Coding⏱️ 2 min read📅 2026-05-29

How to Fix: ESLint "Cannot access refs during render" error but I am not acce

ESLint error on accessing ref during render in React component.

Quick Answer: The issue is likely due to the fact that you're using a custom hook with a ref, but not actually using the ref's current value. Try destructuring the hook's return value instead of accessing the ref directly.

📋 Table of Contents

  1. 🛑 Root Causes of the Error
  2. ✅ Best Solutions to Fix It
  3. 💡 Conclusion

To resolve the ESLint error, you need to understand that the rule is intended to prevent accidental access to refs during render. Since you are not accessing `ref.current` directly in your code, the issue might be related to how you're passing the ref to the component.

🛑 Root Causes of the Error

  • Passing refs as props without checking their type or nullability.

✅ Best Solutions to Fix It

Method 1: Check Ref Type and Nullability

  1. Step 1: Ensure that the ref you're passing is of type `React.RefObject` or `React.Ref`. You can do this by checking the type in your component.

Method 2: Use Optional Chaining

  1. Step 1: In your code, replace `dialog.ref` with `${dialog?.ref}`. This will ensure that you're not trying to access the ref if it's null or undefined.

💡 Conclusion

By following these methods, you should be able to resolve the ESLint error and avoid accidental access to refs during render.

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