Microsoft investigating disappearing keyboard bug in Windows Phone 7.5

By Tom Warren, on 17th Oct 11 9:06 pm with 63 Comments

Windows Phone 7.5 "Mango" devices

Microsoft confirmed on Monday that it is currently investigating reports of the Windows Phone 7.5 keyboard disappearing.

A number of users have reported that the Windows Phone 7.5 “Mango” keyboard disappears during regular use of the phone. A thread on the XDA-developers forum contains 40 replies of users complaining about the issue. “The keyboard just drops when I’m texting,” notes one poster. “It’s almost as if the screen was registering another touch on the messaging hub making it the keyboard drop. I don’t really know, but it was annoying.”

Microsoft confirmed on Friday that it was aware of the issues via its Windows Phone support team. The software giant also sent a statement to ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley on Monday confirming its investigation into the reports. “Customer support is working with the individuals reporting changes to their experience. We are investigating these reports to determine the root cause of any issues users are having,” said a Microsoft spokesperson.

WMPowerUser has also compiled a list of possible Mango bugs, including decreased keyboard accuracy and excessive data use. It’s not clear whether Microsoft is investigating the additional reports. I have experienced the keyboard issue first hand and it happens regularly on the HTC TITAN that I use on a daily basis, a device that ships with Windows Phone 7.5 preinstalled. Anyone else seeing similar issues or problems with battery life?

  • http://twitter.com/ondraster Ondra Moravek

    The keyboard disappears for me only in IE when typing address, but not before first keypress. The input field still is highlited and tapping into it opens the keyboard again. (Omnia 7 Mango)

    It happened to me like 5 times, but for the past week nothing, it somehow stopped doing. Weird!

    • http://www.winrumors.com Tom W

      Yeah identical to me. I have it in Bird Song too. I noticed it all last week but nothing this week (yet).

  • Prowade

    My Samsung Focus has the “dropping keyboard” problem. I have also wondered about the decreased accuracy in the keyboard as well. When I first got the Samsung Focus pre NoDo, I NEVER hit the wrong key. Now I am always hitting the spacebar besides the lower section of keys…for example I hit Space instead of the “N” key.

    • http://www.winrumors.com Tom W

      Interesting, thanks for the comment. I sometimes hit the spacebar instead of other keys too but I put this down to using the TITAN and its large screen. I’ll keep an eye out during my own use.

    • Anonymous

      I’ve got a trophy and the only problems with accuracy I have I’ve had since getting the device with 7.0: sometimes when I choose an autocorrected word I don’t get an auto space. these issues don’t seem wide spread so my guess is they’re device related. Is anyone reporting in with the same issues after wiping their phones?

    • http://homepages.ihug.co.nz/~fillup/ Phil Turnbull

      Me too, but I just assumed that it was the slightly more responsive keyboard meaning I had less time to (subconsciously?) correct an incorrect key-press before lifting my finger. 

      Now that I’ve had Mango for a while, I no longer press the incorrect keys, so plausible?

    • http://twitter.com/casandrasdream casandrasdream

      Low spec WP

    • Anonymous

      Probably low like your IQ and EQ. However, even with low specs, unlike you, Windows Phone is useful and makes people happy.

  • http://www.twitter.com/wixostrix WixosTrix

    I actually didn’t notice it until reading an article about it yesterday.  Now it seems to happen a little more than often while I’m texting.  Battery life seems to be uneffected.  Only when I leave the Messenger signed in do I experience fast battery drainage.  It would be nice if there was an indicator on the status bar show your online status.

  • Gabriel

    No problems on samsung focus. Maybe carriers didn’t fully testing devices fearing backlash like you see in forums when users don’t get updates when they feel they should. This is why patience is key, BUT NO….WE WANT IT NOW. As soon as a problem arises, we forget the uproar we cause in the first place rushing the testing process. Personally, I think they should have everyone sign up for beta testing phone updates like they’re doing for win8 and Xbox console. Face it, all updates will have flaws, look at ios5…its even having issues

  • http://twitter.com/Jota João Pedro

    This is weird, I’m not having any issues. In fact, since I upgraded to Mango I noticed an increase in battery life and keyboard accuracy is better too (I had some problems with that in NoDo, nothing major)

    I use a 16gb unbraded Omnia 7 and I feel so left out :P

    • Seth_p

      Not left out – I don’t think I’ve ever had problems like this (even on dev build)… unless I’m completely oblivious. That’s possible

  • Anonymous

    Had the keyboard disppearing once.  No battery life and keyboard accuracy issue for me.  Focus v1.3.

  • http://twitter.com/weetigo f t edwards

    I do notice the disappearing keyboard with my Samsung Focus.   My data usage is up quite a bit this month, however that’s due to Zune Pass in Canada :D

  • luky

    Yep same here during texting…ive noticed ot couple of times….

