Help center › Mobile app development

Set up React Native and Expo for iOS

Node, Watchman and CocoaPods, then build and run your app in the simulator.

First install Xcode and the iOS simulator, and Homebrew. Then:

  1. Node.js 22.11 or newer, from nodejs.org or with brew install node.
  2. Watchman (recommended by React Native for faster file watching): 
    brew install watchman
  3. CocoaPods: 
    sudo gem install cocoapods
  4. Command line tools: in Xcode, Settings → Locations, pick the newest version under Command Line Tools.

Build and run

For an Expo project, from its folder:

npx expo run:ios

This compiles the app, installs it in the simulator and starts Metro. After that, npx expo start and pressing i relaunches it without rebuilding. Watch the simulator through Screen Sharing.

Related

Install Xcode and simulatorsSign in with your own Apple Account, install Xcode, accept the licence, add simulators.Set up your Mac for iOS developmentThe order to do things in: connect, Xcode, your Apple Account, GitHub, then your first build.Build and test from the command linexcodebuild and the simulator over SSH: list schemes, pick a simulator, build and run tests.

Still stuck?

Signed-in customers can message us from the portal; we reply within 24 hours on business days (AEST).

Message supportEmail us