How to set hint text as password in Android

Question

Hello I am trying to set hint text of EditText to password chars but currently when I start to type then chars appear like password chars but hint text appear as simple text form so Is it possible to make hint text of password field to password character instead of simple plain text.

See in the below screenshot it is displaying "Password" in simple text format and I want this should show password chars.

I tried this thread solution Android EditText for password with android:hint but did not work for me

<EditText
    android:id="@+id/passwordEditText"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/sign_up_views_vertical_top_margin"
    android:background="@drawable/edittext_border"
    android:drawableLeft="@drawable/password_drawable"
    android:drawablePadding="10dp"
    android:hint="@string/sign_up_password"
    android:ellipsize="start"
    android:imeOptions="actionNext"
    android:inputType="textPassword"
    android:singleLine="true"
    android:textColorHint="@android:color/black" />

enter image description here

try setting the hint via code http://stackoverflow.com/a/4374101/3518278 — usr30911, May 13 '14 at 10:33
@HemantChandDungriyal Yes I tried that but that is already has deprecated, but it did not work for me — N Sharma, May 13 '14 at 10:35
@ViVekH that is different thing, that answer saying to clear your hint when it gets focus — N Sharma, May 13 '14 at 10:36
so whats the issue? , your hint is showing up but hint is not in gray/faded? — usr30911, May 13 '14 at 10:37
Just curious. If you want to mask it anyway, why don't you use "********" as hint Text? — MysticMagicϡ, May 13 '14 at 10:37
What's the problem with your hint ? you want to show stars or points in place of the string password so just change the text ... — ahmed_khan_89, May 13 '14 at 10:41
Are you want to display password character like simple dot instead of text hint ? then just set that character into hint. — Priyank Patel, May 13 '14 at 10:42
@Williams Glad to help :) I posted it as answer to, but yours was posted a few seconds before mine :D — MysticMagicϡ, May 13 '14 at 10:45

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered May 13 '14 at 10:44

If you want to mask the hint text, better to change hint text sign_up_password to ******** in strings.xml.

That will show password masking text instead of "Password"

And changing hint text doesn't make a difference because user won't be able to read text, anyway.

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered May 13 '14 at 10:43

Yes Thank guys, your comments are useful always :)

It worked for me by doing simply

<EditText
    android:id="@+id/passwordEditText"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:layout_marginTop="@dimen/sign_up_views_vertical_top_margin"
    android:background="@drawable/edittext_border"
    android:drawableLeft="@drawable/password_drawable"
    android:drawablePadding="10dp"
    android:hint="@string/sign_up_password"
    android:imeOptions="actionNext"
    android:inputType="textPassword"
    android:singleLine="true"
    android:textColorHint="@android:color/black" />

strings.xml

<string name="sign_up_password">&#9679;&#9679;&#9679;&#9679;&#9679;&#9679;&#9679;&#9679;</string>

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered May 13 '14 at 10:44

0

Just your EditText hint as ************* simply and it will show as you want.

 android:hint="*************"

answered May 13 '14 at 10:44

GrIsHu

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How to set hint text as password in Android

3 Answers3