diff --git a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/fragments/NearbyParentFragment.kt b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/fragments/NearbyParentFragment.kt
index 3e6e715113..8e9530283c 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/fragments/NearbyParentFragment.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/fragments/NearbyParentFragment.kt
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ import android.view.ViewGroup
import android.view.animation.Animation
import android.view.animation.AnimationUtils
import android.widget.Toast
+import android.widget.EditText
import androidx.activity.result.ActivityResult
import androidx.activity.result.ActivityResultLauncher
import androidx.activity.result.contract.ActivityResultContracts
@@ -881,11 +882,18 @@ class NearbyParentFragment : CommonsDaggerSupportFragment(),
fun initNearbyFilter() {
binding!!.nearbyFilterList.root.visibility = View.GONE
hideBottomSheet()
- binding!!.nearbyFilter.searchViewLayout.searchView.apply {
- setIconifiedByDefault(false)
- isIconified = false
- setQuery("", false)
- clearFocus()
+ // Force set the hint text and ensure it's visible
+ binding!!.nearbyFilter.searchViewLayout.searchView.queryHint = getString(R.string.nearby_search_hint)
+ binding!!.nearbyFilter.searchViewLayout.searchView.setIconifiedByDefault(false)
+ binding!!.nearbyFilter.searchViewLayout.searchView.clearFocus()
+
+ // Try to access the internal EditText and set hint directly
+ try {
+ val searchEditText = binding!!.nearbyFilter.searchViewLayout.searchView.findViewById