  • Anonymous

    Regarding battery life, I do notice faster drainage when I’m home with the AT&T microcell. I *think* it’s been like that before Mango though.  Not a biggie since when I’m home, my phone is usually plugged in.  When I’m outside, battery life is excellent again.  Just FYI for those who may be using a microcell.

  • http://barrymoves.blogspot.com/ barrymoves

    Keyboard disappeared once – I had assumed was an app issue. No battery life or other issues. HTC Mozart

  • Anonymous

    I just updated my Dell Venue Pro to mango. I havn’t seen any of these issues. My battery life doesn’t seem to be any different either. Granted, I don’t have a lot of apps that use background processing.

  • Anonymous

    The only thing that kind of bugs me is the back button in IE9. I wish there were a way to navigate backwards to a previous web page and not end up back on the start screen. I would also like to navigate forward.

    • Anonymous

      Huh? Back button takes you back to the previous page unless you are on the very first page that launched IE.

    • http://twitter.com/ROMSPAX Roman

      Not true, if your on a page and you go back to the main page then back to IE then back button wil get you back to home screen even though you’ve surfed to more then one webpage in the first place.

  • http://twitter.com/jbarinas Juan Barinas

    This has been happening on my DVP more often recently. It really is quite annoying.

  • Anonymous

    Yep same here, def seeing the decreased accuracy as well… Htc trophy

    • OMG55

      This device has a design inaccuracy. I have the trophy and the focus. The battery on the trophy is horrible on side of my focus. I’m not having key board issue on either of them and update to mango on the 28th of Sept. Maybe the is a device thing???

  • Grannyville7989

    I haven’t noticed anything on my Omnia 7 running Mango, though I’m not sure if that’s because I haven’t come across this bug or I just hadn’t caught on when it happened.

  • http://twitter.com/ReformedCtrlZ Justin Wilson

    I have experienced the bug myself as well. It happens at random times and occurs several times and then seems to work fine afterwards, its a weird bug…

    As to increased data, worse keyboard accuracy, and loss of battery… I have unlimited data so I don’t notice, I may be having worse keyboard accuracy, but I can’t tell if that’s the phone, or me just relying too much on the autocorrect. And battery, when I first installed Mango it had crappy battery, but I reset the battery meter (by restarting after full charge while plugged in) and everything works fine now… I do think that battery dies a bit faster than it did, but I think that’s because I have my phone pulling more information down with mango installed (friends statuses, twitter, multi-tasking etc.) not necessarily the phone itself having issues.

  • Anonymous

    I have the disappearing keyboard but the accuracy has somewhat improved or just that I ave gotten better at typing .

  • Delta470

    I have noticed an increase in App’s that want to use location services for ad targeting or so they say.  

  • http://www.facebook.com/soundtweaker Dan Menapace

    I’m getting this bug on my focus as well as the mp4 video bug which has been there since day 1.

  • Neville Carpenter

    Have and HTC HD7 updated to Mango with no additional battery drain or missing keyboard.. -:)

    • http://twitter.com/hchooley Matt Baldwin

      HD7 here.  My paste button gets truncated on the keyboard.  The worst bug by far is the Zune music app crashing, especially when it crashes on the lock screen (battery removal is the only recovery).

    • Gabe

      Same here.  My HD7 works just fine.

  • http://twitter.com/OldCongress Gamer

    Its just a minor issue, I’ve experienced it only once a month. You people are making a fuss out of it, just report duhhhh.!

  • gary

    uyt ioiyu o ytfnjk kljft  frttyyy r vftr678tr wel,myv

    Sent from my WP7

    • Guest

      F……………………………………………..O………………………….[reboot]……………………………..tro……[battery died]……ll.

      Sent from my Android

  • Martin Stevens

    I’ve got the keyboard disappearing bug on my Omnia 7, happens at least once a day. Haven’t noticed any decrease in accuracy though.

  • Jlott069

    Not having any problems at all. LG Quantum of course with my physical keyboard I rarely use the on screen keyboard…

  • Anonymous

    Is it only on certain models or firmware?  I am running on a Focus and have never seen it.

  • Adam Shaw

    I have an issue with the touch screen normally just after
    the screen has been unlocked. I have trouble sliding the lock screen upwards (usually
    takes multiple swipes), answering calls, dismissing alarms etc. In all cases swiping
    on the sides of the screen seems more accurate.
    After unlocking the screen is normal and very responsive.

    • Adam Shaw

      My phone is an htc mozart

  • Anonymous

    ive had it happen several times since the final mango release on my trophy and thought maybe it was just me…hope they fix it soon

  • http://twitter.com/laserfloyd Lewis McCrary

    Definitely getting the keyboard bug.  Glad it’s not just me.  It isn’t often just here and there.  Patch please? :)

    • http://twitter.com/casandrasdream casandrasdream

      wp has got very low specs maybe its why????

    • Anonymous

      Very low, like your ambitions. However, unlike you, this bug gets fixed as Windows Phone keeps improving, because it isn’t fundamentally flawed.

