I want to leave a bit of space at the beginning of a UITextField, just like here: Add lefthand margin to UITextField
But I don't know how to do that with Swift.
I want to leave a bit of space at the beginning of a UITextField, just like here: Add lefthand margin to UITextField
But I don't know how to do that with Swift.
This is what I am using right now:
Swift 4.2, 5
class TextField: UITextField {
    let padding = UIEdgeInsets(top: 0, left: 5, bottom: 0, right: 5)
    override open func textRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        return bounds.inset(by: padding)
    }
    override open func placeholderRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        return bounds.inset(by: padding)
    }
    override open func editingRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        return bounds.inset(by: padding)
    }
}
Swift 4
class TextField: UITextField {
    let padding = UIEdgeInsets(top: 0, left: 5, bottom: 0, right: 5)
    override open func textRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        return UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(bounds, padding)
    }
    override open func placeholderRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        return UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(bounds, padding)
    }
    override open func editingRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        return UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(bounds, padding)
    }
}
Swift 3:
class TextField: UITextField {
    
    let padding = UIEdgeInsets(top: 0, left: 5, bottom: 0, right: 5)
    
    override func textRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        return UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(bounds, padding)
    }
    
    override func placeholderRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        return UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(bounds, padding)
    }
    
    override func editingRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        return UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(bounds, padding)
    }
}
I never set a other padding but you can tweak. This class doesn't take care of the rightView and leftView on the textfield. If you want that to be handle correctly you can use something like (example in objc and I only needed the rightView:
- (CGRect)textRectForBounds:(CGRect)bounds {
    CGRect paddedRect = UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(bounds, self.insets);
    if (self.rightViewMode == UITextFieldViewModeAlways || self.rightViewMode == UITextFieldViewModeUnlessEditing) {
        return [self adjustRectWithWidthRightView:paddedRect];
    }
    return paddedRect;
}
- (CGRect)placeholderRectForBounds:(CGRect)bounds {
    CGRect paddedRect = UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(bounds, self.insets);
    if (self.rightViewMode == UITextFieldViewModeAlways || self.rightViewMode == UITextFieldViewModeUnlessEditing) {
        return [self adjustRectWithWidthRightView:paddedRect];
    }
    return paddedRect;
}
- (CGRect)editingRectForBounds:(CGRect)bounds {
    CGRect paddedRect = UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(bounds, self.insets);
    if (self.rightViewMode == UITextFieldViewModeAlways || self.rightViewMode == UITextFieldViewModeWhileEditing) {
        return [self adjustRectWithWidthRightView:paddedRect];
    }
    return paddedRect;
}
- (CGRect)adjustRectWithWidthRightView:(CGRect)bounds {
    CGRect paddedRect = bounds;
    paddedRect.size.width -= CGRectGetWidth(self.rightView.frame);
    return paddedRect;
}
This is a great case for an extension. By using an extension, there is no need to subclass UITextField and the new functionality will be made available to any UITextField in your app:
extension UITextField {
    func setLeftPaddingPoints(_ amount:CGFloat){
        let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: amount, height: self.frame.size.height))
        self.leftView = paddingView
        self.leftViewMode = .always
    }
    func setRightPaddingPoints(_ amount:CGFloat) {
        let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: amount, height: self.frame.size.height))
        self.rightView = paddingView
        self.rightViewMode = .always
    }
}
When I need to set the padding of a text field anywhere in my application, I simply do the following:
    textField.setLeftPaddingPoints(10)
    textField.setRightPaddingPoints(10)
Using Swift extensions, the functionality is added to the UITextField directly without subclassing.
X, Y , Z are your desired values
textField.layer.sublayerTransform = CATransform3DMakeTranslation(x, y, z)
Such margin can be achieved by setting leftView / rightView to UITextField.
Updated For Swift 4
// Create a padding view for padding on left
textField.leftView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 15, height: textField.frame.height))
textField.leftViewMode = .always
// Create a padding view for padding on right
textField.rightView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 15, height: textField.frame.height))
textField.rightViewMode = .always
I just added/placed an UIView to left and right side of the textfield. So now the typing will start after the view.
