Android: Scroll View Stretch Effect Inconsistency

Description

Tested on Android Pixel 9.

I am trying to understand an issue. I found some threads. #35424 and #47021. When I use a ScrollView with overScrollMode="always" and the content is smaller than the ScrollView the stretch effect does not show when I drag on a child view.. It works fine when I use a horizontal scroll.

I looked into Androids ScrollView code. It has a return in onInterceptTouchEvent:

// Don't try to intercept touch if we can't scroll anyway.
if (getScrollY() == 0 && !canScrollVertically(1)) {
    return false;
}

Is this a correct fix?

@Override
boolean canScrollVertically(int direction) {
    return super.canScrollVertically(direction)
    || (direction > 0. MScrollEnabled && getOverScrollMode() == OVER_SCROLL_ALWAYS);
}

If I set ALWAYS the view can give feedback. So reporting it as scrollable will fix the issue... Accessibility and nested-scroll parents will also see the view, as scrollable in that mode.

Steps to reproduce

Create a ScrollView with some text children:

<ScrollView style={{ height: 150 }} overScrollMode="always">
    <Text style={{ padding: 8 }}>Row one</Text>
    <Text style={{ padding: 8 }}>Row two</Text>
</ScrollView>

The difference:

• If I set the scroll to horizontal there is a visible Stretch effect no matter where I drag from.
• If I set it to vertical it does not work when I tap and drag from the Text.

React Native Version

React-native 0.85.3

Affected Platforms

Runtime - Android

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

System:
  OS: macOS 26.5.1
  CPU: (12) arm64 Apple M2 Pro
  Memory: 316.38 MB / 32.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 24.1.0
    path: /Users/davidmalesevic/.nvm/versions/node/v24.1.0/bin/node
  Yarn: Not Found
  npm:
    version: 11.7.0
    path: /Users/davidmalesevic/.nvm/versions/node/v24.1.0/bin/npm
  Watchman: Not Found
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.16.2
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 25.5
      - iOS 26.5
      - macOS 26.5
      - tvOS 26.5
      - visionOS 26.5
      - watchOS 26.5
  Android SDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2025.2 AI-252.28238.7.2523.14688667
  Xcode:
    version: 26.6/17F113
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.18
    path: /opt/homebrew/opt/openjdk@17/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 2.6.10
    path: /usr/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli": Not Found
  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: Not found
  newArchEnabled: Not found
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: Not found
  newArchEnabled: Not found

Stacktrace or Logs

N/A

MANDATORY Reproducer

https://github.com/Alforofous/rn-vertical-stretch-repro

Screenshots and Videos

Comienza ejecutando el reproducer obligatorio y compara el comportamiento de la ScrollView vertical y horizontal con overScrollMode="always". Lee la lógica de onInterceptTouchEvent y canScrollVertically de Android ScrollView y, después, sigue la integración de React Native ScrollView. Se considera terminado cuando arrastrar desde un child produce el efecto de estiramiento vertical sin cambios involuntarios en la accesibilidad ni en el desplazamiento anidado.