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Build native Apple targets without leaving Expo

Expo Apple Targets is a Config Plugin that generates native Apple targets like Widgets, App Clips, Safari Extensions, and more—all while keeping your source files outside the /ios directory. Develop in Xcode, and your changes persist through prebuild. Xcode showing expo:targets folder

Quickstart

Get a working widget up and running in minutes

Installation

Prerequisites and setup for your Expo project

Target config

Configure icons, colors, entitlements, and more

GitHub repository

View the source code and contribute

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What you can build

Expo Apple Targets supports 30+ native Apple extension types:
  • Widgets & Live Activities - Home screen widgets with real-time updates
  • App Clips - Lightweight app experiences that launch instantly
  • Share Extensions - Add your app to the iOS share sheet
  • Safari Extensions - Content blockers and web extensions
  • Notification Extensions - Rich notifications with custom UI
  • Watch Apps - Companion apps for Apple Watch
  • Control Widgets - Quick actions in Control Center
  • Siri Intents - Voice shortcuts and app intents
  • And 20+ more extension types
This plugin requires CocoaPods 1.16.2+, Xcode 16+ (macOS Sequoia), and Expo SDK 53+.

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How it works

Unlike traditional iOS development, Expo Apple Targets uses Continuous Native Generation to keep your native code outside the generated ios/ directory:
  1. Create a target - Run npx create-target widget to scaffold a new target in /targets
  2. Develop in Xcode - Open your project and edit files in the expo:targets/ virtual folder
  3. Changes persist - Your edits are saved outside /ios, surviving prebuild --clean
  4. Build and ship - Build in Xcode or use EAS Build for automated CI/CD
The magic happens in the /targets directory. Each subfolder contains an expo-target.config.js file that defines target settings, and all files in that folder become part of the target.

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Why use this plugin?

Building native Apple extensions traditionally requires:
  • Manual Xcode project configuration
  • Complex entitlements and provisioning setup
  • Files lost every time you regenerate your iOS project
  • Separate build processes for each target
With Expo Apple Targets, you get:
  • ✅ Automated Xcode project setup via Config Plugin
  • ✅ Source files preserved outside generated /ios directory
  • ✅ Automatic entitlements and App Group configuration
  • ✅ Integrated EAS Build support for CI/CD
  • ✅ Full TypeScript types for target configuration

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Real-world examples

This plugin powers production apps like Pillar Valley with home screen widgets and App Clips. Check out the blog post to see how widgets were built using this plugin.

Read the full guide

Follow the quickstart to build your first widget

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