TextInput abnormal behaviour of setNativeProps for updating selection

[noumantahir]

Description

This repository reproduces a bug in React Native where calling setNativeProps with the selection property on a TextInput component fails to update the cursor position or text selection as expected. The issue started happening after migrating to New architecture. Legacy architecture handles same logic without issues.

When attempting to programmatically control text selection in a TextInput using setNativeProps({ selection: { start, end } }), the following issues occur:

• The cursor position does not update on Android
• The cursor jump abnormally on iOS
• Selection changes are ignored or behave inconsistently
• iOS and Android exhibit different behaviors

Steps to reproduce

1. Open the snack link
2. Tap on first button to set initial text

First line of text should be selected, but it does not work on Android

3. Reposition the cursor to centre of text by tapping
4. Press second button to add img link -

iOS side bug will appear on this step, cursor jumps to wrong position

5. Press third button to select all

Both android and iOS will fail

5. Tap on fourth button insert md bold block

On both android and ios, cursor gets placed on either start or end, instead of being placed at **|**

React Native Version

0.79.5

Affected Platforms

Runtime - iOS, Runtime - Android

Areas

JSI - Javascript Interface

Output of npx @react-native-community/cli info

System:
  OS: macOS 15.2
  CPU: (10) arm64 Apple M4
  Memory: 141.75 MB / 24.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 24.5.0
    path: /opt/homebrew/opt/node@21/bin/node
  Yarn:
    version: 1.22.22
    path: ~/Documents/ReactNativeProjects/ecency-mobile/node_modules/.bin/yarn
  npm:
    version: 11.5.1
    path: /opt/homebrew/opt/node@21/bin/npm
  Watchman:
    version: 2025.03.10.00
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.16.2
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 24.4
      - iOS 18.4
      - macOS 15.4
      - tvOS 18.4
      - visionOS 2.4
      - watchOS 11.4
  Android SDK:
    API Levels:
      - "28"
      - "30"
      - "31"
      - "33"
      - "34"
      - "35"
    Build Tools:
      - 28.0.3
      - 29.0.2
      - 29.0.3
      - 30.0.2
      - 30.0.3
      - 31.0.0
      - 33.0.0
      - 33.0.1
      - 33.0.2
      - 34.0.0
      - 35.0.0
      - 35.0.0
      - 35.0.0
    System Images:
      - android-29 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
      - android-30 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
      - android-31 | Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
      - android-31 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
      - android-32 | Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
      - android-32 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
      - android-33 | Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
      - android-33 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
      - android-34 | Google APIs ARM 64 v8a
      - android-34 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
      - android-35 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
      - android-36.1 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
      - android-36 | Google Play ARM 64 v8a
      - android-Baklava | Pre-Release 16 KB Page Size Google Play ARM 64 v8a
    Android NDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2025.1 AI-251.25410.109.2511.13752376
  Xcode:
    version: 16.3/16E140
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.5
    path: /usr/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 3.4.2
    path: /opt/homebrew/opt/ruby/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 18.0.0
    wanted: 18.0.0
  react:
    installed: 19.0.0
    wanted: 19.0.0
  react-native:
    installed: 0.79.5
    wanted: 0.79.5
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: Not found
  newArchEnabled: Not found
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: Not found
  newArchEnabled: true

Stacktrace or Logs

Not applicable

MANDATORY Reproducer

https://snack.expo.dev/@noumantahir/textinput-setnativeprops-selection-bug

Screenshots and Videos

Android Response
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/55dfa9b3-3a8a-4708-a193-c2cfaab5c2e1

iOS Response
https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/2dd095ed-60a1-4ecf-a31a-534df6d90983

[react-native-bot]

Warning

Could not parse version: We could not find or parse the version number of React Native in your issue report. Please use the template, and report your version including major, minor, and patch numbers - e.g. 0.76.2.

[react-native-bot]

Warning

Could not parse version: We could not find or parse the version number of React Native in your issue report. Please use the template, and report your version including major, minor, and patch numbers - e.g. 0.76.2.

[noumantahir]

version info added

[Thotaharshavardhani]

I was able to reproduce this issue on my end.

[noumantahir]

any directions on this, I can try to fix this myself if someone could point me to relevant area