iOS 26.2 / RN 0.85.3: visible React Native UI missing from XCUITest accessibility tree

[thetechpadawan]

Description

On iOS 26.2, with React Native 0.85.3 and the New Architecture enabled, the React Native UI renders visibly on screen but is largely missing from the XCUITest accessibility tree used by UI automation tools.

Visible RN elements such as Text, TextInput, Button, and testID-backed containers are present on screen, but XCUITest-backed tools can often see only the application root, window, and native overlays.

This breaks iOS UI automation because visible elements cannot reliably be matched by testID, visible text, placeholder, or accessibility label.

Steps to reproduce

1. Clone the reproducer: git clone https://github.com/thetechpadawan/rn085ios26a11yrepro.git
2. cd rn085ios26a11yrepro/ReproducerApp
3. Install dependencies: npm install
4. Install iOS dependencies:
   • cd ios
   • bundle install
   • bundle exec pod install
   • cd ..
5. Start Metro: npx react-native start --port 8081
6. In a second terminal, build and launch on the iOS 26.2 simulator:
   • cd rn085ios26a11yrepro/ReproducerApp
   • npx react-native run-ios --simulator "iPhone 17 Pro" --port 8081
7. Wait until the repro screen is visible. It shows:
   • title text Hello accessibility repro
   • subtitle text React Native 0.85.3 • iOS 26.2
   • a text input with placeholder Enter your email
   • a Press me button
8. Inspect the screen with an XCUITest-backed hierarchy tool.

React Native Version

0.85.3

Affected Platforms

Runtime - iOS

Areas

Fabric - The New Renderer

Output of npx @react-native-community/cli info

System:
  OS: macOS 26.5
  CPU: (10) arm64 Apple M4
  Memory: 129.98 MB / 16.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 22.22.2
    path: /Users/seb/.nvm/versions/node/v22.22.2/bin/node
  Yarn: Not Found
  npm:
    version: 10.9.7
    path: /Users/seb/.nvm/versions/node/v22.22.2/bin/npm
  Watchman:
    version: 2026.06.08.00
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.16.2
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 25.2
      - iOS 26.2
      - macOS 26.2
      - tvOS 26.2
      - visionOS 26.2
      - watchOS 26.2
  Android SDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2025.3 AI-253.32098.37.2534.15336583
  Xcode:
    version: 26.2/17C52
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.19
    path: /usr/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 2.6.10
    path: /usr/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 20.1.0
    wanted: 20.1.0
  react:
    installed: 19.2.3
    wanted: 19.2.3
  react-native:
    installed: 0.85.3
    wanted: 0.85.3
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true

Stacktrace or Logs

No native crash occurs.

Representative hierarchy symptom from an XCUITest-backed inspector:
- application node visible
- window node visible
- native overlays visible when present
- visible RN content (Text / TextInput / Button / testID nodes) missing or mostly missing

This same symptom was observed from multiple XCUITest-backed tools, which is why this appears to be below the tooling layer and closer to RN/XCUITest accessibility exposure.

MANDATORY Reproducer

https://github.com/thetechpadawan/rn085ios26a11yrepro

The repository is now structured from the official React Native reproducer template, with the actual repro app under ReproducerApp/.

Screenshots and Videos

I do not have a public video attached yet, but the repo intentionally renders a tiny static screen to make the mismatch easy to verify manually: the RN controls are visibly rendered while the XCUITest hierarchy is nearly empty.

[react-native-bot]

Warning

Missing reproducer: We could not detect a reproducible example in your issue report. Reproducers are mandatory and we can accept only one of those as a valid reproducer:

• For majority of bugs: send us a Pull Request with the RNTesterPlayground.js edited to reproduce your bug.
• If your bug is UI related: a Snack
• If your bug is build/upgrade related: a project using our Reproducer Template

You can read more about about it on our website: How to report a bug.

[thetechpadawan]

Added a public minimal reproducer repo and updated the issue body to include it explicitly:

• https://github.com/thetechpadawan/rn085ios26a11yrepro

[thetechpadawan]

Updated the reproducer so the repository now follows the official React Native reproducer template layout. The actual app is under ReproducerApp/ in the same repo.