Fix “Component auth has not been registered yet” Error in React Native Expo + Firebase Auth

The “Component auth has not been registered yet” error in React Native with Expo and Firebase Auth is one of those frustrating launch-time gremlins that can stop your app dead in its tracks. If you’re seeing this error splash across your console when your app tries to start, you’re not alone. This issue has plagued developers since Expo SDK 53 and Firebase’s modular updates.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive deep into React Native Expo Firebase Auth errors, explore every possible cause of the “component auth has not been registered yet” problem, and walk through multiple solutions that actually work. Whether you’re a beginner setting up authentication for the first time or a seasoned developer hitting this after an upgrade, this guide has you covered.

What is the “Component auth has not been registered yet” Error?

Understanding the Error Message

When your React Native app launches and you see something like this in your console:

ERROR Error: Component auth has not been registered yet
ERROR This can happen if:
 * Metro (the local dev server) is run from the wrong folder. Check if Metro is running in the current project directory
 * The Metro configuration isn't found. Please check your Metro configuration for your project's root
 * There are duplicate copies of react-native in node_modules

What the error is telling you is that React Native’s bridge—the communication layer between your JavaScript code and the native iOS/Android platforms—doesn’t recognize the “auth” component. This component is part of Firebase Auth’s native implementation that needs to be properly linked and registered during app startup.

Why This Error Appears on App Launch

The timing is crucial. This error happens during the app initialization phase, specifically when:

1. React Native Bridge Setup: The JS engine (Hermes) tries to establish communication with native modules
2. Native Module Registration: Firebase Auth’s native components attempt to register with the bridge
3. Bundle Resolution: Metro bundler resolves Firebase’s exports and dependencies

If any of these steps fail or happen out of sequence, the auth component appears “unregistered,” causing your app to crash before it even renders your first screen.

Common Causes of the Firebase Auth Registration Error

1. Expo SDK 53+ Metro Configuration Conflicts

The Big Culprit: Expo SDK 53 (released January 2025) introduced unstable_enablePackageExports: true by default in Metro. This modern package export resolution works great for most libraries but conflicts with Firebase’s CommonJS (.cjs) files used for React Native compatibility.

Why it breaks: Firebase Auth’s modular structure relies on traditional CommonJS exports, but Metro’s new export resolution gets confused and fails to properly register the native auth component.

2. Missing or Incorrect AsyncStorage Setup

Firebase Auth in React Native requires AsyncStorage for persistence. Without it, auth state can’t be properly maintained across app restarts, leading to registration failures.

The problem: If @react-native-async-storage/async-storage isn’t installed or imported correctly, Firebase falls back to memory-only persistence, which breaks the native bridge registration.

3. Firebase SDK Version Mismatches

Version conflicts between:

• Firebase JS SDK (v11.6+ for modular imports)
• React Native Firebase (native modules)
• Expo SDK requirements

When versions don’t align, the native auth component either isn’t included in the bundle or fails to register properly.

4. Expo Go vs. Development Client Issues

Expo Go limitation: The Expo Go app doesn’t include Firebase’s native modules. Running auth code in Expo Go will always fail with registration errors.

Development Client requirement: You need a custom development client (expo run:android or expo run:ios) for Firebase Auth to work properly.

5. Cache and Build Artifacts

Stale caches are the silent killers of React Native development:

• Metro cache: Contains outdated bundle information
• Node modules cache: May have conflicting package versions
• Simulator/Device cache: Holds old native builds

Step-by-Step Solutions: Fix the Auth Registration Error

Let’s tackle this systematically. Start with the quickest fixes and work toward more comprehensive solutions.

Solution 1: Configure Metro for Firebase Compatibility

The most common fix for Expo SDK 53+ users. Create or update your metro.config.js file:

const { getDefaultConfig } = require('@expo/metro-config');

const config = getDefaultConfig(__dirname);

// Add CJS support for Firebase
config.resolver.sourceExts.push('cjs');

// Disable the package exports feature that's breaking Firebase
config.resolver.unstable_enablePackageExports = false;

// Ensure proper resolution of Firebase modules
config.resolver.alias = {
  ...config.resolver.alias,
  firebase: require.resolve('firebase'),
};

module.exports = config;

After updating, clear your cache and restart:

npx expo start --clear

Why this works: Disabling unstable_enablePackageExports forces Metro to use traditional resolution paths that Firebase expects, while adding .cjs support ensures CommonJS files are properly processed.

