Calling TextEditingController.clear() does not call formatEditUpdate of formatter

Calling TextEditingController.clear() does not call formatEditUpdate of TextInputFormatter's.
This makes it difficult to keep the formatter state in sync with TextEditingController.

Example case:

Some TextInputFormatter allows you to format the phone number in something like (555) 333-44-55, but it also has a method to get the phone in its original form without formatting like 555334455. There is also a field clear button that calls the method TextEditingController.clear(). When you click on this button, the text field will be erased, but this will not call the method formatEditUpdate, so it is still possible to get the value from the formatter.

There is a way out to force the programmer to also call some cleanup method on the formatter itself, but it is quite difficult to keep track of this.

@siqwin

Hi @siqwin

Thanks for filing the issue

Calling TextEditingController.clear() does not call formatEditUpdate of TextInputFormatter's.
This makes it difficult to keep the formatter state in sync with TextEditingController.

Can you please provide a minimal code sample to demonstrate this and your flutter doctor -v

Example:

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:flutter/services.dart';

void main() => runApp(MaterialApp(home: DemoPage()));

class DemoPage extends StatefulWidget {
  DemoPage({Key? key}) : super(key: key);

  @override
  _DemoPageState createState() => _DemoPageState();
}

class _DemoPageState extends State<DemoPage> {
  final TextEditingController controller = TextEditingController();
  final DemoFormatter formatter = DemoFormatter();

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Scaffold(
      backgroundColor: Colors.white,
      body: SafeArea(
        minimum: EdgeInsets.all(16.0),
        child: Column(
          mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
          crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.stretch,
          children: [
            TextFormField(
              controller: controller,
              decoration: InputDecoration(
                hintText: "Enter something",
                suffixIcon: ValueListenableBuilder<TextEditingValue>(
                  valueListenable: controller,
                  builder: (context, value, _) {
                    return Visibility(
                      visible: value.text.isNotEmpty,
                      child: IconButton(
                        icon: Icon(Icons.clear),
                        onPressed: () {
                          controller.clear();
                          print("Now controller.value is empty: ${controller.value}");
                          print("But formatter.value is not: ${formatter.value}");
                        },
                      ),
                    );
                  },
                ),
              ),
              inputFormatters: [formatter],
            )
          ],
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
}

class DemoFormatter extends TextInputFormatter {
  TextEditingValue value = TextEditingValue.empty;

  @override
  TextEditingValue formatEditUpdate(TextEditingValue oldValue, TextEditingValue newValue) {
    print("DemoFormatter::formatEditUpdate: $newValue");
    value = newValue;
    return newValue;
  }
}

Steps:

Type something to the text field, for example, '1', you will get a log:

DemoFormatter::formatEditUpdate: TextEditingValue(text: ┤1├, selection: TextSelection(baseOffset: 1, extentOffset: 1, affinity: TextAffinity.downstream, isDirectional: false), composing: TextRange(start: -1, end: -1))

Click on the clear button, you will get a log:

Now controller.value is empty: TextEditingValue(text: ┤├, selection: TextSelection(baseOffset: 0, extentOffset: 0, affinity: TextAffinity.downstream, isDirectional: false), composing: TextRange(start: -1, end: -1))
But formatter.value is not: TextEditingValue(text: ┤1├, selection: TextSelection(baseOffset: 1, extentOffset: 1, affinity: TextAffinity.downstream, isDirectional: false), composing: TextRange(start: -1, end: -1))

Flutter doctor

[√] Flutter (Channel stable, 2.2.0, on Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19041.1083], locale ru-RU)
    • Flutter version 2.2.0 at C:\Users\Qwin\fvm\versions\master
    • Framework revision 1b7e2ccf6a (3 months ago), 2021-04-06 13:07:18 +0300
    • Engine revision a9d88a4d18
    • Dart version 2.13.0

[√] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 30.0.3)
    • Android SDK at P:\Applications\Android\SDK
    • Platform android-30, build-tools 30.0.3
    • ANDROID_HOME = P:\Applications\Android\SDK
    • Java binary at: C:\Applications\AndroidStudio\jre\bin\java
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_242-release-1644-b01)
    • All Android licenses accepted.

