.NET MAUI SearchBar Control

.NET MAUI- SearchBar

In .NET MAUI, the SearchBar is a specialized user input control designed specifically for initiating and managing search queries.

Unlike a standard single-line Entry control, it provides a native search interface that includes built-in elements like a search icon and a cancellation ("X") button.

📄 What is a SearchBar?

A SearchBar is a text input control optimized for search operations. It provides a consistent UI pattern across platforms for entering queries and triggering search actions.

🔑 Key Features

• Text Input: Accepts single-line text, similar to Entry.
• Placeholder: Displays hint text when empty (e.g., “Search…”).
• Search Button: Includes a platform-specific search icon/button to trigger search.
• Events:
  • SearchButtonPressed → Fired when the user taps the search button.
  • TextChanged → Fired when the text changes.
• Styling: Supports font, color, alignment, and background customization.
• Data Binding: Bind Text property to ViewModel for MVVM patterns.
• Keyboard Optimization: Shows a search-specific keyboard (with a search button) on mobile devices.

📘 Example Code

Basic SearchBar

<SearchBar Placeholder="Search items"
           Text="{Binding Query}"
           SearchButtonPressed="OnSearch"/>

Handling Search in Code-Behind

void OnSearch(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    var searchBar = (SearchBar)sender;
    DisplayAlert("Search", $"You searched for: {searchBar.Text}", "OK");
}

✅ Why Choose SearchBar?

• Optimized for Search: Provides a familiar UI pattern for users.
• Built-in Search Button: No need to add extra buttons for triggering search.
• MVVM Friendly: Easily bind search queries to your ViewModel.
• Cross-Platform Consistency: Same search experience across Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows.

📌 Common Use Cases

• App Search: Searching items in a list or database.
• Filtering: Narrow down results in a CollectionView or ListView.
• Navigation: Search for destinations in a map app.
• Content Discovery: Search articles, products, or media.

⚠️ Considerations

• Single-Line Only: Like Entry, it doesn’t support multi-line input.
• Requires Logic: You must handle search events (SearchButtonPressed) to perform filtering or queries.
• Performance: For large datasets, combine with CollectionView and efficient filtering.

✨ In short:

The MAUI SearchBar is a specialized input control for search queries, offering a familiar UI, built-in search button, and easy binding. It’s perfect for filtering lists, searching content, or navigating data-heavy apps.

Key Features and Properties

• Search Integration: Features properties like SearchCommand and SearchCommandParameter, allowing you to bind search logic directly to a ViewModel.
• Visual Customization:
  • SearchIconColor: Controls the color of the magnifying glass icon.
  • CancelButtonColor: Sets the color of the button used to clear the search query.
  • Placeholder: Displays hint text (e.g., "Search...") when the bar is empty.
• Text Handling: Supports HorizontalTextAlignment, VerticalTextAlignment, and CharacterSpacing for precise text positioning.
• ReturnType: Specifies the appearance of the "Enter" key on the soft keyboard, with the default usually set to a "Search" button.

Essential Events

• SearchButtonPressed: Triggered when the user clicks the search icon or presses the enter key on their keyboard.
• TextChanged: Fired on every keystroke, enabling real-time filtering as the user types.

2026 Platform Updates (.NET 10)

As of .NET 10 (released late 2025), the SearchBar has received several refinements:

• Enhanced Styling: New bindable properties like SearchIconColor and ReturnType are now fully supported to offer more granular control over the search experience.
• Improved Keyboard Control: New methods within the SoftInputExtensions class allow developers to programmatically show or hide the soft keyboard more reliably across platforms.
• Performance: Recent framework updates focus on faster runtime rendering and improved debug experiences, particularly on Android and iOS.

For complex search requirements like auto-complete or suggestions, developers often use the SearchHandler within MAUI Shell or third-party autocomplete controls.