setBackgroundMessageHandler does not work on IOS

[exoriri]

I use firebase and Notifee and try to send data to my server, but setBackgroundMessageHandler does not work on iOS at all. On android this method works fine.

I setup remote-notification, fetch options in Xcode. content-available is setted to true. Doesn't help.

Javascript

Click To Expand

App.tsx:

import { Stack } from "expo-router";
import { useEffect } from "react";
import "react-native-reanimated";
import { usePushNotifications } from "./usePushNotifications";

import { getFCMToken } from "./messaging";
import "./messaging";

export default function RootLayout() {
  usePushNotifications();

  useEffect(() => {
    getFCMToken();
  }, []);

  return (
      <Stack>
        <Stack.Screen name="(tabs)" options={{ headerShown: false }} />
        <Stack.Screen name="+not-found" />
      </Stack>
  );
}

messaging.ts:

import notifee, {
  AndroidImportance,
  Notification,
} from "@notifee/react-native";

import messaging, {
  FirebaseMessagingTypes,
} from "@react-native-firebase/messaging";
import { Platform } from "react-native";
import { sendToServer } from "./getFromServer";

export const remoteMessageHandler = async (
  remoteMessage: FirebaseMessagingTypes.RemoteMessage
) => {
  await notifee.displayNotification({
    title: remoteMessage.notification.title,
    body: remoteMessage.notification.body,
    data: remoteMessage.data,
  } as Notification);
};

messaging().setBackgroundMessageHandler(async ({ messageId }) => {
  try {
    if (messageId) {
      await sendToServer();
    }
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("setBackgroundMessageHandler", error);
  }
});

const requestMessagingPermissions = async () => {
  await notifee.requestPermission();
};

export const getFCMToken = async (options?: {
  shouldRequestPermission?: boolean;
}) => {
  try {
    if (options?.shouldRequestPermission) {
      await requestMessagingPermissions();
    }
    const hasFCMPermission = await hasMessagingPermission();

    if (!hasFCMPermission) {
      return;
    }

    await createAndroidMessagingChannel();
    const fcmToken = await messaging().getToken();
    return fcmToken;
  } catch (error) {
    console.error("getFCMToken", error);
  }
};

package.json:

    "@react-native-firebase/analytics": "^20.1.0",
    "@react-native-firebase/app": "^20.1.0",
    "@react-native-firebase/crashlytics": "^20.1.0",
    "@react-native-firebase/messaging": "^20.1.0",

firebase.json for react-native-firebase v6:

{
  "$schema": "./node_modules/@react-native-firebase/app/firebase-schema.json",
  "react-native": {
    "crashlytics_disable_auto_disabler": true,
    "crashlytics_auto_collection_enabled": false,
    "crashlytics_is_error_generation_on_js_crash_enabled": true,
    "crashlytics_javascript_exception_handler_chaining_enabled": false,
    "messaging_android_notification_channel_id": "high-priority"
  }
}

---

Environment

Click To Expand

 System:
  OS: macOS 14.3.1
  CPU: (8) arm64 Apple M1 Pro
  Memory: 90.77 MB / 16.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 21.7.1
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/node
  Yarn:
    version: 1.22.21
    path: /usr/local/bin/yarn
  npm:
    version: 10.5.0
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/npm
  Watchman:
    version: 2024.04.22.00
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.15.2
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 23.0
      - iOS 17.0
      - macOS 14.0
      - tvOS 17.0
      - watchOS 10.0
  Android SDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2022.2 AI-222.4459.24.2221.10121639
  Xcode:
    version: 15.0.1/15A507
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.11
    path: /usr/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 2.6.10
    path: /usr/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli": Not Found
  react:
    installed: 18.2.0
    wanted: 18.2.0
  react-native:
    installed: 0.74.3
    wanted: 0.74.3
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: Not found
  newArchEnabled: Not found
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: false

[DavidGOrtega]

Im having ALMOST the same issue. I say almost because I can make it work... while debugging in Xcode!
I have followed all the guidance having a FakeApp on background modifying Appdelegate, generated keys, etc...

While my app is being debugged in XcodesetBackgroundMessageHandler is called perfectly, however when I create a version to test in testflight or I directly run it with expo yarn ios -d setBackgroundMessageHandler is never triggered. Even more, by simply stopping the Xcode debugger setBackgroundMessageHandler stops working!!!

@exoriri could you please try your app with the Xcode debugger and tell me if you suffer the same?

[DavidGOrtega]

related to

• [🐛]messaging().setBackgroundMessageHandler not working in release mode on iOS #6466

[exoriri]

@DavidGOrtega I've tried it with XCode debugger, in my case it doesn't work either. One of possible solutions is to write native code using swift or objective-c. There is a class that calls UNNotificationServiceExtension. I tried it one day ago. It works fine.

[DavidGOrtega]

Having seen it working with the debugger attached I have the feeling that something is missing.

in #6446 charlieStrikeBright had the same issue and was fixed, however it does not work for me.

I was able to get it to work by enabling background refresh and then restarting my phone. I had enabled background refresh before, but it did not resolve the issue, and so I turned it back off (saving battery). However, enabling it and restarting my phone then I get the background messages.

[DavidGOrtega]

@exoriri suddenly it works for me! Maybe I can give you some help.