diff --git a/docs/wasd.md b/docs/wasd.md
index 03632b6..dda76ff 100644
--- a/docs/wasd.md
+++ b/docs/wasd.md
@@ -62,3 +62,20 @@ Hotkeys found: engine A (pick up nearby), P (pause), Q/W/E/R/B/Space
 manager C F H I L M N O S T (S save game window). Arrow keys in
 `cEngine::ScrollInput` (`0x610650`) walk object #2 or scroll the camera; not
 reachable in normal play.
+
+## Text fields (2026-10-18)
+
+Request: in character creation and the save window, bound keys were ignored or
+typed something else (K -> s: K posts the game's S hotkey).
+
+Measured (key-press log): the UI manager's dialog slot (+0x144) held a hidden
+`cUI_BusyDlg` in both cases, so the old "dialog shown + focused edit control"
+test never found the field. The focused control (+0x148) is the right
+`cUI_EditControl`, but neither the focus nor the control's flags (0x8005)
+change when its window closes, and the control has no parent at +0x50. The
+save window draws two edit controls per frame.
+
+Now (`src/mods/input.cpp`, `FocusedTextField`): keys pass to the game while the
+focused control is a writable edit control that `cUI_EditControl::Render`
+(0x737ae0, thiscall (renderer), ret 4, returns at once while hidden) drew in
+the last 250 ms. The render hook only notes the focused control.
diff --git a/src/mods/input.cpp b/src/mods/input.cpp
index 2ba1b04..8b8de10 100644
--- a/src/mods/input.cpp
+++ b/src/mods/input.cpp
@@ -229,29 +229,36 @@ void Startup() {
 }
 RE_STARTUP(InputStartup, Startup);
 
-// The text field that has the keyboard, as the game decides it: the UI
-// manager hands key events to its dialog (+0x144) while that is shown
-// (+0x10 bit 0; cUI_Manager::ReceiveEvent 0x7573ba), and the dialog's focused
-// control (+0x148) is an edit control without the read-only bit (+0x10 bit
-// 16). The focus pointer alone stays set after the dialog closed (measured:
-// the save window's 'DEFAULT_EDIT' after closing it), which switched the
-// bindings off.
-constexpr size_t kUiDialog = 0x144;
+// The text field that has the keyboard: the UI manager's focused control
+// (+0x148, set by UI event 0x10 in cUI_Manager::ReceiveEvent 0x757120), when
+// it is an edit control without the read-only bit (+0x10 bit 16) that is on
+// screen. Neither the focus nor the control's own flags change when its window
+// closes (measured: flags 0x8005 and the focus kept after closing the save
+// window; the control has no parent at +0x50), so "on screen" is measured:
+// cUI_EditControl::Render (0x737ae0) drew it in the last kDrawnRecentlyMs. (The manager's dialog slot +0x144 is not it either: it
+// held a hidden cUI_BusyDlg while typing in character creation and the save
+// window.)
 constexpr size_t kUiFocus = 0x148;
 constexpr size_t kControlFlags = 0x10;
 constexpr uint32_t kControlVisible = 1;
 constexpr uint32_t kEditReadOnly = 1u << 16;
+constexpr DWORD kDrawnRecentlyMs = 250;
+
+std::atomic<void*> g_drawnEdit{nullptr};
+std::atomic<DWORD> g_drawnEditTick{0};
+
+uint32_t ControlFlags(const uint8_t* control) {
+    return *reinterpret_cast<const uint32_t*>(control + kControlFlags);
+}
 
 uint8_t* FocusedTextField() {
     auto* ui = *reinterpret_cast<uint8_t**>(kUiManager);
-    auto* dialog = ui ? *reinterpret_cast<uint8_t**>(ui + kUiDialog) : nullptr;
-    if (!dialog || (*reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(dialog + kControlFlags) & kControlVisible) == 0) {
+    void* focus = ui ? *reinterpret_cast<void**>(ui + kUiFocus) : nullptr;
+    if (!focus || focus != g_drawnEdit.load() || GetTickCount() - g_drawnEditTick.load() > kDrawnRecentlyMs) {
         return nullptr;
     }
-    void* focus = *reinterpret_cast<void**>(ui + kUiFocus);
-    auto* edit = static_cast<uint8_t*>(focus ? game::DynamicCast(focus, game::kTypeControl, game::kTypeEditControl)
-                                             : nullptr);
-    if (!edit || (*reinterpret_cast<uint32_t*>(edit + kControlFlags) & kEditReadOnly) != 0) {
+    auto* edit = static_cast<uint8_t*>(game::DynamicCast(focus, game::kTypeControl, game::kTypeEditControl));
+    if (!edit || (ControlFlags(edit) & kEditReadOnly) != 0) {
         return nullptr;
     }
     return edit;
@@ -259,6 +266,17 @@ uint8_t* FocusedTextField() {
 
 } // namespace
 
+// Only the focused control counts: a window draws several edit controls per
+// frame (measured: the save window), the last one drawn is not the focus.
+void NoteEditDrawn(void* edit) {
+    auto* ui = *reinterpret_cast<uint8_t**>(kUiManager);
+    if (ui && edit == *reinterpret_cast<void**>(ui + kUiFocus) &&
+        (ControlFlags(static_cast<uint8_t*>(edit)) & kControlVisible) != 0) {
+        g_drawnEdit = edit;
+        g_drawnEditTick = GetTickCount();
+    }
+}
+
 bool TypingIntoTextField() {
     return FocusedTextField() != nullptr;
 }
@@ -327,4 +345,13 @@ LRESULT CALLBACK GameWindowProc(HWND window, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM
     return GameWindowProc_original(window, message, wParam, lParam);
 }
 
+// cUI_EditControl::Render (vf14, thiscall (renderer), ret 4; returns right
+// away while the control is hidden).
+void __fastcall EditControl_Render(void* self, void* edx, void* renderer);
+RE_HOOK(0x00737ae0, EditControl_Render);
+void __fastcall EditControl_Render(void* self, void* edx, void* renderer) {
+    mods::input::NoteEditDrawn(self);
+    EditControl_Render_original(self, edx, renderer);
+}
+
 } // namespace game
diff --git a/src/mods/input.h b/src/mods/input.h
index 10e494e..46cbaf8 100644
--- a/src/mods/input.h
+++ b/src/mods/input.h
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ namespace mods::input {
 // Whether a text field has the keyboard (chat, console, save names).
 bool TypingIntoTextField();
 
+// cUI_EditControl::Render hook (input.cpp): the control was drawn.
+void NoteEditDrawn(void* edit);
+
 // Called first by the main window procedure. Returns true if the message was
 // handled and must not reach the game.
 bool HandleWindowMessage(HWND window, UINT message, WPARAM wParam, LPARAM lParam);