diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6a8c70926ad977..a57a338e3f0325 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
   "license": "MIT",
   "repository": "github:facebook/react-native",
   "engines": {
-    "node": ">=14"
+    "node": ">=16"
   },
   "types": "types",
   "jest-junit": {
diff --git a/template/package.json b/template/package.json
index cf3b10d19e9e0e..817c5fccb243cd 100644
--- a/template/package.json
+++ b/template/package.json
@@ -28,5 +28,8 @@
     "prettier": "^2.4.1",
     "react-test-renderer": "18.2.0",
     "typescript": "4.8.4"
+  },
+  "engines": {
+    "node": ">=16"
   }
 }