Start with a test build
Expo SDK 58 entered beta on 15 September 2026. It includes a React Native 0.88 release candidate and support for iOS 27. As of 22 September, it is a beta, not a stable production release. The official announcement is the source of release status and toolchain updates.
Our recommendation is to evaluate it in a separate branch with a development build. Keep the last stable release available while you check the flows that matter to your product. A successful compile is the beginning of an upgrade review.
Check the routes your users actually use
The SDK 57 to 58 Router migration guide describes a change to web output: server renders HTML per request. Projects that need the previous prerendered behavior should review static output with API routes enabled. Async routes also become the default on web.
For a web product, test a direct link to a detail page, a browser refresh, a signed-out session and navigation from the main menu. Inspect the returned HTML for the correct title and canonical URL. These checks catch problems that a happy-path click through the home page can miss.
Give tablet layouts their own review
Run a short, repeatable layout check in portrait, landscape and a narrow resizable window. Open the navigation, show the keyboard and expand a long disclosure. Look for clipped controls, content hidden under fixed headers and unexpected scrolling inside panels.
Keep screenshots at the same dimensions before and after the upgrade. When a layout changes, that gives the reviewer a concrete comparison instead of a memory of how the previous build looked.
Set a release gate
Before merging, record the package versions, native build result and device coverage. Recheck sign-in, deep links, push notifications and any custom native modules your app uses. Repeat a cold launch and a typical five-minute session on a physical device.
Treat rollout as a separate decision from completing the migration. A small internal release should establish that the new build behaves correctly before it reaches everyone. If your app has no immediate need for the beta, waiting for stable is a reasonable engineering choice.
Need help assessing the work? Our mobile engineering team can review the upgrade against your current app and release process.