Over-the-air (OTA) updates can deliver compatible JavaScript and asset changes to an installed app without waiting for a new store release—but they cannot replace a native build or bypass Apple and Google Play rules. For Expo projects, the practical approach is to configure expo-updates in the binary, target a compatible runtime and channel, stage the rollout, monitor adoption, and keep a rollback ready.
What an OTA update can—and cannot—change
In Expo’s model, EAS Update delivers non-native app content such as JavaScript, styling, and images to an app that already includes expo-updates. The library must be included in an iOS or Android build; it is not added to an already-installed app by publishing an update. Expo supports Continuous Native Generation projects and existing React Native projects that integrate the library, but an arbitrary React Native app is not OTA-ready without that work. Expo’s EAS Update introduction describes the service and setup.
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Expo identifies JavaScript bug fixes, copy and translation changes, styling, layouts, internal testing, and percentage rollouts as possible update scenarios. A new binary is needed for native code or dependency changes, permission changes, an Expo SDK upgrade, or any change that requires a new binary version. These are technical boundaries, not blanket permission to change any app behavior remotely: store policies apply independently.
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- Configure the app. Follow Expo’s setup instructions, including
eas update:configure, and create and distribute a build that containsexpo-updates. Existing installations without the configured library cannot receive EAS Updates. See Expo’s getting-started guide. - Prepare and test the change. Keep it within the native capabilities of the installed binary. Exercise the change in internal testing before exposing it to production, as supported by EAS Update’s testing and rollout features.
- Check the target channel and runtime. A channel selects an update stream, such as preview or production. The runtime version is the compatibility gate that limits an update to builds with compatible native code. Confirm both before publishing.
- Publish to the intended stream. Expo’s documented workflow uses the EAS Update command to publish a JavaScript bundle and assets. Publishing makes an update available; it does not mean every device has downloaded or activated it.
- Observe adoption and errors. Use the update information and deployment dashboard, and account for when clients check, download, and apply updates. Expo’s update API also provides check and fetch methods. Depending on configuration, an update may take effect on a later launch or reload rather than immediately.
- Keep a recovery choice available. Know whether a rollback should point to a previous publication or to the update embedded in the installed binary; see the recovery section below.
Keep native compatibility explicit
A runtime version expresses which native app builds can run a JavaScript update. Expo documents policies based on the app version, native version, or a fingerprint of project inputs. Choose a policy that tracks the project’s actual native changes, and maintain it as the native app evolves. If native code changes, do not continue serving a bundle as though compatibility were unchanged.
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Channels and runtimes answer different questions: the channel separates update streams, while the runtime identifies native compatibility. A production channel alone does not make an update compatible, and a matching runtime does not mean the update is intended for every channel. Expo explains these concepts in its runtime version documentation and deployment patterns guide.
Choose a release pattern that fits the change
Expo describes several patterns teams use; none is a universal best choice. Compare the urgency and planned store cadence with the installed versions that need the fix, confidence in runtime compatibility, activation behavior, and readiness to monitor or roll back.
Rank #2
| Pattern | When it fits | Compatibility and reach | Operational consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotfixes-only | Urgent, compatible fixes between ordinary store releases | Targets installed builds whose runtime and channel match the update | Retains store releases as the normal path; keep monitoring and rollback ready for the urgent publication. |
| Between-binary releases | Appropriate JavaScript changes between planned native builds | Reach depends on which installed app generations share a compatible runtime and target channel | Coordinate OTA work with the next binary release and avoid treating all feature changes as safe for remote delivery. |
| Cross-runtime deployment | A fix intended for more than one installed app generation | Each targeted runtime must be compatible with the update; a shared change must support those runtimes | Requires confidence that the change works across the native versions receiving it, plus clear channel targeting and rollback planning. |
EAS Update also supports percentage rollouts and internal testing. Use staged exposure and review update health before broadening distribution rather than assuming publication immediately changes every running installation. The documented options and patterns are described in Expo’s deployment guide.
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Apple App Store
Apple’s App Review Guidelines, section 2.5.2, says apps should be self-contained and generally restricts downloading, installing, or executing code that introduces or changes app features or functionality. The guideline includes a limited exception for educational apps designed to teach, develop, or let students test executable code, subject to its conditions. Do not interpret technical ability to deliver JavaScript as permission to change an app’s functionality remotely.
Google Play
Google Play’s Device and Network Abuse policy prohibits a Play-distributed app from modifying, replacing, or updating itself outside Google Play, and restricts downloading native executable files such as dex, JAR, or .so files from outside Play. The policy makes an exception for code running in a virtual machine or interpreter, while requiring runtime-loaded interpreted languages not to allow potential policy violations. The exact policy text and its application can change; review the current platform rules for the app in question.
Expo’s EAS Update documentation states: “One of the rules of EAS Update is that you need to follow the rules of the platforms and app stores you are building for.” Treat store review as case-specific, not as something the OTA mechanism overrides.
Rank #4
Roll back and keep updates lean
Choose the rollback target
EAS Update documents two rollback options: republish a previous update, or direct the client to use the update embedded in its installed build. The first restores a prior publication; the second returns clients to the version packaged in their binary. After rollback, you can publish again. Devices still need to fetch and apply the relevant update according to their configured runtime behavior. See Expo’s rollback documentation.
Limit bundle and asset weight
In guidance dated April 14, 2026, Expo recommends keeping JavaScript bundles and assets lean, reviewing bundle composition, and submitting store builds regularly. A current binary can already contain current assets, so later OTA publications may need to transfer less new asset data. These are Expo recommendations, not a guarantee of a particular download size or speed. Read Expo’s update optimization guidance.
What “saves you” means in practice
OTA updates can shorten the path for an eligible JavaScript or asset fix by making it available to compatible installed builds without first shipping a new binary through a store release. They do not eliminate native release work, guarantee immediate adoption, or establish a universal time saving. The value depends on whether the change is technically compatible, permitted by platform policy, and delivered to the users who need it.
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