Android Switch widget textOn and textOff not working in Lollipop

Question

The behavior of the switch widget changed in Lollipop (5.0).

    <Switch
        android:id="@+id/switcher"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="0dp"
        android:layout_marginBottom="16dp"
        android:layout_marginRight="8dp"
        android:layout_marginEnd="8dp"
        android:layout_toEndOf="@id/another_view"
        android:layout_toRightOf="@id/another_view"
        android:layout_alignParentRight="true"
        android:layout_alignParentEnd="true"
        android:layout_alignParentBottom="true"
        android:textOff="@string/disabled"
        android:textOn="@string/enabled"
        android:fontFamily="sans-serif-condensed"
        />

Rendered switch when targetSdkVersion=19:

enter image description here

Rendered switch when targetSdkVersion=21:

enter image description here

Note that preview rendering in Android Studio still produces a switch with text, but the switch loses it's text when an apk built with targetSdkVersion=21 is run on a device with Lollipop (Nexus 5). Running an apk built with targetSdkVersion=19 on the same Lollipop device renders the switch properly with text as expected.

Why? Any suggested workarounds?

alanv · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-27T18:49:52.447

142

Text is not shown by default under Material theme since the switch widget assets don't work well with text. Any text that you do set will be used to describe the content to accessibility services.

You can change this using the android:showText property or Switch.setShowText(boolean) method.

<Switch
    ...
    android:showText="true" />

If you are using AppCompat switches, use app:showText instead.

edited Sep 27 '16 at 18:49

answered Dec 03 '14 at 17:44

alanv

23,966
4
93
80

This attribute is indeed supported from API level 21 onwards. – manfcas Apr 07 '16 at 16:45
2

Doesn't seem to work any more, using 23.4.0 running on an N-Preview3 device. Edit: Should be `app:showText="true"` – behelit May 26 '16 at 06:38
@behelit If you are using AppCompat, then yes. – alanv May 31 '16 at 14:45
12

This works but not good for the `android.support.v7.widget.SwitchCompat` becauae the text then is visible awkwardly over the switch thumb. – sud007 Sep 27 '16 at 07:12
Thanks, It worked for me. But, the labels are shrinking in Android N. – Polam Naganji Nov 15 '16 at 05:01
Any work around to make it look better or a way to always use the old switch? – CDrosos Jan 19 '17 at 04:45
1

Widget.Holo.Light.CompoundButton.Switch style is behind that trusty old squarish look – Trent Steele Jul 05 '17 at 16:08

Android Switch widget textOn and textOff not working in Lollipop

1 Answers1

Linked