How do I put focus on a TextBox when a form loads?

user_569466 0
Viewed 328988

I have a TextBox in my C# program. I need focus to be on this TextBox when the program starts.

I tried this on Form_Load:

MyTextBox.Focus();

but it doesn't work.

How do I put focus on this when the form loads?

setfocus focus winforms c#
16 Answers

I solved my problem with changing "TabIndex" property of TextBox. I set 0 for TextBox that I want to focus it on Form when the program start.

user_12615250

Set Tab Index property's value = 0 and then in form load function write :

YourTextboxName.Focus();

It will work.

user_68607260

You can use either textBox1.select(); or the TabIndex in textbox setting. TabIndex=0 focoused first.

user_92485970

Finally i found the problem i was using metro framework and all your solutions will not work with metroTextBox, and all your solutions will work with normal textBox in load , show , visibility_change ,events, even the tab index = 0 is valid.

   // private void Form1_VisibleChanged(object sender, EventArgs e)
   // private void Form1__Shown(object sender, EventArgs e)
    private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
    {

        textBox1.Select();
        this.ActiveControl=textBox1;
        textBox1.Focus();
    }
user_110058560

Set Tabstop to True and TabIndex to the minimum to the control on which you need focus.

e.g. If you have 2 TextBoxes : TextBox1 and TextBox2, set Tabstop to True for both and TabIndex to 0 and 1 respectively. When the form loads, the focus will be on TextBox1 and on the press of 'Tab' key, the focus will move to TextBox2.

user_99446640

on your form, go to properties and make sure that "TopMost" property is set to true, that will solve your problem.

user_120184600
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