Set EditText cursor color

Question

I am having this issue where I am using the Android's Holo theme on a tablet project. However, I have a fragment on screen which has a white background. I am adding an EditText component on this fragment. I've tried to override the theme by setting the background of the Holo.Light theme resources. However, my text cursor (carat) remains white and hence, invisible on screen (I can spot it faintly in the edittext field..).

Does anyone know how I can get EditText to use a darker cursor color? I've tried setting the style of the EditText to "@android:style/Widget.Holo.Light.EditText" with no positive result.

Answer 1

Late to the party,Here's is my answer,

This is for the people who are not looking to change the colorAccent in their parent theme,but wants to change EditText attributes!

This answer demos how to change ......

1. Bottom line color
2. Cursor color
3. Cursor pointer color (I used my custom image).......... of EditText using style applied to the Activity theme.

<android.support.v7.widget.AppCompatEditText
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:text="Hey" />

Example:

<style name="AppTheme.EditText" parent="@style/Widget.AppCompat.EditText">
    <item name="android:textColor">@color/white</item>
    <item name="android:textColorHint">#8AFFFFFF</item>
    <item name="android:background">@drawable/edit_text_background</item> // background (bottom line at this case)
    <item name="android:textCursorDrawable">@color/white</item>  // Cursor
    <item name="android:textSelectHandle">@drawable/my_white_icon</item> // For pointer normal state and copy text state
    <item name="android:textSelectHandleLeft">@drawable/my_white_icon</item>
    <item name="android:textSelectHandleRight">@drawable/my_white_icon</item>
</style>

Now create a drawable(edit_text_background) add a resource xml for the background!You can customize as you want!

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<layer-list xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android">
    <item
        android:bottom="0dp"
        android:left="-3dp"   
        android:right="-3dp"
        android:top="-3dp">

        <shape android:shape="rectangle">
            <stroke
                android:width="1dp"
                android:color="@color/white"/>
        </shape>
    </item>
    </layer-list>

Now as you did set this style in your Activity theme.

Example :

In your Activity you have a theme,set this custom editText theme to that.

<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
    <!-- Your Theme data -->
    <item name="editTextStyle">@style/AppTheme.EditText</item> // inculude this
</style>

Answer 2

are you want specific color you must use AppCompatEditText then backround set null

works for me

<android.support.v7.widget.AppCompatEditText
    android:background="@null"
    android:textCursorDrawable="@color/cursorColor"/>

See this gist

Answer 3

Setting the android:textCursorDrawable attribute to @null should result in the use of android:textColor as the cursor color.

Attribute "textCursorDrawable" is available in API level 12 and higher

Answer 4

I found the answer :)

I've set the Theme's editText style to:

<item name="android:editTextStyle">@style/myEditText</item>

Then I've used the following drawable to set the cursor:

`

<style name="myEditText" parent="@android:style/Widget.Holo.Light.EditText">
    <item name="android:background">@android:drawable/editbox_background_normal</item>
    <item name="android:textCursorDrawable">@android:drawable/my_cursor_drawable</item>
    <item name="android:height">40sp</item>
</style>

`

android:textCursorDrawable is the key here.

Answer 5

Wow I am real late to this party but it has had activity 17 days ago It would seam we need to consider posting what version of Android we are using for an answer so as of now this answer works with Android 2.1 and above Go to RES/VALUES/STYLES and add the lines of code below and your cursor will be black

    <style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.NoActionBar">
    <!--<style name="AppTheme" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">-->
    <!-- Customize your theme here. -->
    <item name="colorControlActivated">@color/color_Black</item>
    <!--Sets COLOR for the Cursor in EditText  -->
</style>

You will need a this line of code in your RES/COLOR folder

<color name="color_Black">#000000</color>

Why post this late ? It might be nice to consider some form of categories for the many headed monster Android has become!

Answer 6

Edittext cursor color you want changes your color.
   <EditText  
    android:layout_width="fill_parent" 
    android:layout_height="wrap_content" 
    android:textCursorDrawable="@drawable/color_cursor"
    />

Then create drawalble xml: color_cursor

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" >
    <size android:width="3dp" />
    <solid android:color="#FFFFFF"  />
</shape>