Android & iOS - Expense - Amount field does not auto focus

[applause-bot]

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Version Number: 9.4.41-0
Reproducible in staging?: Yes
Reproducible in production?: No
If this was caught during regression testing, add the test name, ID and link from BrowserStack: #96228
Email or phone of affected tester (no customers): sdsjodijnsdojsosjio@gmail.com
Issue reported by: Applause Internal Team
Bug source: Exploratory - Significant User Experience Deterioration
Device used: iPhone 15 Pro Max / iOS 26.5
App Component: Money Requests

Action Performed:

1. Launch Expensify app.
2. Open FAB > Create expense > Manual.

Expected Result:

Amount field will auto focus.

Actual Result:

Amount field does not auto focus.

Workaround:

Unknown

Platforms:

• Android: App
• Android: mWeb Chrome
• iOS: App
• iOS: mWeb Safari
• iOS: mWeb Chrome
• Windows: Chrome
• MacOS: Chrome Safari

Screenshots/Videos

Bug7213223_1784618585180.ScreenRecording_07-21-2026_15-22-00_1.1.mp4

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Applause Internal Information
Exported by: Julia Ponikarchuk
Bug ID: 7213223

[applause-bot]

While Applause doesn't embed attachments for this bug, here are the links for quick view:
https://platform.applause.com/services/links/v1/external/082befa96239a2691d0ff50d63e90e84bf9e268ca8160b0ca75a97c1f458009a

[melvin-bot]

You have been assigned to this deploy blocker because you recently merged this PR: #96228

[melvin-bot]

💬 A slack conversation has been started in #expensify-open-source

[github-actions]

👋 Friendly reminder that deploy blockers are time-sensitive ⏱ issues! Check out the open `StagingDeployCash` deploy checklist to see the list of PRs included in this release, then work quickly to do one of the following:

1. Identify the pull request that introduced this issue and revert it.
2. Find someone who can quickly fix the issue.
3. Fix the issue yourself.

[MelvinBot]

Proposal

Root Cause: The amount field auto-focus is explicitly disabled on touch devices in the new manual expense flow. TransactionDetailsFields.tsx:70 sets shouldAutoFocusAmountField = !canUseTouchScreen(), and canUseTouchScreen returns true on native — so on iOS/Android App autoFocus is false, and the amount input never gets focus.

This surfaced now because #96228 removed the NEW_MANUAL_EXPENSE_FLOW beta gate, making the new flow the default for everyone. The old flow's amount page auto-focused on native, so mobile users lost that behavior — which is why it reproduces on staging but not production.

Recommended Fix: Make the amount field auto-focus on native too. In TransactionDetailsFields.tsx:70, drop the !canUseTouchScreen() gate so shouldAutoFocusAmountField is true on all platforms. The existing focus machinery in AmountField already handles the rest correctly.

Investigation details

The focus chain in the new flow:

1. TransactionDetailsFields.tsx:70,94 passes autoFocus={!canUseTouchScreen()} into AmountField → false on native.
2. AmountField's inner NumberWithSymbolForm hardcodes autoFocus={false}, so focus depends entirely on the re-focus effect.
3. That effect (AmountField.tsx:129-142) early-returns when !autoFocus, so amountInputRef.current?.focus() is never called on native.

The useEffect also already guards on isParticipantPickerVisible, so removing the touch-screen gate won't fight the auto-opened participant picker — the field focuses only once the picker closes.

Alternative considered: revert PR #96228 to restore the old flow. Not recommended — the new flow is intended to ship, and the fix here is a one-line scope change.

Possibly related (same new flow, also a deploy blocker): #96594 — Amount input field is hidden when tapping on it.

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Next Steps for Contributor+ team:
To accept: @MelvinBot implement [this](https://github.com/Expensify/App/issues/96601) to create a draft PR.
To refine: @MelvinBot <your feedback>
To reject: Explain why you are rejecting Melvin's proposal.