Solution 2: Proper Firebase + AsyncStorage Installation

Ensure you have the correct package versions and setup:

# Install Firebase and AsyncStorage
npm install firebase@^11.6.0 @react-native-async-storage/async-storage@^1.23.1

# For Expo SDK 53+, also install expo-dev-client if using custom clients
npx expo install expo-dev-client

Initialize Firebase Auth correctly in your firebase.js or firebase.config.js:

import { initializeApp } from 'firebase/app';
import { initializeAuth, getReactNativePersistence } from 'firebase/auth';
import AsyncStorage from '@react-native-async-storage/async-storage';
import { getStorage } from 'firebase/storage';

// Your Firebase config
const firebaseConfig = {
  apiKey: "your-api-key",
  authDomain: "your-project.firebaseapp.com",
  projectId: "your-project-id",
  storageBucket: "your-project.appspot.com",
  messagingSenderId: "123456789",
  appId: "your-app-id"
};

// Initialize Firebase
const app = initializeApp(firebaseConfig);

// Initialize Auth with React Native persistence
const auth = initializeAuth(app, {
  persistence: getReactNativePersistence(AsyncStorage)
});

// Initialize Storage if needed
export const storage = getStorage(app);

export { auth };

Key points:

• Always use getReactNativePersistence(AsyncStorage) for mobile
• Import AsyncStorage before Firebase initialization
• Use modular imports (firebase/auth instead of firebase)

Solution 3: Use Development Client Instead of Expo Go

Step 1: Install development client dependencies:

npx expo install expo-dev-client

Step 2: Create a development build:

# For Android
npx expo run:android

# For iOS
npx expo run:ios

Step 3: Update your app.json to include Firebase plugins:

{
  "expo": {
    "name": "Your App",
    "slug": "your-app",
    "plugins": [
      "expo-dev-client"
    ],
    "android": {
      "package": "com.yourcompany.yourapp"
    }
  }
}

Why this matters: Development clients include native code and properly link Firebase’s native modules, which Expo Go cannot do.

Solution 4: Complete Cache Clearing Ritual

When all else fails, perform the nuclear option:

# 1. Clear node_modules and reinstall
rm -rf node_modules
npm install

# 2. Clear Expo/Metro cache
npx expo start --clear

# 3. Clear npm/yarn cache
npm start -- --reset-cache

# 4. For iOS - clean Xcode build
# Open Xcode → Product → Clean Build Folder
# Or from terminal:
rm -rf ~/Library/Developer/Xcode/DerivedData/

# 5. Reset Metro cache specifically
npx react-native start --reset-cache

# 6. For Android - clean gradle
cd android && ./gradlew clean && cd ..

Pro tip: Create a clear-cache.sh script to automate this:

#!/bin/bash
echo "🧹 Clearing caches..."
rm -rf node_modules
npm install
npx expo start --clear
echo "✅ All caches cleared!"

Solution 5: Platform-Specific Auth Initialization

Sometimes the issue is timing. Wrap your Firebase initialization in platform checks:

import { Platform } from 'react-native';
import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';

export const useFirebaseAuth = () => {
  const [auth, setAuth] = useState(null);
  const [isInitialized, setIsInitialized] = useState(false);

  useEffect(() => {
    const initializeAuth = async () => {
      if (Platform.OS === 'web') {
        // Web initialization (no persistence needed)
        const authWeb = initializeAuth(app);
        setAuth(authWeb);
      } else {
        // Mobile initialization with AsyncStorage
        try {
          const authMobile = initializeAuth(app, {
            persistence: getReactNativePersistence(AsyncStorage)
          });
          setAuth(authMobile);
        } catch (error) {
          console.error('Auth initialization failed:', error);
        }
      }
      setIsInitialized(true);
    };

    initializeAuth();
  }, []);

  return { auth, isInitialized };
};

Usage in your root component:

const App = () => {
  const { auth, isInitialized } = useFirebaseAuth();

  if (!isInitialized) {
    return (
      <View style={{ flex: 1, justifyContent: 'center', alignItems: 'center' }}>
        <ActivityIndicator size="large" />
        <Text>Initializing...</Text>
      </View>
    );
  }

  return (
    <AuthProvider value={auth}>
      <NavigationContainer>
        {/* Your app routes */}
      </NavigationContainer>
    </AuthProvider>
  );
};