Thanks
Hope this helped...
Swift 4, Xcode 9
I like Pheepster's answer, but how about we do it all from the extension, without requiring VC code or any subclassing:
import UIKit
@IBDesignable
extension UITextField {
    @IBInspectable var paddingLeftCustom: CGFloat {
        get {
            return leftView!.frame.size.width
        }
        set {
            let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: newValue, height: frame.size.height))
            leftView = paddingView
            leftViewMode = .always
        }
    }
    @IBInspectable var paddingRightCustom: CGFloat {
        get {
            return rightView!.frame.size.width
        }
        set {
            let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: newValue, height: frame.size.height))
            rightView = paddingView
            rightViewMode = .always     
        }
    }
}
Use my extension Swift 5 tested:
extension UITextField {
enum PaddingSpace {
    case left(CGFloat)
    case right(CGFloat)
    case equalSpacing(CGFloat)
}
func addPadding(padding: PaddingSpace) {
    self.leftViewMode = .always
    self.layer.masksToBounds = true
    switch padding {
    case .left(let spacing):
        let leftPaddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: spacing, height: self.frame.height))
        self.leftView = leftPaddingView
        self.leftViewMode = .always
    case .right(let spacing):
        let rightPaddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: spacing, height: self.frame.height))
        self.rightView = rightPaddingView
        self.rightViewMode = .always
    case .equalSpacing(let spacing):
        let equalPaddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: spacing, height: self.frame.height))
        // left
        self.leftView = equalPaddingView
        self.leftViewMode = .always
        // right
        self.rightView = equalPaddingView
        self.rightViewMode = .always
    }
}
}
How to use
// equal padding
yourTextField.addPadding(padding: .equalSpacing(10)) 
// padding right 
yourTextField.addPadding(padding: .right(10))
// padding left
yourTextField.addPadding(padding: .left(10)) 
in Swift 4.2 and Xcode 10
Initially my text field is like this.
After adding padding in left side my text field is...
//Code for left padding 
textFieldName.leftView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 10, height: textFieldName.frame.height))
textFieldName.leftViewMode = .always
Like this we can create right side also.(textFieldName.rightViewMode = .always)
If you want SharedInstance type code(Write once use every ware) see the below code.
//This is my shared class
import UIKit
class SharedClass: NSObject {
    static let sharedInstance = SharedClass()
    //This is my padding function.
    func textFieldLeftPadding(textFieldName: UITextField) {
    // Create a padding view
    textFieldName.leftView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 3, height: textFieldName.frame.height))
    textFieldName.leftViewMode = .always//For left side padding
    textFieldName.rightViewMode = .always//For right side padding
    }
    private override init() {
    }
}
Now call this function like this.
//This single line is enough
SharedClass.sharedInstance.textFieldLeftPadding(textFieldName:yourTF)
Simple swift 3 solution - add code to viewDidLoad:
let indentView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 10, height: 20))
textField.leftView = indentView
textField.leftViewMode = .always
No need for ridiculously long code
This one line of code saved me:
textField.Layer.SublayerTransform = CATransform3D.MakeTranslation(5, 0, 0);
textField.layer.sublayerTransform = CATransform3DMakeTranslation(5, 0, 0);
To create padding view for UITextField in Swift 5
func txtPaddingVw(txt:UITextField) {
    let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 5, height: 5))
    txt.leftViewMode = .always
    txt.leftView = paddingView
}
Here is Haagenti's answer updated to Swift 4.2:
class PaddedTextField: UITextField {
    func getPadding(plusExtraFor clearButtonMode: ViewMode) -> UIEdgeInsets {
        var padding = UIEdgeInsets(top: 11, left: 16, bottom: 11, right: 16)
        // Add additional padding on the right side when showing the clear button
        if self.clearButtonMode == .always || self.clearButtonMode == clearButtonMode {
            padding.right = 28
        }
        return padding
    }
    override open func textRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        let padding = getPadding(plusExtraFor: .unlessEditing)
        return bounds.inset(by: padding)
    }
    override open func placeholderRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        let padding = getPadding(plusExtraFor: .unlessEditing)
        return bounds.inset(by: padding)
    }
    override open func editingRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        let padding = getPadding(plusExtraFor: .whileEditing)
        return bounds.inset(by: padding)
    }
}
Reference: Upgrading To Swift 4.2.
