fetch [TypeError: Network request failed] on iOS 18.4

[faustoct1]

Description

fetch() was working on 18.2 and older but in the new 18.4 ios is not working it gives the error

[TypeError: Network request failed]

I ran the same code on both simulators and the desirable result didn't work as expected. It happened to me in specific apis like google maps, I tried wikipedia api, it worked! I tested with axios/fetch.

Steps to reproduce

just call google maps fetch(https://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/place/autocomplete/json?sessiontoken=${sessionToken}&input=${text.replace(/\s+/g,"+")}&key=${this.API_KEY}&limit=10${t}&language=en) it works on ios 18.2 but fails on 18.4. it fails specifically for google maps but works to other endpoints.

React Native Version

0.76.9

Affected Platforms

Runtime - iOS

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

info Fetching system and libraries information...
System:
  OS: macOS 15.4
  CPU: (12) x64 Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-9750H CPU @ 2.60GHz
  Memory: 483.07 MB / 16.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 22.4.1
    path: ~/.nvm/versions/node/v22.4.1/bin/node
  Yarn:
    version: 1.22.21
    path: /usr/local/bin/yarn
  npm:
    version: 10.8.1
    path: ~/.nvm/versions/node/v22.4.1/bin/npm
  Watchman: Not Found
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.14.3
    path: /usr/local/bin/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 24.4
      - iOS 18.4
      - macOS 15.4
      - tvOS 18.4
      - visionOS 2.4
      - watchOS 11.4
  Android SDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2024.3 AI-243.24978.46.2431.13208083
  Xcode:
    version: 16.3/16E140
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.14
    path: /usr/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 2.6.10
    path: /usr/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 18.0.0
    wanted: ^18.0.0
  react:
    installed: 18.3.1
    wanted: 18.3.1
  react-native:
    installed: 0.76.9
    wanted: 0.76.9
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: false
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: false

Stacktrace or Logs

[TypeError: Network request failed]

Reproducer

https://github.com/faustoct1/codes/blob/main/fetch-rn.js

Screenshots and Videos

No response

[devanshsaini11]

@faustoct1 Can you also try once on latest react-native version: 0.78.x and let us know.
Thanks

[what-is-love54]

@devanshsaini11

Same error on ios 18.4:

• "react-native": "0.78.2",
• "axios": "^1.8.4",

[trentcowden]

Also experiencing this issue! I'm getting errors from expo-notifications and expo-file-system related to failed network requests on my iOS simulator and real device using iOS 18.4. I'm using react-native version 0.76.9. Unfortunately, I can't update to 0.78.x as I'm using many Expo libraries!

[johntrinhcode]

Running into this too with Expo using the react-native-auth0 library which calls fetch under the hood.

The only way i've found to "get around" this via the iOS simulator is to hit Device -> Erase all content and settings to wipe the state and app binary installation, then reinstall everything.

Restarting the app with Device -> Restart to load a new JS bundle will bring back the [TypeError: Network request failed] fetch error.

[johntrinhcode]

Looking into it more, requests are stuck in a pending status in the RN devtools.

And mention an issue with Network.streamResourceContent.

[faustoct1]

@faustoct1 Can you also try once on latest react-native version: 0.78.x and let us know.
Thanks

Hi, I'm running in a deadline I can't upgrade it for now. I'll do it as soon as I get free time. If there's a patch I can try, since it's just run a command meanwhile I'm using rn+expo, it's quite painful to upgrade, and make sure everything is working fine ! I tested on my published app and it's working, it seems to be a problem on simulator.

[faustoct1]

Running into this too with Expo using the react-native-auth0 library which calls fetch under the hood.

The only way i've found to "get around" this via the iOS simulator is to hit Device -> Erase all content and settings to wipe the state and app binary installation, then reinstall everything.

Restarting the app with Device -> Restart to load a new JS bundle will bring back the [TypeError: Network request failed] fetch error.

I had the same problem with auth. I did exactly this and it worked! I tested on my published app and it's working on a real device, the problem only happened on simulator for me.

I reported this issue here since I faced it first before the fetch issue react-native-google-signin/google-signin#1419

[visoft]

I can confirm that it works fine on an iOS 18.4 physical device, but there is an error when using the iOS 18.4 simulator.

I erased the 18.4 simulator, rebuilt and installed my app; it worked for about 5 minutes, and then the same problem returned. I went back to the 18.3 simulator, and all is good. Running React Native 0.77.2

[faustoct1]

I can confirm that it works fine on an iOS 18.4 physical device, but there is an error when using the iOS 18.4 simulator.

I erased the 18.4 simulator, rebuilt and installed my app; it worked for about 5 minutes, and then the same problem returned. I went back to the 18.3 simulator, and all is good. Running React Native 0.77.2

I kept iOS 18.4 due it's not happening on physical device. Those are the related issues I found on 18.4 ios simulator beside the fetch..

RevenueCat/purchases-ios#4954
react-native-google-signin/google-signin#1419

They can somehow be related, all of them seem to happen over the network.

[yvhnpmsky]

Same for me. Was also able to reproduce it on physical ios devices

Steps to reproduce:

• Open app
• Set it to background mode (minimize it)
• Wait for 3-5 hours
• Open app again and attempt to make a network request

The request fails with a network error, despite the network being available (confirmed by successfully making a request using axios)

Error code:

Error Domain=NSURLErrorDomain Code=-1005 "The network connection was lost." 
UserInfo={
  _kCFStreamErrorCodeKey=-4,
  NSUnderlyingError=0x600000cf6a60 {
    Error Domain=kCFErrorDomainCFNetwork Code=-1005 "(null)" 
    UserInfo={
      NSErrorPeerAddressKey=<REDACTED>,
      _kCFStreamErrorCodeKey=-4,
      _kCFStreamErrorDomainKey=4
    }
  },
  _NSURLErrorFailingURLSessionTaskErrorKey=LocalDataTask <E4C1DA73-E3D0-4950-A614-4C350ADFFF34>.<10>,
  _NSURLErrorRelatedURLSessionTaskErrorKey=(
    "LocalDataTask <E4C1DA73-E3D0-4950-A614-4C350ADFFF34>.<10>"
  ),
  NSLocalizedDescription=The network connection was lost.,
  NSErrorFailingURLStringKey=https://<REDACTED>,
  NSErrorFailingURLKey=https://<REDACTED>,
  _kCFStreamErrorDomainKey=4
}

Additional Notes:
• This issue only appears after the app is in the background for an extended period.
• Other requests (e.g. via axios) work fine after resuming.
• Might be related to iOS’s handling of backgrounded apps and stale network sessions.
• Occurs consistently on React Native 0.74.x through 0.76.x (have not tested other versions yet).