Advanced Troubleshooting: When Basic Fixes Don’t Work

Debugging the Native Bridge

Enable React Native debugging to see what’s happening during bridge setup:

# Start Metro with verbose logging
npx expo start --verbose

# Enable React Native Inspector
# Shake device → "Toggle Inspector" → Console

Look for these specific log patterns:

• Bridge: component registration failed
• Metro: resolving module 'firebase/auth'
• Native module not found: auth

Checking Package Resolutions

Verify Firebase installation:

npm ls firebase @react-native-async-storage/async-storage

Expected output (for Expo SDK 53):

your-app@1.0.0
├── @react-native-async-storage/async-storage@1.23.1
└── firebase@11.6.2

Check for duplicates:

npm ls | grep -i firebase

If you see multiple Firebase versions, you have a dependency conflict.

Expo Router Integration Issues

If you’re using Expo Router (common in 2025), the error might appear in your route files. Check your _layout.tsx:

// app/_layout.tsx
import { Stack } from 'expo-router';
import { AuthProvider } from '../context/AuthContext';

export default function RootLayout() {
  return (
    <AuthProvider>
      <Stack>
        <Stack.Screen name="index" options={{ headerShown: false }} />
        <Stack.Screen name="(tabs)" options={{ headerShown: false }} />
      </Stack>
    </AuthProvider>
  );
}

Common Router mistake: Importing auth components directly in route files without proper initialization context.

Version Compatibility Matrix

Here’s what works together in September 2025:

Component	Recommended Version	Notes
Expo SDK	53.0.0+	Requires Metro config changes
React Native	0.79.0+	Hermes enabled by default
Firebase JS SDK	11.6.0 – 11.8.0	Modular imports required
AsyncStorage	1.23.1	Required for auth persistence
Expo Dev Client	4.0.0+	Required for native modules

Warning: Firebase 12.x (alpha) has breaking changes and isn’t recommended for production yet.

Real-World Example: Complete Working Setup

Here’s a complete, production-ready Firebase Auth setup for Expo SDK 53:

1. package.json Dependencies

{
  "dependencies": {
    "expo": "~53.0.0",
    "firebase": "^11.6.0",
    "@react-native-async-storage/async-storage": "^1.23.1",
    "expo-dev-client": "~4.0.0",
    "react-native": "0.79.0"
  }
}

2. firebase.ts Configuration

// lib/firebase.ts
import { initializeApp } from 'firebase/app';
import { initializeAuth, getReactNativePersistence } from 'firebase/auth';
import { getFirestore } from 'firebase/firestore';
import AsyncStorage from '@react-native-async-storage/async-storage';
import { Platform } from 'react-native';

const firebaseConfig = {
  apiKey: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_FIREBASE_API_KEY,
  authDomain: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_FIREBASE_AUTH_DOMAIN,
  projectId: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_FIREBASE_PROJECT_ID,
  storageBucket: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_FIREBASE_STORAGE_BUCKET,
  messagingSenderId: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_FIREBASE_MESSAGING_SENDER_ID,
  appId: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_FIREBASE_APP_ID,
};

const app = initializeApp(firebaseConfig);

let auth;
if (Platform.OS === 'web') {
  auth = initializeAuth(app);
} else {
  auth = initializeAuth(app, {
    persistence: getReactNativePersistence(AsyncStorage),
  });
}

export const db = getFirestore(app);
export { auth };
export default app;

3. Auth Context Hook

// hooks/useAuth.ts
import { onAuthStateChanged, User } from 'firebase/auth';
import { auth } from '../lib/firebase';
import { useEffect, useState } from 'react';

export const useAuth = () => {
  const [user, setUser] = useState<User | null>(null);
  const [loading, setLoading] = useState(true);

  useEffect(() => {
    const unsubscribe = onAuthStateChanged(auth, (user) => {
      setUser(user);
      setLoading(false);
    });

    return unsubscribe;
  }, []);

  const signIn = async (email: string, password: string) => {
    try {
      const result = await signInWithEmailAndPassword(auth, email, password);
      return { user: result.user };
    } catch (error) {
      return { error };
    }
  };

  const signOut = async () => {
    try {
      await signOut(auth);
    } catch (error) {
      console.error('Sign out error:', error);
    }
  };

  return {
    user,
    loading,
    signIn,
    signOut,
  };
};

