How to display "search" as text instead of Serach icon on android soft keyboard

Question

How to replace the search icon with text "Search" on soft keyboard.

<EditText 
android:imeOptions="actionSearch" />

Answer 1

Instead of using imeOptions use the following :-

<EditText android:imeOptions="actionSearch" 
         android:inputType="text"/>

For handling click listener do as follows :

editText.setOnEditorActionListener(new TextView.OnEditorActionListener() { 
@Override 
public boolean onEditorAction(TextView v, int actionId, KeyEvent event) {
    if (actionId == EditorInfo.IME_ACTION_SEARCH) {
        performSearch(); 
        return true; 
    } 
    return false; 
} }); 

Answer 2

Answer taken from this stackoverflow question.

Try to set

• android:imeActionLabel in XML or
• in java code with .setImeActionLabel()

editText.setImeActionLabel(getString(R.string.xxx), EditorInfo.IME_ACTION_SEARCH);