Edit: Account for clear button.
Subclassing UITextField is the way to go. Open a playground and add the following code:
class MyTextField : UITextField {
    var leftTextMargin : CGFloat = 0.0
    override func textRectForBounds(bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        var newBounds = bounds
        newBounds.origin.x += leftTextMargin
        return newBounds
    }
    override func editingRectForBounds(bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        var newBounds = bounds
        newBounds.origin.x += leftTextMargin
        return newBounds
    }
}
let tf = MyTextField(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 100, height: 44))
tf.text = "HELLO"
tf.leftTextMargin = 25
tf.setNeedsLayout()
tf.layoutIfNeeded()
Easy way: to do this by extending UITextField
extension UITextField {
   func setPadding(left: CGFloat? = nil, right: CGFloat? = nil){
       if let left = left {
          let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: left, height: self.frame.size.height))
          self.leftView = paddingView
          self.leftViewMode = .always
       }
       if let right = right {
           let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: right, height: self.frame.size.height))
           self.rightView = paddingView
           self.rightViewMode = .always
       }
   }
}
Then you can set padding to any edge this way:
textField.setPadding(left: 5, right: 5)
In most cases you can regard this as a technicality but all the examples don't get the difference between frame and bounds right. When referencing the view's height in a subview, use bounds – otherwise you may run into trouble once some transform is applied to the parent.
See the updated code below (based on Pheepster's answer).
extension UITextField {
    func setLeftPadding(_ amount: CGFloat = 10) {
        let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: amount, height: self.bounds.size.height))
        self.leftView = paddingView
        self.leftViewMode = .always
    }
    func setRightPadding(_ amount: CGFloat = 10) {
        let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: amount, height: self.bounds.size.height))
        self.rightView = paddingView
        self.rightViewMode = .always
    }
}
Create UIView with required padding space and add it to textfield.leftView member and set textfield.leftViewMode member to UITextFieldViewMode.Always
// For example if you have textfield named title
@IBOutlet weak var title: UITextField!
// Create UIView 
let paddingView : UIView = UIView(frame: CGRectMake(0, 0, 5, 20))
//Change your required space instaed of 5.
title.leftView = paddingView
title.leftViewMode = UITextFieldViewMode.Always
I prefer to use IBDesignable class and IBInspectable properties to allow me to set the padding via Xcode storyboards and keep it reusable. I've also updated the code to work in Swift 4.
import Foundation
import UIKit
@IBDesignable
class PaddableTextField: UITextField {
    var padding = UIEdgeInsets(top: 0.0, left: 0.0, bottom: 0.0, right: 0.0)
    @IBInspectable var left: CGFloat = 0 {
        didSet {
            adjustPadding()
        }
    }
    @IBInspectable var right: CGFloat = 0 {
        didSet {
            adjustPadding()
        }
    }
    @IBInspectable var top: CGFloat = 0 {
        didSet {
            adjustPadding()
        }
    }
    @IBInspectable var bottom: CGFloat = 0 {
        didSet {
            adjustPadding()
        }
    }
    func adjustPadding() {
         padding = UIEdgeInsets(top: top, left: left, bottom: bottom, right: right)
    }
    override func prepareForInterfaceBuilder() {
        super.prepareForInterfaceBuilder()
    }
    override func textRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        return bounds.inset(by: UIEdgeInsets(top: top, left: left, bottom: bottom, right: right))
    }
    override func placeholderRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
        return bounds.inset(by: UIEdgeInsets(top: top, left: left, bottom: bottom, right: right))
    }
    override func editingRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
         return bounds.inset(by: UIEdgeInsets(top: top, left: left, bottom: bottom, right: right))
    }
}
Put this code in your viewDidLoad():  
textField.delegate = self
let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: 20, height: self.textField.frame.height))
textField.leftView = paddingView
textField.leftViewMode = UITextFieldViewMode.always
It works for me :)
ScareCrow's answer in Swift 3
let padding = UIEdgeInsets(top: 0, left: 5, bottom: 0, right: 5);
override func textRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
    return UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(bounds, padding)
}
override func placeholderRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
    return UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(bounds, padding)
}
override func editingRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
    return UIEdgeInsetsInsetRect(bounds, padding)
}
In Swift 3. You may use custom UITextField with indent that is set in its constructor. Don't need for extra declaration in a controller.
