fix(macos): Fabric accessibility roles and state, and TextInput read-only and Tab-stop fixes by JasonVMo · Pull Request #3136 · microsoft/react-native-macos

Jason Morse (JasonVMo) · 2026-10-22T05:39:58Z

Summary:

On macOS, Fabric loses most accessibility information that Paper exposes, and TextInput handles focus and read-only state incorrectly:

role / accessibilityRole values such as menuitem, option, tab, combobox and textbox report AXUnknown.
accessibilityState disabled, selected and expanded never reach AppKit.
A single-line TextInput with editable={false} is disabled instead of read-only. It can't be focused or selected, while accessibilityState.disabled doesn't disable it at all.
Each Fabric TextInput takes two Tab presses.

FluentUI React Native works around these with a Yarn patch on 0.81.9 (microsoft/fluentui-react-native#4386). This PR fixes them on main. All changes are macOS-only and tagged. The 0.81 backport and the Paper checks that can't run on main are tracked in #3135.

Each commit is a separate fix and builds on its own:

RCTConvert: the ARIA path for array input passed the whole array instead of each element.
Fabric role: resolve the role the way Paper does: role with the ARIA table, then accessibilityRole with the legacy table, then the traits, then the element's default. Write it to accessibilityElement, so TextInput's backing field receives it. Also add the missing legacy textbox mapping.
Fabric state: project disabled, selected and expanded, including the NotEnabled and Selected traits, onto the accessibility element. As in Paper, isAccessibilitySelectorAllowed: exposes an attribute only when JS provides it, so a view without expanded doesn't report AXExpanded.
Read-only vs. disabled: on macOS, editable only controls editing; read-only fields stay enabled, selectable and reachable with Tab. accessibilityState.disabled drives a new enabled property on the backing input on both renderers. RCTUITextView implements it for multiline. On Paper, removing the accessibilityState prop now clears the previous state.
One Tab stop per TextInput: the Fabric component view and the multiline RCTWrappedTextView stay out of the key-view loop. The component view also refuses first responder, since TextInput defaults focusable to true. RNTester-macOS now recalculates its key-view loop, matching RCTAppDelegate.
Optional, recycled TextInput role: swapping a recycled TextInput's backing view copied an unset role, which reads back as AXUnknown. The new field then reported AXUnknown instead of AXTextField.

New RNTester examples cover each fix: Accessibility "Roles from role and accessibilityRole" and "Disabled, selected and expanded state"; TextInput "Read-only and disabled" and "Tab stops".

Follow-ups outside this PR:

Removing role or accessibilityRole keeps the previous value, because shared AccessibilityProps parsing treats null as unset. role="none" restores the default role.
The shared accessibilityValue override still appends "expanded", which may make VoiceOver say it twice now that AXExpanded is exposed.
checked and busy aren't projected, and Fabric views expose no AXPress action.

Test Plan:

Command	Result
`RCT_NEW_ARCH_ENABLED=1 pod install` (in `packages/rn-tester`)	Passed
`xcodebuild -workspace packages/rn-tester/RNTesterPods.xcworkspace -sdk macosx -configuration Debug -scheme RNTester-macOS CODE_SIGNING_ALLOWED=NO build`	Passed at every commit
`xcodebuild -workspace packages/rn-tester/RNTesterPods.xcworkspace -sdk iphonesimulator -configuration Debug -scheme RNTester -destination 'generic/platform=iOS Simulator' CODE_SIGNING_ALLOWED=NO build`	Passed
`yarn flow check`	Passed (0 errors)
`yarn exec eslint --max-warnings 0` and `yarn exec prettier --check` on the two example files	Passed at every commit

I ran the new examples in RNTester-macOS (new architecture) and inspected them from a separate process with AXUIElementCopyAttributeValue. Both runs used the RNTester key-view change, so Tab can move between views.

Check	`main`	This PR
`role="menuitem"` / `"option"` / `"tab"`	`AXUnknown`	`AXMenuItem` / `AXStaticText` / `AXRadioButton`
`accessibilityRole="textbox"`	not recorded	`AXTextField`
Cycling a View's role, including `"none"`	always `AXUnknown`	follows the prop; `"none"` restores `AXUnknown`
TextInput `role="combobox"`, then `"none"`	`AXUnknown`	`AXComboBox`, then `AXTextField`
Toggling `disabled`, `selected`, `expanded` on and off	AXEnabled stays 1; AXSelected and AXExpanded absent	0 / 1 / 1, then 1 / 0 / 0
View whose state has no `expanded`	n/a	no AXExpanded
`editable={false}`	AXEnabled = 0; clicking doesn't focus it	AXEnabled = 1; focusable, select-all works, typing rejected
`accessibilityState={{disabled: true}}`, single-line and multiline	single-line still enabled (AXEnabled = 1) and focusable	AXEnabled = 0; skipped by Tab and refuses focus. Removing the prop re-enables both
Three TextInputs, Tab then Shift+Tab	2 presses per input	1 press per input
Recycled TextInput after a multiline-to-single-line swap	`AXUnknown`	`AXTextField`

Not run:

Paper: main doesn't build the legacy architecture; tracked in Backport macOS accessibility and TextInput fixes to 0.81-stable, with Paper validation #3135.
macOS unit tests: RNTester-macOSUnitTests already fails to compile on main (RCTImageLoaderTests.m uses UIImage).
visionOS build.
VoiceOver: speech output isn't recorded here.

