[IOS] Can't connect to metro on a real device

[bogomilrusevvegt]

Description

My Simulator works fine it connects to the development server or metro. But on my ios real device it does not connect. I have tried running with npm start --host 0.0.0.0 / MAC_IP, using hotspot, enabling the USB iPhone cable and editing the sourceUrlForBridge in AppDelegate to connect to the specific host and port but nothing has worked.

Steps to reproduce

Connect ios real device with usb and same network.

React Native Version

0.73.4

Affected Platforms

Runtime - iOS

Output of npx react-native info

System:
  OS: macOS 26.2
  CPU: (12) arm64 Apple M3 Pro
  Memory: 342.70 MB / 18.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 24.11.1
    path: /Users/bogomil.rusev/.nvm/versions/node/v24.11.1/bin/node
  Yarn: Not Found
  npm:
    version: 11.6.2
    path: /Users/bogomil.rusev/.nvm/versions/node/v24.11.1/bin/npm
  Watchman:
    version: 2025.08.11.00
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.16.2
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 25.1
      - iOS 26.1
      - macOS 26.1
      - tvOS 26.1
      - visionOS 26.1
      - watchOS 26.1
  Android SDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2025.2 AI-252.27397.103.2522.14617522
  Xcode:
    version: 26.1.1/17B100
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.16
    path: /usr/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 2.6.10
    path: /usr/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 15.0.1
    wanted: 15.0.1
  react:
    installed: 18.3.1
    wanted: 18.3.1
  react-native:
    installed: 0.76.6
    wanted: 0.76.6
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true

Stacktrace and logs

No apps connected. Sending "reload" to all React Native apps failed. Make sure your app is running in the simulator or on a phone connected via USB.
info Reloading connected app(s)...

Reproducer

Private repo

Photos and videos

None

[sLurPPPeRsTaR]

add this to your info plist

	<key>NSBonjourServices</key>
	<array>
		<string>_http._tcp</string>
		<string>_http._tcp.local</string>
	</array>
	<key>NSLocalNetworkUsageDescription</key>
	<string>This app requires access to the local network to connect to the Metro Bundler debug server.</string>

and modify your appdelegate

import UIKit
import React
import React_RCTAppDelegate
import ReactAppDependencyProvider
import CodePush

@main
class AppDelegate: UIResponder, UIApplicationDelegate {
  var window: UIWindow?

  var reactNativeDelegate: ReactNativeDelegate?
  var reactNativeFactory: RCTReactNativeFactory?

    var bonjourBrowser: NetServiceBrowser?

  func application(
    _ application: UIApplication,
    didFinishLaunchingWithOptions launchOptions: [UIApplication.LaunchOptionsKey: Any]? = nil
  ) -> Bool {

    if !UserDefaults.standard.bool(forKey: "HAS_RUN_BEFORE") {
        UserDefaults.standard.set(true, forKey: "HAS_RUN_BEFORE")

        let secItemClasses = [
            kSecClassGenericPassword,
            kSecClassInternetPassword,
            kSecClassCertificate,
            kSecClassKey,
            kSecClassIdentity
        ]

        for secItemClass in secItemClasses {
            let spec: NSDictionary = [kSecClass as String: secItemClass]
            SecItemDelete(spec)
        }
    }

    showSplashScreen()

    #if DEBUG
    triggerLocalNetworkPermission()
    #endif
    
    let delegate = ReactNativeDelegate()
    let factory = RCTReactNativeFactory(delegate: delegate)
    delegate.dependencyProvider = RCTAppDependencyProvider()

    reactNativeDelegate = delegate
    reactNativeFactory = factory

    window = UIWindow(frame: UIScreen.main.bounds)

    factory.startReactNative(
      withModuleName: "**li",
      in: window,
      launchOptions: launchOptions
    )

    return true
  }
  

  func application(_ app: UIApplication, open url: URL, options: [UIApplication.OpenURLOptionsKey: Any] = [:]) -> Bool {
    print("Deep link opened: \(url.absoluteString)")
    return RCTLinkingManager.application(app, open: url, options: options)
  }
  
  func application(_ application: UIApplication, continue userActivity: NSUserActivity, restorationHandler: @escaping ([UIUserActivityRestoring]?) -> Void) -> Bool {
    if userActivity.activityType == NSUserActivityTypeBrowsingWeb, let url = userActivity.webpageURL {
      print("Universal link opened: \(url.absoluteString)")
    }
    return RCTLinkingManager.application(application, continue: userActivity, restorationHandler: restorationHandler)
  }

  private func showSplashScreen() {
    DispatchQueue.main.async {
        if let splashClass = NSClassFromString("SplashView") as? NSObject.Type,
          let splashInstance = splashClass.perform(NSSelectorFromString("sharedInstance"))?.takeUnretainedValue() as? NSObject {
            splashInstance.perform(NSSelectorFromString("showSplash"))
        }
    }
  }

  private func triggerLocalNetworkPermission() {
    bonjourBrowser = NetServiceBrowser()
    bonjourBrowser?.searchForServices(ofType: "_http._tcp.", inDomain: "local.")

    DispatchQueue.main.asyncAfter(deadline: .now() + 2.0) { [weak self] in
      self?.bonjourBrowser?.stop()
    }
  }
}

class ReactNativeDelegate: RCTDefaultReactNativeFactoryDelegate {
  override func sourceURL(for bridge: RCTBridge) -> URL? {
    self.bundleURL()
  }

  override func bundleURL() -> URL? {
#if DEBUG
    RCTBundleURLProvider.sharedSettings().jsBundleURL(forBundleRoot: "index")
#else
    CodePush.bundleURL()
#endif
  }
}