class CustomTextField : UITextField {
private let indentView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y:0, width: 10, height: 10))
required init?(coder aDecoder: NSCoder) {
    super.init(coder: aDecoder)
    self.leftView = indentView
    self.leftViewMode = .always 
        }
}
* Extending UITextField in Swift 5 *
import UIKit
@IBDesignable
extension UITextField {
    @IBInspectable var paddingLeftCustom: CGFloat {
        get {
            return leftView!.frame.size.width
        }
        set {
            let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: newValue, height: frame.size.height))
            leftView = paddingView
            leftViewMode = .always
        }
    }
    @IBInspectable var paddingRightCustom: CGFloat {
        get {
            return rightView!.frame.size.width
        }
        set {
            let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: newValue, height: frame.size.height))
            rightView = paddingView
            rightViewMode = .always
        }
    }
}
//MARK:-  Use this class for different type of Roles
import UIKit
class HelperExtensionViewController: UIViewController {
}
//MARK:- Extension
extension UIImageView
{
    func setImageCornerRadius()
    {
        self.layer.cornerRadius = self.frame.size.height/2
        self.clipsToBounds = true
    }
    func setImageCornerRadiusInPoints(getValue:CGFloat)
    {
        self.layer.cornerRadius = getValue
        self.clipsToBounds = true
    }
}
extension UIButton
{
    func setButtonCornerRadiusOnly()
    {
        self.layer.cornerRadius = self.frame.size.height/2
        self.clipsToBounds = true
    }
    func setBtnCornerRadiusInPoints(getValue:CGFloat)
    {
        self.layer.cornerRadius = getValue
        self.clipsToBounds = true
    }
}
extension UITextField
{
    func setTextFieldCornerRadiusWithBorder()
    {
        self.layer.cornerRadius = self.frame.size.height/2
        self.layer.borderColor = UIColor.darkGray.cgColor
        self.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear
        self.layer.borderWidth = 0.5
        self.clipsToBounds = true
    }
    func setLeftPaddingPoints(_ amount:CGFloat){
        let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: amount, height: self.frame.size.height))
        self.leftView = paddingView
        self.leftViewMode = .always
    }
    func setRightPaddingPoints(_ amount:CGFloat) {
        let paddingView = UIView(frame: CGRect(x: 0, y: 0, width: amount, height: self.frame.size.height))
        self.rightView = paddingView
        self.rightViewMode = .always
    }
}
extension UIView
{
    func setCornerRadius()
    {
        self.layer.cornerRadius = self.frame.size.height/2
        self.clipsToBounds = true
    }
    // OUTPUT 1
    func setViewCornerRadiusWithBorder()
    {
        self.layer.cornerRadius = self.frame.size.height/2
        self.layer.borderColor = UIColor.init(red: 95.0/255.0, green: 229.0/255.0, blue: 206.0/255.0, alpha: 1.0).cgColor
        self.backgroundColor = UIColor.clear
        self.layer.borderWidth = 1.0
        self.clipsToBounds = true
    }
    func layoutSubviews(myView:UIView)
    {
        let shadowPath = UIBezierPath(rect: myView.bounds)
        myView.layer.masksToBounds = false
        myView.layer.shadowColor = UIColor.lightGray.cgColor
        myView.layer.shadowOffset = CGSize(width: -1.0, height: 2.0)
        myView.layer.shadowOpacity = 0.5
