UIHostingConfiguration on tvOS: focus permanently broken with multiple focusable SwiftUI views
Hi everyone,
I'm working on a tvOS app with a UICollectionView. Some cells embed SwiftUI content via UIHostingConfiguration, specifically a row of 3 buttons that should be individually focusable. The cell itself returns canBecomeFocused = false so focus passes through to the SwiftUI buttons.
The problem: after navigating focus into that section once, it becomes permanently unfocusable. Focus enters briefly, then immediately exits to nil on its own, without any user input. From that point on, the focus engine completely skips the section.
The exact same SwiftUI view works perfectly when embedded via UIHostingController instead.
How to reproduce
Press DOWN to move focus into the UIHostingConfiguration section
Focus lands on a SwiftUI button for a split second
Focus exits on its own and bumps to another section
The section is now dead, focus skips it on every subsequent navigation
What the system logs say (-UIFocusLoggingEnabled YES)
Right when focus enters, the system reports the SwiftUI focus items as "disappearing":
Ignoring focus update request for disappearing focus environment <UIKitFocusSectionResponderItem>
Then when searching for a new focusable item:
<SwiftUI._UIInheritedView> → (warning) No focusable items found.
<UIHostingContentView> → (warning) No focusable items found.
=== unable to find focused item in context. retrying with updated request. ===
The views are still in the hierarchy (verified by pointer), but the UIHostingContentView no longer exposes its virtual focus items. I also see mismatched parentFocusEnvironment on those items, pointing to a _UIHostingView from a completely different cell.
What I've tried
I've spent a lot of time on this with my colleagues, dug through the very limited documentation available online, and even used AI agents to help brainstorm. We tested 10 different approaches, none worked:
Overriding preferredFocusEnvironments to point to the UIHostingContentView
setNeedsFocusUpdate() / updateFocusIfNeeded(), rescan finds nothing
Forcing UIKit redraws (setNeedsLayout, setNeedsDisplay)
Removing .focusSection()
Removing all SwiftUI animations, identical behavior
Using canFocusItemAt: delegate instead of cell subclass, identical
remembersLastFocusedIndexPath = true, causes a separate focus trap
configurationUpdateHandler + setNeedsUpdateConfiguration(), config is rebuilt but virtual items stay deregistered
Verified the UIHostingContentView never leaves the hierarchy. It doesn't, its internal state is just corrupted
My workaround
I switched to UIHostingController with proper view controller containment. It works because the hosting controller is a full UIFocusEnvironment, so the focus engine can traverse it and it correctly maintains its virtual items.
Has anyone encountered this? Is there a known pattern for using UIHostingConfiguration on tvOS with multiple focusable SwiftUI elements? Or should I just file a Feedback?
Thanks for any help!
You can find the code here : https://github.com/ThomasDutartre/focus-problem-tvos
I recored the problem here :
https://youtu.be/yPfM5AvU2ko
TVUIKit
RSS for tagShow common user interface elements from Apple TV in your native app using TVUIKit.
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UIHostingConfiguration on tvOS: focus permanently broken with multiple focusable SwiftUI views
Hi everyone,
I'm working on a tvOS app with a UICollectionView. Some cells embed SwiftUI content via UIHostingConfiguration, specifically a row of 3 buttons that should be individually focusable. The cell itself returns canBecomeFocused = false so focus passes through to the SwiftUI buttons.
The problem: after navigating focus into that section once, it becomes permanently unfocusable. Focus enters briefly, then immediately exits to nil on its own, without any user input. From that point on, the focus engine completely skips the section.
The exact same SwiftUI view works perfectly when embedded via UIHostingController instead.
How to reproduce
Press DOWN to move focus into the UIHostingConfiguration section
Focus lands on a SwiftUI button for a split second
Focus exits on its own and bumps to another section
The section is now dead, focus skips it on every subsequent navigation
What the system logs say (-UIFocusLoggingEnabled YES)
Right when focus enters, the system reports the SwiftUI focus items as "disappearing":
Ignoring focus update request for disappearing focus environment <UIKitFocusSectionResponderItem>
Then when searching for a new focusable item:
<SwiftUI._UIInheritedView> → (warning) No focusable items found.
<UIHostingContentView> → (warning) No focusable items found.
=== unable to find focused item in context. retrying with updated request. ===
The views are still in the hierarchy (verified by pointer), but the UIHostingContentView no longer exposes its virtual focus items. I also see mismatched parentFocusEnvironment on those items, pointing to a _UIHostingView from a completely different cell.
What I've tried
I've spent a lot of time on this with my colleagues, dug through the very limited documentation available online, and even used AI agents to help brainstorm. We tested 10 different approaches, none worked:
Overriding preferredFocusEnvironments to point to the UIHostingContentView
setNeedsFocusUpdate() / updateFocusIfNeeded(), rescan finds nothing
Forcing UIKit redraws (setNeedsLayout, setNeedsDisplay)
Removing .focusSection()
Removing all SwiftUI animations, identical behavior
Using canFocusItemAt: delegate instead of cell subclass, identical
remembersLastFocusedIndexPath = true, causes a separate focus trap
configurationUpdateHandler + setNeedsUpdateConfiguration(), config is rebuilt but virtual items stay deregistered
Verified the UIHostingContentView never leaves the hierarchy. It doesn't, its internal state is just corrupted
My workaround
I switched to UIHostingController with proper view controller containment. It works because the hosting controller is a full UIFocusEnvironment, so the focus engine can traverse it and it correctly maintains its virtual items.
Has anyone encountered this? Is there a known pattern for using UIHostingConfiguration on tvOS with multiple focusable SwiftUI elements? Or should I just file a Feedback?
Thanks for any help!
Hello everyone,
Following the WWDC 2025 announcement of tvOS 26 and the introduction of the new Liquid Glass effect, Apple published a press release mentioning that Liquid Glass is "available on Apple TV 4K (2nd generation and later)".
This seems to exclude both the Apple TV HD and the 1st generation Apple TV 4K, even though both devices remain compatible with tvOS 26.
Source: Apple Newsroom ( https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/06/apple-tv-brings-a-beautiful-redesign-and-enhanced-home-entertainment-experience )
I’m wondering:
Will using UIGlassEffect or glassEffect(_:in:) on these older devices cause a crash?
If not, will the effect fall back to a simple blur, or render as fully transparent?
Is there an API or recommended way to detect whether the Liquid Glass effect is supported on the current device?
Thanks in advance for your insights!
We are developing an iPad app which also needs to control apple TV. is there any lead for it, any sdk/library available for quick and easy integration.