upgrading-expo

1. Upgrade Expo and dependencies

```bash

npx expo install expo@latest

npx expo install --fix

```

1. Run diagnostics: npx expo-doctor

1. Clear caches and reinstall

```bash

npx expo export -p ios --clear

rm -rf node_modules .expo

watchman watch-del-all

```

• Check for removed APIs in release notes
• Update import paths for moved modules
• Review native module changes requiring prebuild
• Test all camera, audio, and video features
• Verify navigation still works correctly

If upgrading requires native changes:

```bash

npx expo prebuild --clean

```

This regenerates the ios and android directories. Ensure the project is not a bare workflow app before running this command.

• Clear the cocoapods cache for iOS: cd ios && pod install --repo-update
• Clear derived data for Xcode: npx expo run:ios --no-build-cache
• Clear the Gradle cache for Android: cd android && ./gradlew clean

• Review release notes for the target SDK version at https://expo.dev/changelog
• If using Expo SDK 54 or later, ensure react-native-worklets is installed — this is required for react-native-reanimated to work.
• Enable React Compiler in SDK 54+ by adding "experiments": { "reactCompiler": true } to app.json — it's stable and recommended
• Delete sdkVersion from app.json to let Expo manage it automatically
• Remove implicit packages from package.json: @babel/core, babel-preset-expo, expo-constants.
• If the babel.config.js only contains 'babel-preset-expo', delete the file
• If the metro.config.js only contains expo defaults, delete the file

| Old Package | Replacement |

| -------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- |

| expo-av | expo-audio and expo-video |

| expo-permissions | Individual package permission APIs |

| @expo/vector-icons | expo-symbols (for SF Symbols) |

| AsyncStorage | expo-sqlite/localStorage/install |

| expo-app-loading | expo-splash-screen |

| expo-linear-gradient | experimental_backgroundImage + CSS gradients in View |

Check if there are any outdated patches in the patches/ directory. Remove them if they are no longer needed.

• autoprefixer isn't needed in SDK +53.
• Use postcss.config.mjs in SDK +53.

Remove redundant metro config options:

• resolver.unstable_enablePackageExports is enabled by default in SDK +53.
• experimentalImportSupport is enabled by default in SDK +54.
• EXPO_USE_FAST_RESOLVER=1 is removed in SDK +54.
• cjs and mjs extensions are supported by default in SDK +50.
• Expo webpack is deprecated, migrate to [Expo Router and Metro web](https://docs.expo.dev/router/migrate/from-expo-webpack/).

The new architecture is enabled by default, the app.json field "newArchEnabled": true is no longer needed as it's the default. Expo Go only supports the new architecture as of SDK +53.