IQKeyboardReturnManager

Overview

As of version 8.0, IQKeyboardReturnManager is now an independent package, separated from the main IQKeyboardManager library. It automatically handles return key behavior, allowing users to navigate between text fields by pressing the return key.

IQKeyboardReturnManager was previously named IQReturnKeyHandler and was part of IQKeyboardManager. It has been renamed and extracted into its own package.

GitHub Repository

hackiftekhar/IQKeyboardReturnManager

Key Features

Automatic Return Key Handling - Navigate to next field or dismiss keyboard on return key press
Smart Navigation - Automatically moves to next text field when pressing return
Customizable Behavior - Configure return key type per field (Next, Done, etc.)
No Code Required - Works automatically once enabled
Delegate Pattern - Optional delegate methods for custom behavior

Installation

CocoaPods

# Install IQKeyboardReturnManager independently
pod 'IQKeyboardReturnManager'

# Or as a subspec of IQKeyboardManager for easier migration
pod 'IQKeyboardManagerSwift/IQKeyboardReturnManager'

Swift Package Manager

dependencies: [
    .package(url: "https://github.com/hackiftekhar/IQKeyboardReturnManager.git", from: "2.0.0")
]

Carthage

github "hackiftekhar/IQKeyboardReturnManager"

Basic Usage

Enable Return Key Management

import IQKeyboardReturnManager

class MyViewController: UIViewController {
    
    @IBOutlet var nameTextField: UITextField!
    @IBOutlet var emailTextField: UITextField!
    @IBOutlet var passwordTextField: UITextField!
    
    private lazy var returnKeyManager = IQKeyboardReturnManager(controller: self)
    
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        
        // Return key manager is automatically enabled when created
        // It will handle return key presses in this view controller
    }
}

How It Works

When the user presses return on a text field:
- If there’s a next text field, it becomes first responder
- If it’s the last text field, the keyboard dismisses
Return key types are automatically configured:
- “Next” for fields with a next field
- “Done” for the last field

Configuration

Custom Delegate

Implement the delegate to customize behavior:

class MyViewController: UIViewController, IQKeyboardReturnManagerDelegate {
    
    private lazy var returnKeyManager: IQKeyboardReturnManager = {
        let manager = IQKeyboardReturnManager(controller: self)
        manager.delegate = self
        return manager
    }()
    
    // MARK: - IQKeyboardReturnManagerDelegate
    
    func shouldResignOnReturn(_ textInputView: UIView) -> Bool {
        // Custom logic to determine if keyboard should dismiss
        return true
    }
    
    func didBeginEditing(_ textInputView: UIView) {
        // Called when editing begins
    }
    
    func didEndEditing(_ textInputView: UIView) {
        // Called when editing ends
    }
}

Manual Control

// Navigate to next text field programmatically
returnKeyManager.goNext()

// Navigate to previous text field
returnKeyManager.goPrevious()

// Dismiss keyboard
returnKeyManager.resignFirstResponder()

Migration from v7

See the Migration Guide for detailed migration instructions from IQKeyboardManager v7 to v8.

Key Changes

Renamed - IQReturnKeyHandler → IQKeyboardReturnManager
Separate Package - Now available as an independent library
Initialization - Requires view controller instance in initializer

Before (v7)

import IQKeyboardManagerSwift

class MyViewController: UIViewController {
    
    private var returnKeyHandler: IQReturnKeyHandler?
    
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        returnKeyHandler = IQReturnKeyHandler(controller: self)
    }
}

After (v8)

import IQKeyboardReturnManager

class MyViewController: UIViewController {
    
    private lazy var returnKeyManager = IQKeyboardReturnManager(controller: self)
    
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        // returnKeyManager is automatically active
    }
}

Use Cases

Ideal for forms where users should navigate between fields using the return key:

class RegistrationViewController: UIViewController {
    
    @IBOutlet var firstNameField: UITextField!
    @IBOutlet var lastNameField: UITextField!
    @IBOutlet var emailField: UITextField!
    @IBOutlet var phoneField: UITextField!
    @IBOutlet var passwordField: UITextField!
    
    private lazy var returnKeyManager = IQKeyboardReturnManager(controller: self)
    
