React typescript ref.current is possible null. Why?

In my react typescript app I have this code:

  const inputRef = React.useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null);
  const onIconClick = () => {
    if (inputRef.current) {
      setTimeout(() => inputRef.current.focus(), 0);
    }
  };

Typescript highlights inputRef.current.focus() with text:

const inputRef: React.RefObject<HTMLInputElement>
Object is possibly 'null'.ts(2531)

But I do "null checking"…

I also tried this construction:

  const inputRef = React.useRef<HTMLInputElement>(null) as MutableRefObject<HTMLDivElement>

But I got error when I tried to pass ref to child component.

>Solution :

The ref may have changed in between your checking of if (inputRef.current) { and the call to .focus(). Either do

setTimeout(() => {
    if (inputRef.current) {
        inputRef.current.focus();
    }
}, 0);

or, more concisely, use optional chaining.

setTimeout(() => {
    inputRef.current?.focus();
}, 0)