Solving WebView Link Navigation Issues

WebView is loading my local HTML, but when I click on the links inside the content, it doesn’t work. It looks like navigation has been blocked. What can I possibly do to fix this?

When dealing with WebView, especially in a mobile application context like Android or iOS, you might encounter issues where links within your WebView’s content don’t work as expected. This issue often arises because the WebView needs to handle URL clicks separately. Here’s a general approach to solve this problem:

For Android

Step 1: Enable JavaScript
Make sure that JavaScript is enabled if your page needs it.

webView.getSettings().setJavaScriptEnabled(true);

Step 2: Implement a WebViewClient
Override the shouldOverrideUrlLoading method to handle URL clicks within the WebView.

webView.setWebViewClient(new WebViewClient() {
    @Override
    public boolean shouldOverrideUrlLoading(WebView view, WebResourceRequest request) {
        view.loadUrl(request.getUrl().toString());
        return true; // Return true to indicate that you've handled the URL
    }

    @Override
    public boolean shouldOverrideUrlLoading(WebView view, String url) {
        view.loadUrl(url);
        return true; 
    }
});

For iOS

Step 1: Enable JavaScript
Ensure JavaScript is enabled in your WKWebViewConfiguration.

let webConfiguration = WKWebViewConfiguration()
webConfiguration.preferences.javaScriptEnabled = true

Step 2: Implement a WKNavigationDelegate
Handle navigation actions using the WKNavigationDelegate.

class ViewController: UIViewController, WKNavigationDelegate {
    @IBOutlet var webView: WKWebView!
    
    override func viewDidLoad() {
        super.viewDidLoad()
        
        // Set the navigation delegate
        webView.navigationDelegate = self
        
        // Load a local HTML file
        if let htmlPath = Bundle.main.path(forResource: "index", ofType: "html") {
            let url = URL(fileURLWithPath: htmlPath)
            let request = URLRequest(url: url)
            webView.load(request)
        }
    }
    
    // Handle link clicks
    func webView(_ webView: WKWebView, decidePolicyFor navigationAction: WKNavigationAction, decisionHandler: @escaping (WKNavigationActionPolicy) -> Void) {
        let url = navigationAction.request.url
        
        if navigationAction.navigationType == .linkActivated {
            if let urlString = url?.absoluteString {
                webView.load(URLRequest(url: URL(string: urlString)!))
                decisionHandler(.cancel)
                return
            }
        }
        decisionHandler(.allow)
    }
}

Additional Considerations

• Security: Keep in mind that enabling JavaScript or handling link navigations can introduce security risks, especially if you do not control the HTML content. Always validate input and be cautious of malicious scripts.
• External Links: If you want some links to open in external browsers, you can add logic to detect such links and handle them appropriately using intents (Android) or openURL (iOS).

This setup should ensure that your WebView handles link clicks appropriately, loading them within the WebView itself or externally as desired. If you’re developing a mobile app that involves 360 content, make sure to test the behavior with embedded 360 viewers, as the interaction may be more complex than with static content.

For more detailed documentation, please refer to the Android WebView documentation and the iOS WKWebView documentation.