Annoying bug that inserts incomplete letters when typing Chinese characters

[annoyed-joplin-user]

Operating system

macOS

Joplin version

3.4.12

Desktop version info

Joplin 3.4.12 (prod, darwin)

Device: darwin, Apple M1
Client ID: 690779e621cf4fbbb0687cf37688639f
Sync Version: 3
Profile Version: 48
Keychain Supported: Yes
Alternative instance ID: -

Revision: e9a9f68

Backup: 1.4.3
Freehand Drawing: 3.1.0

Current behaviour

Screen.Recording.2025-09-23.at.17.50.22.mp4

As shown in the video, temporary alphabetical characters that are meant to be converted into Chinese characters by the input method are being inserted randomly into the text. In the example shown above, typing "test" ends up being converted to "ttest", and typing "你好" ends up being converted to "ni你好", and this behaviour is seen multiple times in the demo video.

If the following information matters in helping to replicate the bug:

1. I inserted a large number of images into my note (around 50 images)
2. It started happening when my note got relatively long (~10k characters in editor and ~4k in the viewer).
3. This doesn't seem to be happening for newer notes with no images or fewer text, so it might be specific to large notes.
4. I am not using any sync target, and I have disabled the sync intervals, but it's still happening after applying the fix suggested here: Forum Link

I really love the work you guys are doing, but this bug makes this app borderline unusable for me.
I really want to like this app, so I would really appreciate it if you guys took the time to fix it!

Expected behaviour

It should not be inserting incomplete auxiliary characters into my note and saving it. I should get only my Chinese characters without any incomplete letters in front of them. When I enter “你好”, it should save it as "你好", without "ni" or "ni h" in front of it.

Logs

No response

[dejafait]

3.4.12 Sequoia user here. Are you on Sequoia too or MacOS 26?

I use "pinyin simplified" input and cannot reproduce your issue. I tried markdown editor and rich text editor. Seems like you use rich text editor. Can you confirm if you still have the issue with markdown editor?

Could you please share an example of problematic note? Right click > export > JEX. JEX file will contain both text and images. Please do not share anything sensitive.

In the mean time, if your issue is only with long notes, you could try splitting and wikifying your long notes into many small notes. These plugins help a lot to do this very easily:

• backlinks plugin
• quick link plugin
• convert text to new note plugin

谢谢

[annoyed-joplin-user]

Hi, thank you for your follow-up.

I am currently using Sequoia 15.6.1 on a M1 machine.

I've also tried to reproduce it on the exact same note as the recording, but sometimes the issue doesn't occur at all, and sometimes it occurs and I'm not sure what exactly is causing it right now.

However, when I do manage to get it to trigger, it seems like useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null is always logged while I am still in the middle of entering my character, before I trigger the final conversion.

Here is a video that displays the console logs while the issue is happening:

Screen.Recording.2025-09-24.at.00.00.30.mp4

I'll try to clean up the note where the error occurs while still trying to keep the issue reproducible and send it here later.

For reference, here are the complete logs from the video above:

