diff --git a/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations/24806-KS.rst b/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations/24806-KS.rst
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..4d7b1d75249b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/api/next_api_changes/deprecations/24806-KS.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+Deprecate unused parameter *x* to ``TextBox.begin_typing``
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+This parameter was unused in the method, but was a required argument.
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_widgets.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_widgets.py
index f09c7ab4b3b6..4f69f9a5bee2 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_widgets.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_widgets.py
@@ -982,7 +982,7 @@ def test_TextBox(ax, toolbar):
     assert tool.text == 'x**2'
     assert text_change_event.call_count == 1
 
-    tool.begin_typing(tool.text)
+    tool.begin_typing()
     tool.stop_typing()
 
     assert submit_event.call_count == 2
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/widgets.py b/lib/matplotlib/widgets.py
index 168562a5b774..0549f7775b96 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/widgets.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/widgets.py
@@ -1279,7 +1279,8 @@ def set_val(self, val):
             self._observers.process('change', self.text)
             self._observers.process('submit', self.text)
 
-    def begin_typing(self, x):
+    @_api.delete_parameter("3.7", "x")
+    def begin_typing(self, x=None):
         self.capturekeystrokes = True
         # Disable keypress shortcuts, which may otherwise cause the figure to
         # be saved, closed, etc., until the user stops typing.  The way to
@@ -1326,7 +1327,7 @@ def _click(self, event):
         if event.canvas.mouse_grabber != self.ax:
             event.canvas.grab_mouse(self.ax)
         if not self.capturekeystrokes:
-            self.begin_typing(event.x)
+            self.begin_typing()
         self.cursor_index = self.text_disp._char_index_at(event.x)
         self._rendercursor()