        myView.layer.shadowPath = shadowPath.cgPath
    }
    func layoutSubviews2(myView:UIView)
    {
        let shadowPath = UIBezierPath(rect: myView.bounds)
        myView.clipsToBounds = true
        myView.layer.masksToBounds = false
        myView.layer.shadowColor = UIColor.black.cgColor
        myView.layer.shadowOffset = CGSize(width: 0.0, height: 1.0)
        myView.layer.shadowOpacity = 0.2
        myView.layer.shadowPath = shadowPath.cgPath
    }
    func setViewCornerRadiusInPoints(getValue:CGFloat)
    {
        self.layer.cornerRadius = getValue
        self.clipsToBounds = true
    }
    func dropShadow(scale: Bool = true) {
        layer.masksToBounds = false
        layer.shadowColor = UIColor.black.cgColor
        layer.shadowOpacity = 0.5
        layer.shadowOffset = CGSize(width: -1, height: 1)
        layer.shadowRadius = 1
        layer.shadowPath = UIBezierPath(rect: bounds).cgPath
        layer.shouldRasterize = true
        layer.rasterizationScale = scale ? UIScreen.main.scale : 1
    }
    // OUTPUT 2
    func dropShadow(color: UIColor, opacity: Float = 0.5, offSet: CGSize, radius: CGFloat = 1, scale: Bool = true) {
        layer.masksToBounds = false
        layer.shadowColor = color.cgColor
        layer.shadowOpacity = opacity
        layer.shadowOffset = offSet
        layer.shadowRadius = radius
        layer.shadowPath = UIBezierPath(rect: self.bounds).cgPath
        layer.shouldRasterize = true
        layer.rasterizationScale = scale ? UIScreen.main.scale : 1
    }
    func setGradientBackground(myview:UIView) {
        let colorTop =  UIColor(red: 100.0/255.0, green: 227.0/255.0, blue: 237.0/255.0, alpha: 1.0).cgColor
        let colorBottom = UIColor(red: 141.0/255.0, green: 109.0/255.0, blue: 164.0/255.0, alpha: 1.0).cgColor
        let gradientLayer = CAGradientLayer()
        gradientLayer.colors = [colorTop, colorBottom]
        gradientLayer.locations = [1.0, 1.0]
        gradientLayer.frame = myview.bounds
        myview.layer.insertSublayer(gradientLayer, at:0)
    }
}
To Extend original answer for leftView and Swift5+
class TextField: UITextField {
let padding = UIEdgeInsets(top: 0, left: 5, bottom: 0, right: 5)
override open func textRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
    let paddedRect = bounds.inset(by: self.padding)
    if (self.leftViewMode == .always || self.leftViewMode == .unlessEditing) {
        return self.adjustRectOriginForLeftView(bounds: paddedRect)
    }
    return paddedRect
}
override open func placeholderRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
    let paddedRect = bounds.inset(by: self.padding)
    if (self.leftViewMode == .always || self.leftViewMode == .unlessEditing) {
        return self.adjustRectOriginForLeftView(bounds: paddedRect)
    }
    return paddedRect;
}
override open func editingRect(forBounds bounds: CGRect) -> CGRect {
    let paddedRect = bounds.inset(by: self.padding);
    if (self.leftViewMode == .always || self.leftViewMode == .unlessEditing) {
        return self.adjustRectOriginForLeftView(bounds: paddedRect)
    }
    return paddedRect;
}
func adjustRectOriginForLeftView(bounds : CGRect) -> CGRect{
    var paddedRect = bounds;
    paddedRect.origin.x += self.leftView!.frame.width
    return paddedRect
    
}
}
Create space at the beginning of a UITextField.
in Swift 5+ and Xcode 12.
textFieldName.setLeftPaddingPoints(CGFloat(10))  
textFieldName.setRightPaddingPoints(CGFloat(10)