main-html.bundle.js.map:1 Download the React DevTools for a better development experience: https://reactjs.org/link/react-devtoolsYou might need to use a local HTTP server (instead of file://): https://reactjs.org/link/react-devtools-faq
main-html.ts:47 Environment: prod
main-html.ts:70 appId: net.cozic.joplin-desktop
main-html.ts:72 appType: desktop
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: App: Profile directory: /Users/***/.config/joplin-desktop
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: App: Root profile directory: /Users/***/.config/joplin-desktop
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: Database was open successfully
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: Checking for database schema update...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: Current database version Object
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: Upgrading database from version 48
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: New version: 48. Previously recorded version: 48
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: KeychainService: checking if keychain supported
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: KeychainService: check was already done - skipping. Supported: 1
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Master password is not set - trying to get it from the active master key...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: handleSyncStartupOperation: Processing operation: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: App: Client ID: 690779e621cf4fbbb0687cf37688639f
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: models/Setting: Applying default migrations...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Trying to load 0 master keys...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Loaded master keys: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: ResourceFetcher: Auto-add resources: Mode: always
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: permanentlyDeleteOldData: Processing items older than 7776000000ms...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: ResourceFetcher: Auto-added resources: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: permanentlyDeleteOldData: Items to permanently delete: Object
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: App: "syncInfoCache" was changed - setting up encryption related code
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Trying to load 0 master keys...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Loaded master keys: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: App: "syncInfoCache" was changed - setting up encryption related code
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Trying to load 0 master keys...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Loaded master keys: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: App: "syncInfoCache" was changed - setting up encryption related code
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Trying to load 0 master keys...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Loaded master keys: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: app.start: doing regular boot
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: App: Setting up auto-updater service...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: checkDisabledSyncItemsNotification: No errors: Hiding notification
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: OcrService: Starting background service...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: App: "syncInfoCache" was changed - setting up encryption related code
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Trying to load 0 master keys...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Loaded master keys: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: App: "syncInfoCache" was changed - setting up encryption related code
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Trying to load 0 master keys...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Loaded master keys: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: App: "syncInfoCache" was changed - setting up encryption related code
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Trying to load 0 master keys...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: e2ee/utils: Loaded master keys: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: OcrService: Found 0 resources to process...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: RevisionService: runInBackground: Starting background service with revision collection interval 600000
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: PluginService: Loading plugin from /Users/***/.config/joplin-desktop/cache/io.github.jackgruber.backup
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: PluginService: Loading plugin from /Users/***/.config/joplin-desktop/cache/io.github.personalizedrefrigerator.js-draw
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: SpellCheckerServiceDriverNative: Set effective languages to "en-US"
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: Performance: app/start: End at 1.7s (took 226.1ms)
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: Performance: main: End at 1.8s (took 0.5s)
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: joplin.plugins: Starting plugin: io.github.jackgruber.backup
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: joplin.plugins: Starting plugin: io.github.personalizedrefrigerator.js-draw
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: useFormNote: Sync has finished and note has never been changed - reloading it
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: joplin.plugins: Finished running onStart handler: io.github.personalizedrefrigerator.js-draw (Took 96ms)
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: OcrService: 0 resources have been processed.
Logger.ts:317 23:54:11: joplin.plugins: Finished running onStart handler: io.github.jackgruber.backup (Took 139ms)
TinyMCE.tsx:385 Loading script /Applications/Joplin.app/Contents/Resources/app.asar/vendor/lib/tinymce/tinymce.min.js
loadScript.ts:15 Loading script: Object
TinyMCE.tsx:385 Loading script gui/NoteEditor/NoteBody/TinyMCE/plugins/lists.js
loadScript.ts:15 Loading script: Object
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:54:12: EditorPluginHandler: emitActivationCheck: responses: Object
Logger.ts:317 23:54:12: DecryptionWorker: cannot start because no master key is currently loaded.
Logger.ts:317 23:54:12: Preparing scheduled sync
Logger.ts:317 23:54:12: Sync cancelled - no sync target is selected.
Logger.ts:317 23:54:12: Updating all notifications...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:12: Garbage collecting alarms...
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:54:13: DecryptionWorker: cannot start because no master key is currently loaded.
Logger.ts:317 23:54:15: RevisionService: maintenance: Starting...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:15: RevisionService: maintenance: Service is enabled
Logger.ts:317 23:54:15: RevisionService: collectRevisions: Created revisions for 1 notes
Logger.ts:317 23:54:15: RevisionService: maintenance: Done in 129ms
Logger.ts:317 23:54:21: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:21: Updating items_normalized from Object
Logger.ts:317 23:54:21: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 2ms. Inserted: 0. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:54:21: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 11.67s (took 107.6ms)
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:54:37: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:37: Updating items_normalized from Object
Logger.ts:317 23:54:37: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 29ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:54:37: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 27.9s (took 135.8ms)
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:54:41: ResourceService::indexNoteResources: Start
Logger.ts:317 23:54:41: Performance: ResourceService/indexNoteResources: End at 31.76s (took 144.6ms)
Logger.ts:317 23:54:41: ResourceService::indexNoteResources: Completed
Logger.ts:317 23:54:41: ResourceService::deleteOrphanResources:
main-html.bundle.js.map:1 Unrecognized feature: 'clipboard-write=(self)'.
setValueForProperty @ main-html.bundle.js.map:1
NoteRevisionViewer.tsx:161 Unsupported message in revision view: percentScroll
(anonymous) @ NoteRevisionViewer.tsx:161
NoteRevisionViewer.tsx:161 Unsupported message in revision view: percentScroll
(anonymous) @ NoteRevisionViewer.tsx:161