+[RCTConvert accessibilityRoleFromTraits:useAriaMappings:] passed the whole array, rather than the current element, to the ARIA lookup, so array input never matched an ARIA role. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

…ityRole On macOS, RCTViewComponentView mapped only accessibilityTraits to a role. The C++ props convert just a few role strings to traits, so roles such as menuitem, option, tab, combobox and textbox reported AXUnknown. The role was also set on the component view rather than its accessibility element, so the field behind a TextInput never received it. Resolve the role the way Paper does: role with the ARIA table, then accessibilityRole with the legacy table, then the traits, and otherwise the element's default role. Write it to accessibilityElement. Add the missing legacy textbox mapping and an RNTester example. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Fabric ignored accessibilityState on macOS, so VoiceOver and automation reported disabled elements as enabled and never reported AXSelected or AXExpanded. Project the state, including the NotEnabled and Selected traits, onto the accessibility element. This replaces the trait-only accessibilityEnabled update, which wrote to the component view instead of the element. As in Paper, expose an attribute only when JS provides it: setting an NSAccessibility state makes AppKit advertise the attribute, so an element without expanded must not report AXExpanded. Add an RNTester example. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

…State.disabled editable={false} disabled the single-line NSTextField, so read-only fields could not be focused, selected or copied and reported AXEnabled = NO, while accessibilityState.disabled did not disable the field at all. - RCTUITextField: editable now only controls editing. Read-only fields stay enabled, selectable and reachable with Tab. - accessibilityState.disabled sets a new enabled property on the backing text input on both renderers. RCTUITextView implements it for multiline input: it refuses first responder and reports AXEnabled = NO. - Paper: clear the previous state when accessibilityState is removed. Disabled fields now use AppKit's disabled appearance; read-only fields no longer do. Add an RNTester example. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

RCTTextInputComponentView and, for multiline input, RCTWrappedTextView only host the editor but were in the key view loop, so each TextInput took two Tab presses. TextInput's default focusable={true} also let the component view become first responder. Keep both wrappers out of the key view loop and the responder chain; focus() already targets the editor. RNTester now recalculates its key view loop like RCTAppDelegate, so Tab moves between views in the new example. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

… view Changing multiline or secureTextEntry, including on a recycled view, replaces the backing view and copies its accessibility role. An unset role reads back as AXUnknown, so the new NSTextField reported AXUnknown instead of AXTextField. Do not copy an unset role. Co-authored-by: Copilot <223556219+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Saad Najmi (Saadnajmi) · 2026-10-23T20:50:27Z

 #endif

 #if TARGET_OS_OSX // [macOS
+#import <React/RCTConvert.h>


We probably shouldn't import the paper RCTConvert into Fabric. We likely need to duplicate the code in the fabric renderer

Saad Najmi (Saadnajmi) · 2026-10-23T20:54:18Z

+#if !TARGET_OS_OSX // [macOS]
  // `accessibilityTraits`
  if (oldViewProps.accessibilityTraits != newViewProps.accessibilityTraits) {
-#if !TARGET_OS_OSX // [macOS]
    self.accessibilityElement.accessibilityTraits =
        RCTUIAccessibilityTraitsFromAccessibilityTraits(newViewProps.accessibilityTraits);
+  }
 #else // [macOS
-    // On macOS, accessibilityElement returns self (NSView*) which doesn't have accessibilityTraits.
-    // Set role directly on self based on traits.
+  // `role`, `accessibilityRole` and `accessibilityTraits`
+  // NSAccessibility has no traits, so all three resolve to a single role on the accessibility element.
+  if (oldViewProps.role != newViewProps.role || oldViewProps.accessibilityRole != newViewProps.accessibilityRole ||
+      oldViewProps.accessibilityTraits != newViewProps.accessibilityTraits) {
+    self.accessibilityElement.accessibilityRole =
+        RCTAccessibilityRoleFromViewProps(newViewProps, self.accessibilityElement);
+  }
+
+  // `accessibilityTraits`
+  if (oldViewProps.accessibilityTraits != newViewProps.accessibilityTraits) {
    RCTUIAccessibilityTraits traits = RCTUIAccessibilityTraitsFromAccessibilityTraits(newViewProps.accessibilityTraits);
-    self.accessibilityRole = RCTAccessibilityRoleFromTraits(traits);
    self.accessibilityEnabled = (traits & RCTUIAccessibilityTraitNotEnabled) == 0;
-#endif // macOS]
  }
+#endif // macOS]


Can we simplify this diff? I'd like to follow the iOS handling more closely instead of diffing out the check of accessibilityTraits. It'd be nice if we can keep the diffs inside the if (accessibilityTraitsChanged) and would like more info why that pattern doesn't work.

