TinyMCE for Touch-Enabled and Mobile Devices

The mobile editing experience for TinyMCE is enabled by default. It differs from the desktop version in several key ways to provide a responsive and touch-optimized interface:

  • Horizontal and side-scrolling toolbars and contextual menus.

  • Context-sensitive keyboard behavior using inputMode.

  • Predefined mobile-specific default values for selected configuration options.

  • Touch gestures for accessing the context menu, depending on platform.

TinyMCE automatically detects the platform and displays an optimal UI based on screen size and device type.

The native context menu remains accessible on mobile devices even when a custom TinyMCE context menu is configured. On iOS, this is done with a single tap; on Android, a double tap is required. If the contextmenu_never_use_native option is enabled, native menu access is disabled on both platforms.
iPads are treated as desktop-class devices due to Apple’s environment constraints. While the mobile configuration will not apply on iPads, touch interactions such as context toolbars and menus will still behave as expected.
When a TinyMCE context menu is configured, a user on a mobile device can access the TinyMCE context menu by a long press. However, when a TinyMCE context menu is not configured but a TinyMCE context toolbar is, long press will open the context toolbar instead.

Supported Mobile Platforms

TinyMCE mobile is tested against, and is designed to run on, the default browser running on either the current or penultimate version of either Android and iOS.

Operating System Default browser

Android

Chrome

iOS

Safari

By default, both Google and Apple automatically update their operating systems and their default browsers.

Android and iOS, again by default, automatically update themselves with patches, security fixes, and minor updates. However, major updates — that is updates from one major version of the operating system to the next major version — are announced but not installed without user or system administrator input.

The default browser on each operating system is similarly updated with patches, security fixes, and minor updates. Unlike with the operating system, however, major updates — that is updates from one major version of the default browser to the next major version — are also automatically installed by default.

Consequently, Tiny Technologies, Inc. only supports TinyMCE mobile on the most recent release of each of the four supported operating system and browser combinations.

That is, TinyMCE mobile is supported on

  • the most recent release of the current version of Android in combination with the most recent release of Chrome for the current version of Android;

  • the most recent release of the penultimate version of Android in combination with the most recent release of Chrome for the penultimate version of Android.

  • the most recent release of the current version of iOS in combination with the most recent release of Safari for the current version of iOS.

  • the most recent release of the penultimate version of iOS in combination with the most recent release of Safari for the the penultimate version of iOS.

However, TinyMCE mobile is not supported on any beta or other pre-production releases of either the mobile operating system or its default browser.

Mobile Plugin Limitations

Some plugins offer limited functionality or are unsupported when used on mobile devices, particularly in inline mode.

Known Plugin Limitations

Feature Limitation

Image Editing

Image resizing is only available through the Edit Image dialog; in-editor resizing is not supported.

PowerPaste

Clipboard restrictions on mobile platforms prevent core PowerPaste functionality.

Unsupported Plugins on Mobile

Feature Limitation

Comments

Not supported in inline mode on mobile devices.

MoxieManager

Not supported in inline mode.

Permanent Pen

Not supported due to UX constraints on mobile.

Enhanced Code Editor

Dialog interface is not usable in mobile viewports.

Footnotes

Inserted footnote links are not clickable after insertion.

Configuring Mobile Behavior

To ensure the TinyMCE mobile UI functions correctly, include the following meta tag in the <head> of your HTML:

<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">

To customize behavior on mobile devices, use the mobile configuration option. For example:

tinymce.init({
  selector: 'textarea',  // Adjust this value to match your HTML
  mobile: {
    menubar: true
  }
});

Mobile-Specific Defaults

The following options are automatically set to provide a better experience on mobile devices:

  • menubar — Defaults to false on mobile phones.

  • toolbar_mode — Defaults to scrolling; enables side-scrolling toolbars.

  • toolbar_sticky — Defaults to false; sticky toolbars are not supported.

  • table_grid — Defaults to false; a dialog replaces the table grid.

  • resize — Defaults to false; in-editor resizing is disabled.

  • object_resizing — Defaults to false; object resizing is not supported.

Unsupported Configuration Options

The following configuration options are not applicable or functional on mobile devices:

The mobile option

This option allows an alternative configuration to be specified that will override other options specifically for mobile devices. For information on customizing TinyMCE for mobile devices, see: TinyMCE mobile.

Type: Object

Example of mobile specific configuration

This example shows how to setup a mobile section to override some of the desktop settings with mobile specific settings.

tinymce.init({
  selector: 'textarea',  // change this value according to your HTML
  plugins: 'code lists',
  mobile: {
    menubar: true,
    plugins: 'autosave lists autolink',
    toolbar: 'undo bold italic styles'
  }
});