Over-the-Air (OTA) Updates

Push JavaScript and asset updates to users without going through app store review.

How OTA Updates Work

Expo's EAS Update allows you to push updates directly to users' devices. When the app launches, it checks for updates and downloads them in the background. The update applies on the next app restart.

What Can Be Updated OTA

Can Update	Cannot Update
JavaScript code	Native modules
React components	App permissions
Images and assets	App icon
Styling changes	Splash screen
API endpoints	Build configuration
Bug fixes	SDK version changes

Publishing Updates

Basic Update

# Publish to all users on production channel
eas update --branch production --message "Fix sermon playback bug"

Platform-Specific Updates

# iOS only
eas update --branch production --platform ios --message "Fix iOS keyboard issue"

# Android only
eas update --branch production --platform android --message "Fix Android back button"

Preview Channel Updates

For testing before production:

eas update --branch preview --message "Testing new events layout"

Update Channels

Configure update channels in eas.json:

{
  "build": {
    "preview": {
      "channel": "preview"
    },
    "production": {
      "channel": "production"
    }
  }
}

Each build profile connects to a specific update channel. Production builds receive production updates; preview builds receive preview updates.

Update Behavior

Default Behavior

1. App launches and checks for updates
2. If update available, downloads in background
3. Update applies on next app restart
4. User sees updated version

Forcing Immediate Updates

For critical fixes, you can configure the app to require an update before proceeding:

import * as Updates from 'expo-updates';

async function checkForUpdates() {
  const update = await Updates.checkForUpdateAsync();
  if (update.isAvailable) {
    await Updates.fetchUpdateAsync();
    await Updates.reloadAsync(); // Immediately apply
  }
}

Use sparingly — forcing restarts can be disruptive.

Rollback

If an update causes issues, you can rollback:

# View recent updates
eas update:list

# Rollback to previous update
eas update:republish --group [previous-update-group-id]

Or publish a new update with the fix.

Monitoring Updates

View Update Status

# List recent updates
eas update:list

# View specific update details
eas update:view [update-id]

Expo Dashboard

Monitor updates at expo.dev:

1. Go to your project
2. Click Updates
3. View rollout status, download counts, and errors

Best Practices

Testing Updates

1. Always test updates on preview channel first
2. Use a physical device, not just simulator
3. Test the full update flow (download → restart → verify)

Update Frequency

Situation	Recommendation
Critical bug fix	OTA immediately
Minor UI tweaks	Bundle with next build
New features	New build (for marketing)
Content changes	OTA is fine

Versioning

Keep track of what's in each update:

# Include meaningful messages
eas update --branch production --message "v1.2.1 - Fix event timezone display"

Limitations

• Native code changes require new build — If you update Expo SDK, add native modules, or change permissions, you must submit a new build to the app stores.
• Update size — Large updates (>50MB) may fail or be slow on poor connections. Keep updates lean.
• Offline users — Users who don't open the app won't receive updates until they do.

Emergency Procedures

Critical Bug in Production

1. Fix the bug locally
2. Test on preview channel
3. Push to production:

   eas update --branch production --message "HOTFIX: [description]"
4. Monitor Expo dashboard for rollout status
5. If issues persist, rollback

Corrupted Update

If an update breaks the app:

1. Push a rollback immediately:

   eas update:republish --group [last-known-good-group-id]
2. Or push a new fix
3. Affected users will recover on next app launch (if they can launch)
4. Worst case: Submit emergency build to app stores