[√] Chrome - develop for the web
    • Chrome at C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

[√] Visual Studio - develop for Windows (Visual Studio Community 2019 16.5.2)
    • Visual Studio at C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community
    • Visual Studio Community 2019 version 16.5.29926.136
    • Windows 10 SDK version 10.0.18362.0

[√] Android Studio (version 4.1.0)
    • Android Studio at C:\Applications\AndroidStudio
    • Flutter plugin can be installed from:
       https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9212-flutter
    • Dart plugin can be installed from:
       https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6351-dart
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 1.8.0_242-release-1644-b01)

[√] Connected device (4 available)
    • sdk gphone x86 (mobile) • emulator-5554 • android-x86    • Android 11 (API 30) (emulator)
    • Windows (desktop)       • windows       • windows-x64    • Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.19041.1083]
    • Chrome (web)            • chrome        • web-javascript • Google Chrome 91.0.4472.124
    • Edge (web)              • edge          • web-javascript • Microsoft Edge 91.0.864.67

• No issues found!

@siqwin

Hi @siqwin
Thanks for the details, I can confirm the issue

`stable`	`master`
❌	❌

Check flutter doctor -v outputs for each channel below

flutter doctor -v

[✓] Flutter (Channel stable, 2.2.3, on Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22000.65], locale en-US)
    • Flutter version 2.2.3 at C:\Users\Taha\Code\flutter_stable
    • Framework revision f4abaa0735 (2 weeks ago), 2021-07-01 12:46:11 -0700
    • Engine revision 241c87ad80
    • Dart version 2.13.4

[✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 30.0.3)
    • Android SDK at C:\Users\Taha\Code\android-sdk
    • Platform android-30, build-tools 30.0.3
    • ANDROID_SDK_ROOT = C:\Users\Taha\Code\android-sdk
    • Java binary at: C:\Users\Taha\Code\android-studio\jre\bin\java
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 11.0.8+10-b944.6842174)
    • All Android licenses accepted.

[✓] Chrome - develop for the web
    • Chrome at C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

[✓] Visual Studio - develop for Windows (Visual Studio Community 2019 16.10.3)
    • Visual Studio at C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community
    • Visual Studio Community 2019 version 16.10.31424.327
    • Windows 10 SDK version 10.0.19041.0

[!] Android Studio (not installed)
    • Android Studio not found; download from https://developer.android.com/studio/index.html
      (or visit https://flutter.dev/docs/get-started/install/windows#android-setup for detailed instructions).

[✓] VS Code (version 1.58.1)
    • VS Code at C:\Users\Taha\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code
    • Flutter extension version 3.24.0

[✓] Connected device (4 available)
    • Android SDK built for x86 (mobile) • emulator-5554 • android-x86    • Android 8.1.0 (API 27) (emulator)
    • Windows (desktop)                  • windows       • windows-x64    • Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22000.65]
    • Chrome (web)                       • chrome        • web-javascript • Google Chrome 91.0.4472.124
    • Edge (web)                         • edge          • web-javascript • Microsoft Edge 91.0.864.67

! Doctor found issues in 1 category.

[✓] Flutter (Channel master, 2.4.0-5.0.pre.55, on Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22000.65], locale en-US)
    • Flutter version 2.4.0-5.0.pre.55 at C:\Users\Taha\Code\flutter_master
    • Upstream repository https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
    • Framework revision b549e829e8 (9 hours ago), 2021-07-14 15:51:10 -0700
    • Engine revision 093c4ed1a3
    • Dart version 2.14.0 (build 2.14.0-312.0.dev)

[✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 30.0.3)
    • Android SDK at C:\Users\Taha\Code\android-sdk
    • Platform android-30, build-tools 30.0.3
    • ANDROID_SDK_ROOT = C:\Users\Taha\Code\android-sdk
    • Java binary at: C:\Users\Taha\Code\android-studio\jre\bin\java
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 11.0.8+10-b944.6842174)
    • All Android licenses accepted.

[✓] Chrome - develop for the web
    • Chrome at C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe

[✓] Visual Studio - develop for Windows (Visual Studio Community 2019 16.10.3)
    • Visual Studio at C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2019\Community
    • Visual Studio Community 2019 version 16.10.31424.327
    • Windows 10 SDK version 10.0.19041.0

[✓] Android Studio (version 4.2.0)
    • Android Studio at C:\Users\Taha\Code\android-studio
    • Flutter plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9212-flutter
    • Dart plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6351-dart
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 11.0.8+10-b944.6842174)

[✓] VS Code (version 1.58.1)
    • VS Code at C:\Users\Taha\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code
    • Flutter extension version 3.24.0

[✓] Connected device (5 available)
    • Android SDK built for x86 (mobile) • emulator-5554 • android-x86     • Android 8.1.0 (API 27) (emulator)
    • Windows (desktop)                  • windows       • windows-x64     • Microsoft Windows [Version 10.0.22000.65]
    • Windows (UWP) (desktop)            • winuwp        • windows-uwp-x64 •
    • Chrome (web)                       • chrome        • web-javascript  • Google Chrome 91.0.4472.124
    • Edge (web)                         • edge          • web-javascript  • Microsoft Edge 91.0.864.67

• No issues found!

