Desktop-only API

You can use Compose Multiplatform to create macOS, Linux, and Windows desktop applications. This page gives a short overview of the desktop-specific components and events. Each section includes a link to a detailed tutorial.

Components

Events

You can set up navigation between components with the Tab keyboard shortcut for the next component and ⇧ + Tab for the previous one.

By default, the tabbed navigation allows you to move between focusable components in the order of their appearance. Focusable components include TextField, OutlinedTextField, and BasicTextField composables, as well as components that use Modifier.clickable, such as Button, IconButton, and MenuItem.

For example, here's a window where users can navigate between five text fields using standard shortcuts:

import androidx.compose.ui.window.application import androidx.compose.ui.window.Window import androidx.compose.ui.window.WindowState import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Box import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Column import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.fillMaxSize import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.height import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.padding import androidx.compose.foundation.layout.Spacer import androidx.compose.material.OutlinedTextField import androidx.compose.runtime.mutableStateOf import androidx.compose.runtime.remember import androidx.compose.ui.Alignment import androidx.compose.ui.Modifier import androidx.compose.ui.unit.DpSize import androidx.compose.ui.unit.dp fun main() = application { Window( state = WindowState(size = DpSize(350.dp, 500.dp)), onCloseRequest = ::exitApplication ) { Box( modifier = Modifier.fillMaxSize(), contentAlignment = Alignment.Center ) { Column( modifier = Modifier.padding(50.dp) ) { for (x in 1..5) { val text = remember { mutableStateOf("") } OutlinedTextField( value = text.value, singleLine = true, onValueChange = { text.value = it } ) Spacer(modifier = Modifier.height(20.dp)) } } } } }

You can also make a non-focusable component focusable, customize the order of tabbing navigation, and put components into focus.

For more information, see the Tabbing navigation and keyboard focus tutorial.

What's next

Learn how to create unit tests for your Compose Multiplatform desktop project.
Learn how to create native distributions, installers, and packages for desktop platforms.
Set up interoperability with Swing and migrate your Swing applications to Compose Multiplatform.
Learn about accessibility support on different platforms.

18 August 2026

Kotlin Multiplatform Help

Desktop-only API

Components

Events

Tabbing navigation between components

What's next