    // Return key will automatically navigate:
    // firstName (Return) → lastName (Return) → email (Return) → phone (Return) → password (Done)
}

Custom Return Behavior

class LoginViewController: UIViewController, IQKeyboardReturnManagerDelegate {
    
    @IBOutlet var usernameField: UITextField!
    @IBOutlet var passwordField: UITextField!
    
    private lazy var returnKeyManager: IQKeyboardReturnManager = {
        let manager = IQKeyboardReturnManager(controller: self)
        manager.delegate = self
        return manager
    }()
    
    func shouldResignOnReturn(_ textInputView: UIView) -> Bool {
        if textInputView == passwordField {
            // Trigger login when user presses return on password field
            performLogin()
            return true
        }
        return false
    }
    
    func performLogin() {
        // Handle login logic
    }
}

API Reference

Initialization

init(controller: UIViewController)

Creates a return key manager for the specified view controller.

Properties

Property	Type	Description
`delegate`	`IQKeyboardReturnManagerDelegate?`	Delegate for custom behavior

Methods

Method	Description
`goNext()`	Move to next text field
`goPrevious()`	Move to previous text field
`resignFirstResponder()`	Dismiss keyboard

Delegate Methods

protocol IQKeyboardReturnManagerDelegate: AnyObject {
    
    // Called to determine if keyboard should dismiss on return
    func shouldResignOnReturn(_ textInputView: UIView) -> Bool
    
    // Called when text field begins editing
    func didBeginEditing(_ textInputView: UIView)
    
    // Called when text field ends editing
    func didEndEditing(_ textInputView: UIView)
}

Best Practices

Keep Manager in Memory

Store the IQKeyboardReturnManager instance as a property to keep it in memory throughout the view controller’s lifetime.

private lazy var returnKeyManager = IQKeyboardReturnManager(controller: self)

One Manager Per View Controller

Create one return key manager per view controller, not per text field.

// ✅ Correct - one manager for the view controller
class FormViewController: UIViewController {
    private lazy var returnKeyManager = IQKeyboardReturnManager(controller: self)
}

// ❌ Incorrect - don't create multiple managers
class FormViewController: UIViewController {
    private lazy var manager1 = IQKeyboardReturnManager(controller: self)
    private lazy var manager2 = IQKeyboardReturnManager(controller: self)
}

Use with IQKeyboardManager

IQKeyboardReturnManager works seamlessly with IQKeyboardManager. Use both together for complete keyboard handling:

// In AppDelegate
IQKeyboardManager.shared.isEnabled = true

// In ViewController
private lazy var returnKeyManager = IQKeyboardReturnManager(controller: self)

IQKeyboardToolbarManager

Add Previous/Next/Done toolbar buttons

IQTextView

UITextView with placeholder support

Core

Appearance

Extensions

Modules

Overview

GitHub Repository

Key Features

Installation

CocoaPods

Swift Package Manager

Carthage

Basic Usage

Enable Return Key Management

How It Works

Configuration

Custom Delegate

Manual Control

Migration from v7

Key Changes

Before (v7)

After (v8)

Use Cases

Form Navigation

Custom Return Behavior

API Reference

Initialization

Properties

Methods

Delegate Methods

Best Practices

IQKeyboardToolbarManager

IQTextView

See Also

​Overview

​GitHub Repository

​Key Features

​Installation

​CocoaPods

​Swift Package Manager

​Carthage

​Basic Usage

​Enable Return Key Management

​How It Works

​Configuration

​Custom Delegate

​Manual Control

​Migration from v7

​Key Changes

​Before (v7)

​After (v8)

​Use Cases

​Form Navigation

​Custom Return Behavior

​API Reference

​Initialization

​Properties

​Methods

​Delegate Methods

​Best Practices

​Related Resources

IQKeyboardToolbarManager

IQTextView

​See Also

Overview

GitHub Repository

Key Features

Installation

CocoaPods

Swift Package Manager

Carthage

Basic Usage

Enable Return Key Management

How It Works

Configuration

Custom Delegate

Manual Control

Migration from v7

Key Changes

Before (v7)

After (v8)

Use Cases

Form Navigation

Custom Return Behavior

API Reference

Initialization

Properties

Methods

Delegate Methods

Best Practices

Related Resources

See Also