✅ : No Issue ❌: Issue reproduced

Triage Report

I was able to reproduce the issue using the provided code sample on both the stable (3.29.3) and master (3.32.0-1.0.pre.474) channels.

Code Sample (Same as OP)

import 'package:flutter/material.dart';
import 'package:flutter/services.dart';

void main() => runApp(MaterialApp(home: DemoPage()));

class DemoPage extends StatefulWidget {
  DemoPage({Key? key}) : super(key: key);

  @override
  _DemoPageState createState() => _DemoPageState();
}

class _DemoPageState extends State<DemoPage> {
  final TextEditingController controller = TextEditingController();
  final DemoFormatter formatter = DemoFormatter();

  @override
  Widget build(BuildContext context) {
    return Scaffold(
      backgroundColor: Colors.white,
      body: SafeArea(
        minimum: EdgeInsets.all(16.0),
        child: Column(
          mainAxisAlignment: MainAxisAlignment.center,
          crossAxisAlignment: CrossAxisAlignment.stretch,
          children: [
            TextFormField(
              controller: controller,
              decoration: InputDecoration(
                hintText: "Enter something",
                suffixIcon: ValueListenableBuilder<TextEditingValue>(
                  valueListenable: controller,
                  builder: (context, value, _) {
                    return Visibility(
                      visible: value.text.isNotEmpty,
                      child: IconButton(
                        icon: Icon(Icons.clear),
                        onPressed: () {
                          controller.clear();
                          print("Now controller.value is empty: ${controller.value}");
                          print("But formatter.value is not: ${formatter.value}");
                        },
                      ),
                    );
                  },
                ),
              ),
              inputFormatters: [formatter],
            )
          ],
        ),
      ),
    );
  }
}

class DemoFormatter extends TextInputFormatter {
  TextEditingValue value = TextEditingValue.empty;

  @override
  TextEditingValue formatEditUpdate(TextEditingValue oldValue, TextEditingValue newValue) {
    print("DemoFormatter::formatEditUpdate: $newValue");
    value = newValue;
    return newValue;
  }
}

Log After Typing `1`

I/flutter (16621): DemoFormatter::formatEditUpdate: TextEditingValue(text: ┤1├, selection: TextSelection.collapsed(offset: 1, affinity: TextAffinity.downstream, isDirectional: false), composing: TextRange(start: -1, end: -1))

Log Clicking Clear `X`

I/flutter (16621): Now controller.value is empty: TextEditingValue(text: ┤├, selection: TextSelection.collapsed(offset: 0, affinity: TextAffinity.downstream, isDirectional: false), composing: TextRange(start: -1, end: -1))
I/flutter (16621): But formatter.value is not: TextEditingValue(text: ┤1├, selection: TextSelection.collapsed(offset: 1, affinity: TextAffinity.downstream, isDirectional: false), composing: TextRange(start: -1, end: -1))

stable (3.29.3) - flutter doctor -v

[✓] Flutter (Channel stable, 3.29.3, on macOS 15.4.1 24E263 darwin-arm64, locale
    en-IN) [970ms]
    • Flutter version 3.29.3 on channel stable at
      /Users/tirthpatel/Development/flutter_stable/flutter
    • Upstream repository https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
    • Framework revision ea121f8859 (4 weeks ago), 2025-04-11 19:10:07 +0000
    • Engine revision cf56914b32
    • Dart version 3.7.2
    • DevTools version 2.42.3

[✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 36.0.0)
    [855ms]
    • Android SDK at /Users/tirthpatel/Library/Android/sdk
    • Platform android-36, build-tools 36.0.0
    • Java binary at: /Applications/Android
      Studio.app/Contents/jbr/Contents/Home/bin/java
      This is the JDK bundled with the latest Android Studio installation on
      this machine.
      To manually set the JDK path, use: `flutter config
      --jdk-dir="path/to/jdk"`.
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.6+-13355223-b631.42)
    • All Android licenses accepted.

