Setting focus to RadChat on load

Updated on Mar 17, 2026

Environment

Product Version	2019.1.220
Product	RadChat for WPF

Description

How to set focus to RadChat on load.

Solution

Access the RadWatermarkTextBox inside the RadChat, using the ChildrenOfType extension method and focus it. This can be achieved in the Loaded event of the control.

XAML

	<telerik:RadChat x:Name="chat" Loaded="chat_Loaded" />

C#

	private void chat_Loaded(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
    {
        var chat = sender as RadChat;
        var watermarkTextBox = chat.ChildrenOfType<RadWatermarkTextBox>().FirstOrDefault(tb => tb.Name == "PART_InputBox");
        watermarkTextBox.Focus();
    }