React Native push notifications

Set up Workflows push notifications in the React Native SDK. For the concept and channel setup, see Push notifications.

Available in posthog-react-native 4.62.0 and newer, and requires the optional @posthog/react-native-plugin package (2.3.0+). Not supported on React Native Web or macOS.

Requirements

Configure push in your app as usual (for example with @react-native-firebase/messaging) and request notification permission from the user.

Automatic registration and open tracking (default)

Both behaviors are on by default. An app that already has push configured and the plugin installed starts sending its device token to PostHog after upgrading, with no code change:

<PostHogProvider
    apiKey="<ph_project_token>"
    options={{
        host: 'https://us.i.posthog.com',
        // Both default to true, shown here for clarity:
        capturePushNotificationSubscriptions: true, // register the device token with PostHog
        capturePushNotificationOpened: true,        // capture `$push_notification_opened` on tap
    }}
>
    <MyComponent />
</PostHogProvider>

On iOS the native SDK hooks the app delegate's remote-notification registration callback, so it picks up the APNs token once your app registers for remote notifications. On Android it fetches the FCM token at startup when Firebase Messaging is on the classpath (@react-native-firebase/messaging sets this up). The token is registered under the current distinct ID, so it follows the user across identify().

Open coverage differs per platform. On iOS every tap on a remote notification is captured whatever the app state; locally-scheduled notifications are ignored. On Android only cold-start taps are captured. Capture the rest manually (below).

The Android startup fetch doesn't see later token refreshes, so forward those yourself to keep the registered token current:

import messaging from '@react-native-firebase/messaging'
import { Platform } from 'react-native'

if (Platform.OS === 'android') {
    messaging().onTokenRefresh((token) => posthog.registerPushNotificationToken(token))
}

Manual registration

If you manage push tokens yourself, turn the automatic flags off and call the SDK directly:

// Register the device token. Pass appId to route to a specific channel
// (your Firebase project id, or APNs bundle id on iOS):
await posthog.registerPushNotificationToken(token, { appId: 'your-firebase-project-id' })

It's safe to call this before the SDK finishes initializing; the call is queued rather than dropped.

When appId is unset, iOS registers the token as an APNs token under your bundle id and Android as an FCM token under your default Firebase project id. To use FCM on iOS instead, set capturePushNotificationSubscriptions: false and pass your Firebase project id as appId, otherwise the device registers twice (once per provider) and a Workflow connected to both channels delivers twice.

Unregister the token when a user signs out so it isn't left bound to them:

await posthog.unregisterPushNotificationToken()

Calling posthog.reset() on logout already moves the registered token to the new anonymous identity, so this is only needed when you manage subscriptions yourself.

Registration and unregistration are durable. If the device is offline or the request fails, the SDK retries on the next flush, identity change, or app launch.

Capturing opens

For the opens automatic capture misses (locally-scheduled notifications on either platform, plus warm-start taps and foreground messages on Android), call the manual API:

import messaging from '@react-native-firebase/messaging'
import { Platform } from 'react-native'

if (Platform.OS === 'android') {
    messaging().onNotificationOpenedApp((message) => {
        posthog.capturePushNotificationOpened({
            title: message.notification?.title,
            body: message.notification?.body,
            payload: message.data,
        })
    })
}

Only call it for opens automatic capture can't see itself, or the tap is counted twice.

The $push_notification_opened event includes $notification_title and $notification_body (plus $notification_subtitle on iOS), and $notification_action for action-button taps. Notification content is only captured for notifications sent by PostHog. Opens of other notifications are still captured, but without title or body.

The event is built and sent by the native SDK, so your JS before_send never sees it. Redact anything sensitive before passing it to capturePushNotificationOpened.

Opting out

Set capturePushNotificationSubscriptions: false or capturePushNotificationOpened: false in the initialization options.

Identity verification

If your push channel requires identity verification, supply a backend-minted token through pushIdentityProvider:

<PostHogProvider
    apiKey="<ph_project_token>"
    options={{
        host: 'https://us.i.posthog.com',
        pushIdentityProvider: async (distinctId, appId) => {
            // Fetch a freshly-minted token from your backend for this user, then:
            return token // or null to send without one
        },
    }}
>
    <MyComponent />
</PostHogProvider>

Troubleshooting