iOS - UI Glitch - White Screen Blocks Text

[jdpesq]

Environment

Joplin version: 10.8.1, Database v35
Platform: iOS
OS specifics: 14.5.1 on an iPhone 11

Steps to reproduce

1. Open an existing note.
2. Edit note.
3. Save edits.
4. White screen with red button for new note/new to-do will fill the whole screen. It does not allow further interaction with the app.
5. Only way to resume normal operation and see notes is to force quit the app and restart.

See video example: https://drive.google.com/file/d/16Tpc_iKZ3EG3ZASLp1pFMSWWq2kiXdvi/view?usp=sharing

Describe what you expected to happen

Expected behavior after saving edits is to return to the note with changes shown, and to be able to navigate to the list of notes in that folder.

Logfile

Behavior does not show in the log file because it is a UI error.

[dz2106]

I have had this same issue as well

[laurent22]

Did it happen after you've shared something with the note by any chance? As it's the only low level change recently which could cause weird bugs like this.

And @dz2106, do you also use an iPhone 11?

[jdpesq]

No, I don’t believe so. I tend not to embed images in my notes, or if I do it is usually by linking to public URLs of images. The only local images I have are from using the Joplin web clipper.

This behavior happens with all my notes, not just the one I used as an example. Also, I have an iPad Air 2 that I use Joplin on, and have not experienced the same UI issues. All notes that are on the iPhone are synced to the iPad (and to two PCs) via Dropbox with encryption enabled. The other devices are all working correctly.

The other difference I recently noticed is that on the iPhone html links are not showing up as clickable, but just plain text. The exact same note with the same formatting is showing html links as clickable on the iPad and PCs.

[jdpesq]

Follow up on my previous comment. URLs with a name work, but addresses do not. For example:

Name of Website works as expected with “Name of Website” as a clickable link, but https://example.com by itself will not show up as a clickable URL.

Not sure if this is related to my reported bug, or if this is user error on my part. Note, however, that both of the above examples are clickable links on my iPad and PCs.

[roman-r-m]

Follow up on my previous comment. URLs with a name work, but addresses do not. For example:

Name of Website works as expected with “Name of Website” as a clickable link, but https://example.com by itself will not show up as a clickable URL.

Not sure if this is related to my reported bug, or if this is user error on my part. Note, however, that both of the above examples are clickable links on my iPad and PCs.

Any chance you have Linkify switched off on your iPhone?

[dz2106]

I have an iPhone XS Max on 14.5.1. I noticed the bug when trying to replicate this issue. When I tried to attach the vertical image after I stopped editing it would break. I attached a video of what happens. https://imgur.com/SnU2XTa

[jdpesq]

Follow up on my previous comment. URLs with a name work, but addresses do not. For example:
Name of Website works as expected with “Name of Website” as a clickable link, but https://example.com by itself will not show up as a clickable URL.
Not sure if this is related to my reported bug, or if this is user error on my part. Note, however, that both of the above examples are clickable links on my iPad and PCs.

Any chance you have Linkify switched off on your iPhone?

Yes… I feel like a dummy for not thinking of that. I forgot I turned off all additional markdown formatting options when I was trying to figure out what was happening with the UI problem. Restored all options to defaults; still having the UI issue.

[jdpesq]

Anyone else experiencing this bug? It’s really caused me to be unable to use Joplin on iOS, and I hope getting more data from others might help to solve the issue.

[anielakob]

Anyone else experiencing this bug? It’s really caused me to be unable to use Joplin on iOS, and I hope getting more data from others might help to solve the issue.

I am experiencing the exact same bug on iPhone SE iOS 14.5

[anielakob]

Anyone else experiencing this bug? It’s really caused me to be unable to use Joplin on iOS, and I hope getting more data from others might help to solve the issue.

I juat had a thought and tested it out.

Turns out that navigating to: Accessibility>Motion>Reduce Motion and unchecking it made the app work exactly as it should for me.

So definitely check if you have Reduce Motion turned on.

EDIT: I went back and tried only checking Reduce Motion and unchecking "Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions" and it still works. So, at least for me, that setting was to blame.

[jdpesq]

Turns out that navigating to: Accessibility>Motion>Reduce Motion and unchecking it made the app work exactly as it should for me.

So definitely check if you have Reduce Motion turned on.

EDIT: I went back and tried only checking Reduce Motion and unchecking "Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions" and it still works. So, at least for me, that setting was to blame.

That worked for me too - Thanks so much!

I can confirm that it seems like deselecting "Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions" is the fix for this issue. I was able to see that leaving Reduce Motion checked and unchecking Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions causes Joplin to work as expected, and checking Prefer Cross-Face Transitions causes the UI glitch. Unchecking Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions fixes the issue, even without restarting Joplin.

[laurent22]

Thanks for looking into it. Are there settings a new iOS feature? As it's strange it's only starting to happen now.

[jdpesq]

Thanks for looking into it. Are there settings a new iOS feature? As it's strange it's only starting to happen now.

Looks like this was added in iOS 13: Set Cross Fade Animations in iOS 13 for Smoother Lateral Transitions | Gadgethacks

Not sure why it would only show up now...

[anielakob]

Thanks for looking into it. Are there settings a new iOS feature? As it's strange it's only starting to happen now.

