[Android] BackHandler receives no events on API 35 with predictive Back enabled

Description

With android:enableOnBackInvokedCallback="true", a minimal bare React Native application does not deliver hardwareBackPress to JavaScript on Android API 35.

The app has one BackHandler listener that logs hardwareBackPress received, increments a visible counter, and returns true.

Observed on a Pixel 8 Pro emulator / Android API 35: pressing the system navigation-bar Back button leaves Back count: 0, emits no hardwareBackPress received log, and returns Android to the home screen.

The reproduction uses React Native 0.87.1.

Control result

Using the same React Native 0.87.1 application and device configuration, with no other source changes, changing only android:enableOnBackInvokedCallback from true to false makes hardwareBackPress reach JavaScript: Back count increments and the app remains visible.

Related reports checked

• #51349: similar symptom, originally reported on RN 0.75.1 without a reproducer. The author later reported that the issue no longer occurred after upgrading to RN 0.79.2. In the original report, setting enableOnBackInvokedCallback=false did not resolve the problem.

• #34529: broader discussion about migrating React Native's Back handling to the APIs used by predictive Back. The API 35 behavior reported here may be another manifestation of the same underlying migration gap.

• #54887: reports BackHandler stopping after the app returns from the background on API 36+. In this reproduction, the failure occurs on the first Back press after launch. The RN 0.86 release notes also list a fix for BackHandler callbacks after app resume on API 36+.

• expo/expo#39092: reports broken Expo Router stack navigation with predictive Back enabled and is labeled Upstream: React Native Screens. The reproduction here contains no Expo, navigation library, or react-native-screens dependency.

• react-native-screens discussion #2540: primarily discusses predictive Back support for Fragment-based navigation. Later comments also describe BackHandler failures after app resume with target SDK 36.

Expo relevance

Expo's android.predictiveBackGestureEnabled: true maps to android:enableOnBackInvokedCallback=true in the generated Android manifest. This reproduction does not include Expo, so Expo-specific behavior was not tested; however, Expo bare apps using that setting may be affected by the same native configuration.

Steps to reproduce

1. Clone https://github.com/DanyKrk/android-backhandler-api35-repro

2. Install dependencies and start Metro:

    cd ReproducerApp
    corepack yarn install --frozen-lockfile
    corepack yarn start
   

3. In another terminal, build and install the debug APK:

     cd ReproducerApp/android
     ./gradlew :app:assembleDebug
     adb install -r app/build/outputs/apk/debug/app-debug.apk
   

4. Use a Pixel 8 Pro emulator running Android API 35.

5. Open the app and press the system navigation-bar Back button.

Expected: hardwareBackPress reaches the listener, Back count increments, and the app remains visible.

Actual: Back count remains 0; no hardwareBackPress received log is emitted; Android returns to the home screen.

React Native Version

0.87.1

Affected Platforms

Runtime - Android, Build - MacOS

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

info Fetching system and libraries information...
System:
  OS: macOS 26.6.2
  CPU: (14) arm64 Apple M4 Pro
  Memory: 192.94 MB / 24.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 24.14.0
    path: $HOME/.local/share/mise/installs/node/lts/bin/node
  Yarn:
    version: 1.22.22
    path: $HOME/.local/share/mise/installs/node/lts/bin/yarn
  npm:
    version: 11.9.0
    path: $HOME/.local/share/mise/installs/node/lts/bin/npm
  Watchman:
    version: 2026.06.08.00
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.16.1
    path: $HOME/.local/share/mise/installs/ruby/3.2/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: 2026.1 AI-261.26222.65.2613.16025427
  Xcode:
    version: 26.6/17F113
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.18
    path: $HOME/.local/share/mise/installs/java/temurin-17/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 3.2.11
    path: $HOME/.local/share/mise/installs/ruby/3.2/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 20.2.0
    wanted: 20.2.0
  react:
    installed: 19.2.3
    wanted: 19.2.3
  react-native:
    installed: 0.87.1
    wanted: 0.87.1
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: Not found
  newArchEnabled: false

Stacktrace or Logs

No stack trace exists. This is not reported as a crash or process termination.

  The app registers this listener:

  BackHandler.addEventListener('hardwareBackPress', () => {
    console.log('hardwareBackPress received');
    setBackCount(count => count + 1);
    return true;
  });

  Observed on a Pixel 8 Pro emulator / Android API 35:
  - React Native: 0.87.1
  - target SDK: 36
  - android:enableOnBackInvokedCallback: true
  - Input: system navigation-bar Back button

  Expected JS log:
  hardwareBackPress received

  Actual:
  No `hardwareBackPress received` log is emitted because the
  `hardwareBackPress` listener is not invoked.
  `Back count` remains 0 and Android returns to the home screen.

MANDATORY Reproducer

https://github.com/DanyKrk/android-backhandler-api35-repro

Screenshots and Videos

https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/02e39d73-6f93-4659-ac74-002daed55eb9

Start by running the mandatory android-backhandler-api35-repro on a Pixel 8 Pro emulator with Android API 35 and React Native 0.87.1. Compare the BackHandler listener behavior with enableOnBackInvokedCallback set to true and false; done means the true configuration delivers hardwareBackPress, increments Back count, and keeps the app visible.