Info.plist

Also called Property list, plist

Part of
React Native Glossary
Related
App PermissionsAndroidManifest.xmlEntitlementsPrivacy ManifestApp Config
Mentioned in
AndroidManifest.xmlApp ConfigApp PermissionsApp Store ConnectAppearanceConfig PluginContinuous Native GenerationDeep LinkingEntitlementsExpo Modules APIFirebaseInternationalizationIPALinking APIPrivacy ManifestSSL Pinning
Updated

What is Info.plist in React Native?

Info.plist is the iOS property list holding an app’s configuration: display name, version, URL schemes, fonts and the permission usage messages users see.

Info.plist is an XML property list in ios/YourApp/ that iOS reads to learn about your app before any code runs. It holds the display name, version numbers, supported orientations, URL schemes, custom fonts and the explanations shown in permission prompts. Android keeps similar information in AndroidManifest.xml.

Keys React Native developers touch most:

  • Usage descriptions such as NSCameraUsageDescription or NSLocationWhenInUseUsageDescription — the sentence iOS shows when asking for a permission.
  • CFBundleShortVersionString and CFBundleVersion — the marketing version and build number.
  • CFBundleURLTypes — custom URL schemes for deep links.
  • LSApplicationQueriesSchemes — schemes Linking.canOpenURL is allowed to check.
  • UIAppFonts — font files to register.
<key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key>
<string>Scan receipts to add expenses.</string>

The gotcha that bites everyone once: if your code, or a library, touches a protected resource without the matching usage description, iOS terminates the app immediately. App Review also rejects vague messages like “needs camera”, so write what the feature actually does. See App Permissions for the runtime request itself.

Don’t confuse Info.plist with neighbouring files. Capabilities such as push notifications or associated domains live in the entitlements file, and the data-collection declarations Apple requires live in PrivacyInfo.xcprivacy, the privacy manifest.

In Expo projects, set these keys under ios.infoPlist in your app config instead of editing the file, because Continuous Native Generation regenerates it. Many Expo libraries add their own usage descriptions through config plugins, with defaults worth overriding.