4. Root App Component

// App.tsx
import { useAuth } from './hooks/useAuth';
import { AuthenticatedApp } from './AuthenticatedApp';
import { UnauthenticatedApp } from './UnauthenticatedApp';
import { ActivityIndicator, View, Text } from 'react-native';

export default function App() {
  const { user, loading } = useAuth();

  if (loading) {
    return (
      <View style={{ flex: 1, justifyContent: 'center', alignItems: 'center' }}>
        <ActivityIndicator size="large" color="#0000ff" />
        <Text style={{ marginTop: 10 }}>Loading authentication...</Text>
      </View>
    );
  }

  return user ? <AuthenticatedApp /> : <UnauthenticatedApp />;
}

Testing Your Fix

Verification Checklist

• App launches without the “component auth” error
• onAuthStateChanged fires correctly
• Sign-in works and persists across app restarts
• Sign-out clears auth state properly
• Works on both iOS and Android simulators
• Web version (if applicable) works without errors

Debug Commands

# Check if auth component is registered
npx react-native log-android | grep -i auth
npx react-native log-ios | grep -i auth

# Monitor Firebase initialization
adb logcat | grep -i firebase

Best Practices for Firebase Auth in Expo 2025

1. Environment Variables

Use Expo’s environment variable system:

# .env
EXPO_PUBLIC_FIREBASE_API_KEY=your-api-key
EXPO_PUBLIC_FIREBASE_AUTH_DOMAIN=your-project.firebaseapp.com
# ... other config

2. Error Boundaries

Wrap your auth components:

import { ErrorBoundary } from 'react-error-boundary';

const AuthErrorFallback = ({ error }: { error: Error }) => (
  <View>
    <Text>Authentication error: {error.message}</Text>
    <Button title="Retry" onPress={() => window.location.reload()} />
  </View>
);

<ErrorBoundary FallbackComponent={AuthErrorFallback}>
  <AuthProvider>{children}</AuthProvider>
</ErrorBoundary>;

3. Offline Support

Handle network issues gracefully:

import { onAuthStateChanged } from 'firebase/auth';
import NetInfo from '@react-native-async-storage/async-storage';

const useOfflineAuth = () => {
  const [isOffline, setIsOffline] = useState(false);

  useEffect(() => {
    const unsubscribe = NetInfo.addEventListener(state => {
      setIsOffline(!state.isConnected);
    });

    return unsubscribe;
  }, []);

  // Show cached auth state during offline periods
  return { isOffline };
};

When to Switch to React Native Firebase

Consider @react-native-firebase/auth if:

• You need advanced native features (biometric auth, SMS verification)
• You’re building for production and need better performance
• You want more control over native implementations

Migration steps:

# Remove JS SDK
npm uninstall firebase

# Install React Native Firebase
npm install @react-native-firebase/app @react-native-firebase/auth

# Update iOS Podfile
cd ios && pod install

Community Solutions and Updates

Expo SDK 54 Preview

Early previews of Expo SDK 54 (expected Q4 2025) include:

• Native support for Firebase package exports
• Improved Metro resolver for hybrid JS/native modules
• Better TypeScript definitions for Firebase

Firebase 11.8.1 Patch

Released August 2025, this patch includes:

• Better React Native export compatibility
• Fixed AsyncStorage initialization race conditions
• Improved error messages for registration failures

FAQs: React Native Expo Firebase Auth Errors

Conclusion: Mastering Firebase Auth in Expo

The “Component auth has not been registered yet” error, while frustrating, is a rite of passage for React Native developers working with Firebase. By understanding the underlying causes—Metro configuration conflicts, missing native modules, and timing issues—you can not only fix this error but also build more robust authentication flows.

Key takeaways:

1. Always use development clients for Firebase Auth
2. Configure Metro properly for SDK 53+
3. Initialize AsyncStorage before Firebase
4. Clear caches religiously during debugging
5. Test across platforms and network conditions

Your authentication system is the gateway to your app’s functionality. Taking the time to get it right pays dividends in user trust and app reliability. Ready to tackle the next challenge? Your users are waiting.

Resource:

• For more React Native Firebase troubleshooting, check out the official Firebase React Native documentation.
• How to Fix Minified React Error #185
• How to Fix “Component auth has not been registered yet” in React Native Expo with Firebase Auth