[✓] Xcode - develop for iOS and macOS (Xcode 16.3) [556ms]
    • Xcode at /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
    • Build 16E140
    • CocoaPods version 1.16.2

[✓] Chrome - develop for the web [9ms]
    • Chrome at /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome

[✓] Android Studio (version 2024.3) [9ms]
    • Android Studio at /Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents
    • Flutter plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9212-flutter
    • Dart plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6351-dart
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.6+-13355223-b631.42)

[✓] VS Code (version 1.99.3) [8ms]
    • VS Code at /Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents
    • Flutter extension can be installed from:
      🔨 https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=Dart-Code.flutter

[✓] Connected device (3 available) [5.5s]
    • macOS (desktop)                 • macos                 • darwin-arm64   •
      macOS 15.4.1 24E263 darwin-arm64
    • Mac Designed for iPad (desktop) • mac-designed-for-ipad • darwin         •
      macOS 15.4.1 24E263 darwin-arm64
    • Chrome (web)                    • chrome                • web-javascript •
      Google Chrome 135.0.7049.115

[✓] Network resources [559ms]
    • All expected network resources are available.

• No issues found!

master (3.32.0-1.0.pre.474) - flutter doctor -v

[✓] Flutter (Channel master, 3.32.0-1.0.pre.474, on macOS 15.4.1 24E263 darwin-arm64, locale en-IN) [1,380ms]
    • Flutter version 3.32.0-1.0.pre.474 on channel master at /Users/tirthpatel/Development/flutter_master/flutter
    • Upstream repository https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
    • Framework revision 83082c19b7 (6 hours ago), 2025-05-08 15:54:18 -0700
    • Engine revision 83082c19b7
    • Dart version 3.9.0 (build 3.9.0-100.2.beta)
    • DevTools version 2.46.0

[✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 36.0.0) [761ms]
    • Android SDK at /Users/tirthpatel/Library/Android/sdk
    • Emulator version 35.4.9.0 (build_id 13025442) (CL:N/A)
    • Platform android-36, build-tools 36.0.0
    • Java binary at: /Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents/jbr/Contents/Home/bin/java
      This is the JDK bundled with the latest Android Studio installation on this machine.
      To manually set the JDK path, use: `flutter config --jdk-dir="path/to/jdk"`.
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.6+-13355223-b631.42)
    • All Android licenses accepted.

[✓] Xcode - develop for iOS and macOS (Xcode 16.3) [428ms]
    • Xcode at /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
    • Build 16E140
    • CocoaPods version 1.16.2

[✓] Chrome - develop for the web [7ms]
    • Chrome at /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome

[✓] Android Studio (version 2024.3) [7ms]
    • Android Studio at /Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents
    • Flutter plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9212-flutter
    • Dart plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6351-dart
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.6+-13355223-b631.42)

[✓] VS Code (version 1.99.3) [6ms]
    • VS Code at /Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents
    • Flutter extension version 3.110.0

[✓] Connected device (2 available) [5.5s]
    • macOS (desktop) • macos  • darwin-arm64   • macOS 15.4.1 24E263 darwin-arm64
    • Chrome (web)    • chrome • web-javascript • Google Chrome 136.0.7103.93

[✓] Network resources [599ms]
    • All expected network resources are available.

• No issues found!

I believe this is intended and documented (but only on EditableText?). Formatters only runs on user input (e.g., via the onscreen keyboard or a physical keyboard), programmatical changes do not trigger the formatter. The behavior is a bit strange because the TextEditingController.clear call can be triggered by a user input (e.g., clicking the "clear" button).

I've opened a PR for this: #190166. It adds a note to TextEditingController.clear() clarifying that TextInputFormatters are not invoked on programmatic changes.

Document that programmatic TextEditingController changes do not run i…

This thread has been automatically locked since there has not been any recent activity after it was closed. If you are still experiencing a similar issue, please open a new bug, including the output of flutter doctor -v and a minimal reproduction of the issue.

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Calling TextEditingController.clear() does not call formatEditUpdate of formatter #86354

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Calling TextEditingController.clear() does not call formatEditUpdate of formatter #86354

Description

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TahaTesser commented on Jul 14, 2021

siqwin commented on Jul 14, 2021

TahaTesser commented on Jul 15, 2021

tirth-patel-nc commented on May 9, 2025

Triage Report

LongCatIsLooong commented on Jul 7, 2026

binSaed commented on Jul 28, 2026

github-actions commented on Sep 4, 2026

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