Code Samples

Text Alignment

-- Paste this in a LocalScript within a TextLabel/TextButton/TextBox
local textLabel = script.Parent
local function setAlignment(xAlign, yAlign)
textLabel.TextXAlignment = xAlign
textLabel.TextYAlignment = yAlign
textLabel.Text = xAlign.Name .. " + " .. yAlign.Name
end
while true do
-- Iterate over both TextXAlignment and TextYAlignment enum items
for _, yAlign in pairs(Enum.TextYAlignment:GetEnumItems()) do
for _, xAlign in pairs(Enum.TextXAlignment:GetEnumItems()) do
setAlignment(xAlign, yAlign)
task.wait(1)
end
end
end

Methods

CaptureFocus

()

Returns

()

Code Samples

TextBox:CaptureFocus

local ContextActionService = game:GetService("ContextActionService")
local ACTION_NAME = "FocusTheTextBox"
local textBox = script.Parent
local function handleAction(actionName, inputState, _inputObject)
if actionName == ACTION_NAME and inputState == Enum.UserInputState.End then
textBox:CaptureFocus()
end
end
ContextActionService:BindAction(ACTION_NAME, handleAction, false, Enum.KeyCode.Q)

IsFocused


Returns

ReleaseFocus

()

Parameters

submitted: boolean
Default Value: false

Returns

()

Code Samples

TextBox:ReleaseFocus

local textBox = script.Parent
local function onFocused()
task.wait(5)
textBox:ReleaseFocus()
end
textBox.Focused:Connect(onFocused)

Events

FocusLost

Parameters

enterPressed: boolean
inputThatCausedFocusLoss: InputObject

Code Samples

TextBox.FocusLost1

local gui = script.Parent
local textBox = gui.TextBox
local function focusLost(enterPressed)
if enterPressed then
print("Focus was lost because enter was pressed!")
else
print("Focus was lost without enter being pressed")
end
end
textBox.FocusLost:Connect(focusLost)
FocusLost

local textBox = script.Parent
local function onFocusLost(enterPressed, inputThatCausedFocusLost)
if enterPressed then
print("Player pressed Enter")
else
print("Player pressed", inputThatCausedFocusLost.KeyCode)
end
end
textBox.FocusLost:Connect(onFocusLost)

Focused


Code Samples

Focus

local textBox = script.Parent
local function onFocused()
print("Focused")
end
textBox.Focused:Connect(onFocused)

ReturnPressedFromOnScreenKeyboard