Saad Najmi (Saadnajmi) · 2026-10-23T20:56:19Z

+const macOSDynamicRoles: $ReadOnlyArray<
+  'menuitem' | 'option' | 'tab' | 'none',
+> = ['menuitem', 'option', 'tab', 'none'];
+


Not sure what dynamic means here. Maybe "macOS specific"? Is there not a test already testing setting the role of an arbitrary view? I'f love for this to test macOS specifics if it's going to be a separate test

Saad Najmi (Saadnajmi) · 2026-10-23T20:58:28Z

+
+// Setting an NSAccessibility state property makes AppKit advertise that attribute, so like Paper
+// (`-[RCTView isAccessibilitySelectorAllowed:]`) only expose a state when JS provides it. `disabled` and `selected` are
+// plain bools in `AccessibilityState`, so they count as provided whenever `accessibilityState` is set.
+static BOOL RCTViewPropsProvideAccessibilityEnabled(const ViewProps &props)
+{
+  const auto traits = RCTUIAccessibilityTraitsFromAccessibilityTraits(props.accessibilityTraits);
+  return props.accessibilityState.has_value() || (traits & RCTUIAccessibilityTraitNotEnabled) != 0;
+}
+
+static BOOL RCTViewPropsProvideAccessibilitySelected(const ViewProps &props)
+{
+  const auto traits = RCTUIAccessibilityTraitsFromAccessibilityTraits(props.accessibilityTraits);
+  return props.accessibilityState.has_value() || (traits & RCTUIAccessibilityTraitSelected) != 0;
+}
+
+static BOOL RCTViewPropsProvideAccessibilityExpanded(const ViewProps &props)
+{
+  return props.accessibilityState.has_value() && props.accessibilityState->expanded.has_value();
+}


Is this file the best place for these functions? There isn't some fabric specific accessibility handlers file?

Saad Najmi (Saadnajmi) · 2026-10-23T20:59:28Z

+- (void)setEnabled:(BOOL)enabled
+{
+  if (_enabled == enabled) {
+    return;
+  }
+  _enabled = enabled;
+
+  // NSTextView has no enabled state. Behave like a disabled NSTextField: report AXEnabled = NO, refuse first responder
+  // (see -acceptsFirstResponder) and end editing if the view is focused.
+  self.accessibilityEnabled = enabled;
+  if (!enabled && self.window.firstResponder == self) {
+    [self.window makeFirstResponder:nil];
+  }


prefer no early return and to do the work in the body

Saad Najmi (Saadnajmi) · 2026-10-23T21:01:36Z

+#if !TARGET_OS_OSX // [macOS]
+  self.enabled = editable;
+#else // [macOS
+  // On macOS `editable={false}` makes the field read-only, not disabled: it stays enabled, focusable and selectable.


Is this a behavior difference from iOS? Would prefer to match iOS / Web / React Native unless desktop or macOS call for divergent behavior

Saad Najmi (Saadnajmi) · 2026-10-23T21:02:57Z

+// The backed text input owns focus, editing and the accessibility element; this view only hosts it. Keep it out of the
+// key view loop and the responder chain so each TextInput is a single Tab stop. TextInput defaults `focusable` to true,
+// which would otherwise make -[RCTViewComponentView acceptsFirstResponder] return YES. `focus()` targets the backed view.
+- (BOOL)canBecomeKeyView
+{
+  return NO;
+}
+
+- (BOOL)acceptsFirstResponder
+{
+  return NO;
+}
+#endif // macOS]


I think we can simplify this comment a bit

Jason Morse (JasonVMo) and others added 6 commits October 21, 2026 16:36

Jason Morse (JasonVMo) requested a review from a team as a code owner October 22, 2026 05:39

Jason Morse (JasonVMo) mentioned this pull request Oct 22, 2026

Backport macOS accessibility and TextInput fixes to 0.81-stable, with Paper validation #3135

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Jason Morse (JasonVMo) requested a review from Saad Najmi (Saadnajmi) October 22, 2026 16:02

Saad Najmi (Saadnajmi) reviewed Oct 23, 2026

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fix(macos): Fabric accessibility roles and state, and TextInput read-only and Tab-stop fixes - #3136

fix(macos): Fabric accessibility roles and state, and TextInput read-only and Tab-stop fixes#3136
Jason Morse (JasonVMo) wants to merge 6 commits into
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Jason Morse (JasonVMo) commented Oct 22, 2026

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Jason Morse (JasonVMo) commented Oct 22, 2026

Summary:

Test Plan:

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