  • B Eubanks

    I’ve experienced the keyboard issue on my Mango updated LG Quantum. When texting, using the slider keyboard, the text becomes deselected as though I’ve pressed another spot on the screen. Sometimes I go back and forth several times putting the cursor back in the new text box only to have it immediately deselect again by the time I first press another key.

  • http://twitter.com/IceInPerson Dom

    Yup! Getting the disapearing keyboard here too on Omnia 7 particularly in the Birdsong app.

  • Maxari14

    Uptil now I never had any problems with my HD7. I really hope this is fixed ASAP cause the disappearing keyboard is so f****n annoying!!

  • http://twitter.com/chrisleadley Chris Leadley

    Not having any problems so far Omnia 7, hope it get sorted quickly though as its not good for PR

  • Jantje

    I have an HTC Titan like you Tom but haven’t had any issues with the keyboard so far. Neither do I have any problems with the battery as it really exceded my expectations! it’s been running for a day and a half and still have %50 left! this is while I have been using the phone for sms/calling/taking pictures/what’s app etc a lot! yesterday..
    Maybe it’s because mine is dutch? ;)

  • Erikpvb

    I only just happened to me while using WhatsApp, on my Omnia 7 running Mango.

  • gary

    My keyboard dissapeared, so now I carry a bluetooth PC keyboard with me

    Its not the most elegant solution, and its hard to fit in my pocket but it works.

    Can MS not download the source code for android and get a few hints ????

  • S1lence

    No problems at all – HTC Mozart

  • http://profiles.google.com/carlosrfonseca Carlos Ribeiro da Fonseca

    I get that sometimes too. I’m in the middle of writing a message and puf! the keyboard disappears. But tapping on the text box makes it appear again so it’s only slightly annoying.

    The keyboad also seems a bit less accurate, however before Mango it didn’t have a portuguese dictionary, so now even with it being slightly less accurate, I actually make less typos.

    Also, now that we’re complaining, what’s up with only allowing ONE mobile phone per contact? Lots of people I know have two or more phones…

  • http://twitter.com/MattPGA Matt Adams

    yes, i’ve had the keyboard vanish mid text a few times on my Mozart, but it is intermittent. Battery life is a bit less, but then with more live tiles etc there is likely to be more going on in the background. No significant battery drain.

  • RG Ogre

    I’ve noticed the power is draining faster on my Focus. I’m pretty careful not to leave apps running. It used to be low by the end of the day, but will now sometimes run out earlier in the day. (and go into the new power safe mode. Especially on days when I need to take notes, or spend more time reading (apps/mail/news, etc.)

  • http://twitter.com/TheGeekNextDoor Bryan Gilomen

    I’m having the keyboard problem with my Samsung Focus. I’m also noticing big time power drain when I actually have my sim card in the phone. I know these devices use less power when they aren’t powering a cellular radio, but my instance is just crazy. I was at less than 50% battery life within 3 hours with very moderate usage. With my sim not installed, the phone literally will last for days with moderate usage. I didn’t have this poor of battery performance until the final build of Mango.

    I’m going to try putting the phone into battery saver mode today to see if it has anything to do with the fact that many of the apps I used previously have been updated for mango and many now have background task capabilities that may be killing me for some reason. I just need the phone to last for a day. I charge it every night.

  • http://www.worldofsevan.com Iian Kehn

    I’ve been having issues with the keyboard on my Focus, at first I didn’t think much of it, but as reports came in, I reported on it, and apparently others did too.

  • Mechacrash

    Got my HTC Titan a few days ago and have noticed a few things during use:

    Keyboard accuracy has decreased significantly… i was typing quickly and accurately at first (and this is my first touch screen device… i should have been terrible from the get go), yet now its actually getting worse… and i even tried to type slowly to see if it was just me being cocky – it missed keys that i obviously hit

    Another problems is that there seems to be lag occuring with my jkeyboard now. When i first got the device i could type immediately, now however it lags when i press the first letter (almost waits for a second before posting what i typed) and this happens EVERY TIME

    ive tried the basics (remove battery – total reset) but its not helped… im hoping this is just a bug

  • Rebatemanager

    WP7 Messeging app no longer stops at 160 Characters and has no cut paste function to capture the text…Blind character count, like the old days with a first gen roller, Black Berry.

  • Ansari

    When i charge my phone, it shows as if it is being charged, but doesnt show the battery life. it shows 1% even if i charge it all day long! anyone else facing this problem? 

  • Mike

    Has anyone experienced the keyboard not capitalizing the first letter when you begin to type something? It has happened to me a few times.

  • http://twitter.com/MattPGA Matt Adams

    also am now noticing a huge increase in data useage. before mango i was using around 300mb a month, but have used nearly 100mb in 2 days with no apparent cause. Same settings as before, only about 5 live tiles. Always use wifi or zune for downloading….

  • Stephanie

    I have the focus and the keyboard does disappear and it keeps freezing and shutting off or not letting me answer calls.