Looks like this was added in iOS 13: Set Cross Fade Animations in iOS 13 for Smoother Lateral Transitions | Gadgethacks

Not sure why it would only show up now...

The issue has also been posted here but for iMessage apparently.

iOS 14 introduced a slew of UI updates, so it makes sense that transitions would be handled differently.

I hope they fix it soon, I didn't turn it on for fun.

[laurent22]

Ok that's good to know. If even iMessage is broken, then they should hopefully fix the OS.

[amandamcg]

Adding this in case someone else is searching Github for a fix:

• This broke for me when I upgraded to iOS 14.6 (Joplin 10.8.1 seemed to have been working ok before iOS upgrade, but possible i didn't notice until then).
• It happened when editing a note and going back to the list, when saving a note from the app shortcut in Safari (I'd never used this feature before that), and when searching
• The name of the note didn't seem to affect the behavior and was happening on old notes and new ones
• Unchecking Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions fixed it for me. (Thank you @anielakob!!)

[nathanojb]

Fwiw, I have a contrary experience.
iPad Air 4th gen, 14.6

I started with Reduce Motion off - the default. I tried all combinations of Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions and Reduce Motion. Rebooted, restarted the app, did all of the above in various combinations, but the issue persists.

[kezzbracey]

Same issue on iPad Pro 2021. iPad OS 14.6

Reduce Motion and Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions didn't have an effect.

[laurent22]

I found the React Native bug about this: facebook/react-native#29974 There's patch apparently so I guess it should be fixed in a future version. I'll upgrade as soon as it is.

[jdpesq]

Thanks so much! Looking forward to the fix in the future.

[babyrusa]

@nathanojb @kezzbracey a few users of mine have this issue and one of them doesn't have Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions enabled but still faced this issue. I want to check to see if any of u figured out what could have caused this?

[WolfgangDpunkt]

Reduce Motion and Prefer Cross-Fade Transitions didn't have an effect.
Same problem here on iPadOS 14.7.1
(But on iPhone SE Classic iOS 14.7.1 everything ist fine)

What worked as fix for me: I switched from the small keyboard to the large one (by small keyboard I mean the floating one, the Keyboard option with which you can use the same keyboard Mode on the iPad as on the iPhone)

[nathanojb]

I can’t believe it was that simple but the solution from @WolfgangDpunkt works for me too. As in my previous comment I’m using iPad Air 4th gen, and I can confirm that this issue only happens with the “floating” phone sized keyboard but not with the “full sized” version.

[alainter]

I can’t believe it was that simple but the solution from @WolfgangDpunkt works for me too. As in my previous comment I’m using iPad Air 4th gen, and I can confirm that this issue only happens with the “floating” phone sized keyboard but not with the “full sized” version.

Sadly, I can confirmed that for me, Joplin never worked with the floating keyboard.

[diasozo]

Same issue, multiple devices; iPad Pro 11" (M1), iPhone 11, both running iOS 15.1. iPhone 11 issue fixed by disabling 'Reduce Motion'. For the iPad, the issue shows up when using the official Apple keyboard cover. If I don't use the physical keyboard but the onscreen one it works ok. 'Reduce Motion' has no effect for the iPad Pro.

[cmayoros]

Is this being looked at? Yes, switching to the full sized docked keyboard works, but is much more difficult to type at a decent pace with as it lacks swipe features. Joplin on iPad is basically unusable for me with this issue.

[WolfGangsta]

I also had this issue, and @anielakob's solution worked for me.

Also, looks like #6164 is a derivative of this issue.

iPhone 6s, iOS 15.3.1
Joplin 12.7.1

[xto3]

Thanks for highlighting this workaround.

Unfortunately, it didn't work for me:
iPad Pro 11
iPadOS 15.4.1
Joplin 12.7.1

[vkoechli]

I'm having this problem, too, on both iPhone SE2 and iPad 6, both with iOS 15.4.1.

I have experienced it not only when editing a note (new or modified), but also on entering configuration details. The problem seems to occur as soon as the onscreen keyboard is dismissed.

Turning off the 'Reduce motion' setting seems to resolve it, at least in my case, but this is not something everybody will want to do.

[jflth]

Same to me !😖
iPad mini 4 iOS 15.6
iPhone SE 2nd iOS 15.6
It' s shame: this bug ist older than one year. Joplin on iOS is not usable. I was on the way to migrate from apple Notes to Joplin, which causes me a lot of time and work.

[DShirk]

I have this same problem every time I edit. Sometimes when I click the line at top the screen opens back up and lets me access it. But generally have to quit Joplin and restart. 15.6.1 iPad Pro 5th Gen with docked keyboard. This has been a problem for more than a year now. Occasionally get it on my iPhone 13 Pro Max as well. Makes editing in Joplin unusable. Tried all the “fixes” above and full shutdown restarts but still not solving for me.

[cmayoros]

Honestly, it's sad, but I don't think the developers care about this one. I solved the problem for myself. I switched to another notes app. Don't have this issue anymore, I can write on my phone, iPad or laptop without issues anymore, everything syncs perfectly between them.

[janpersiel]

Same issue on iPhone 13 Pro with various iOS current versions. iPhone 12 Mini and iPhone R do not have it. Can be reproduced with fresh installs right away.

[laurent22]

Closing as there haven't been any recent report so hopefully the bug was fixed by React Native or iOS