Logger.ts:317 23:54:49: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:54:49: Updating items_normalized from Object
Logger.ts:317 23:54:49: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 36ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:54:49: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 39.35s (took 142.8ms)
Logger.ts:317 23:54:54: Preparing scheduled sync
Logger.ts:317 23:54:54: Sync cancelled - no sync target is selected.
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:55:56: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:55:56: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 23:55:56: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 38ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:55:56: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 106.61s (took 144.7ms)
Logger.ts:317 23:56:08: Preparing scheduled sync
Logger.ts:317 23:56:08: Sync cancelled - no sync target is selected.
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:56:20: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:56:20: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 23:56:20: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 66ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:56:20: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 130.6s (took 173.3ms)
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:56:30: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:56:30: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 23:56:30: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 34ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:56:30: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 141.05s (took 142.4ms)
Logger.ts:317 23:56:35: Preparing scheduled sync
Logger.ts:317 23:56:35: Sync cancelled - no sync target is selected.
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:57:22: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:57:22: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 23:57:22: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 30ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:57:22: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 192.68s (took 133.5ms)
Logger.ts:317 23:57:27: Preparing scheduled sync
Logger.ts:317 23:57:27: Sync cancelled - no sync target is selected.
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:57:38: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:57:38: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 23:57:38: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 36ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:57:38: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 208.37s (took 143ms)
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:57:51: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:57:51: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 23:57:51: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 31ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:57:51: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 221.53s (took 135.2ms)
Logger.ts:317 23:57:56: Preparing scheduled sync
Logger.ts:317 23:57:56: Sync cancelled - no sync target is selected.
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:58:19: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:58:19: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 23:58:19: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 36ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:58:19: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 249.62s (took 138.1ms)
Logger.ts:317 23:58:24: Preparing scheduled sync
Logger.ts:317 23:58:24: Sync cancelled - no sync target is selected.
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:59:10: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:59:10: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 23:59:10: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 32ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:59:10: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 300.24s (took 136ms)
Logger.ts:317 23:59:11: OcrService: Found 0 resources to process...
Logger.ts:317 23:59:12: OcrService: 0 resources have been processed.
Logger.ts:317 23:59:15: Preparing scheduled sync
Logger.ts:317 23:59:15: Sync cancelled - no sync target is selected.
Logger.ts:317 23:59:30: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:59:30: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 23:59:30: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 35ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:59:30: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 321.06s (took 142.1ms)
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:59:41: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:59:41: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 23:59:41: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 28ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:59:41: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 331.58s (took 134.4ms)
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 23:59:53: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 23:59:53: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 23:59:53: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 24ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 23:59:53: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 344.05s (took 131.4ms)
Logger.ts:317 23:59:58: Preparing scheduled sync
Logger.ts:317 23:59:58: Sync cancelled - no sync target is selected.
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 00:00:57: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 00:00:58: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 00:00:58: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 23ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 00:00:58: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 408.14s (took 129.4ms)
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 00:01:08: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 00:01:08: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 00:01:08: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 34ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 00:01:08: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 418.35s (took 138.6ms)
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
useMessageHandler.ts:31 Got ipc-message: noteRenderComplete null
Logger.ts:317 00:01:21: SearchEngine: Updating FTS table...
Logger.ts:317 00:01:21: Updating items_normalized from {updated_time: 1758603974620, id: '7422001c174745f9be2f78c94d6c7431'}
Logger.ts:317 00:01:21: SearchEngine: Updated FTS table in 32ms. Inserted: 1. Deleted: 0
Logger.ts:317 00:01:21: Performance: SearchEngine/syncTables: End at 431.9s (took 138.6ms)
Logger.ts:317 00:01:33: Preparing scheduled sync
Logger.ts:317 00:01:33: Sync cancelled - no sync target is selected.
Logger.ts:317 00:04:11: RevisionService: maintenance: Starting...
Logger.ts:317 00:04:11: RevisionService: maintenance: Service is enabled
Logger.ts:317 00:04:11: RevisionService: collectRevisions: Created revisions for 1 notes
Logger.ts:317 00:04:11: RevisionService: maintenance: Done in 136ms
Logger.ts:317 00:04:11: OcrService: Found 0 resources to process...
Logger.ts:317 00:04:12: OcrService: 0 resources have been processed.
Logger.ts:317 00:09:11: OcrService: Found 0 resources to process...
Logger.ts:317 00:09:12: OcrService: 0 resources have been processed.
Logger.ts:317 00:14:11: RevisionService: maintenance: Starting...
Logger.ts:317 00:14:11: RevisionService: maintenance: Service is enabled
Logger.ts:317 00:14:11: RevisionService: collectRevisions: Created revisions for 0 notes
Logger.ts:317 00:14:11: RevisionService: maintenance: Done in 110ms
Logger.ts:317 00:14:11: OcrService: Found 0 resources to process...
Logger.ts:317 00:14:12: OcrService: 0 resources have been processed.

[annoyed-joplin-user]

Driving Cheatsheet (Cleaned up).jex.zip

Here is a file that is almost identical to the original note, but with all the text contents swapped out for gibberish. Github doesn't let me upload .jex files directly, so do remove the .zip extension to get back the original .jex file.

I am able to reproduce the same issue using this note, but once again, it's quite inconsistent and I'm not sure how to reproduce it exactly for now. If the issue doesn't happen immediately, try to restart the app repeatedly or try do a bunch of random actions that a user might do during normal use.

[annoyed-joplin-user]

Apologies for missing your question earlier, this problem doesn't seem to be happening with the markdown editor, at least I can't reproduce the same issue after multiple tries, so it's likely a bug specific to the rich text editor.

[mrjo118]

Probably related to #12066