Environment variables don't seem to be detected in build

[JorensM]

Build/Submit details page URL

https://expo.dev/accounts/jorensm/projects/app/builds/3dcb9d5c-dfb2-487d-a6e5-8ce5c65b2288

Summary

So I'm trying to add environment variables to my EAS build. I've added them in my eas.json file, like so:

But they don't seem to be detected in my build. I have a validator function that throws an error if the env variables are not set, and its throwing it in my builds, thought it works fine with Expo Go.

Managed or bare?

Managed

Environment

expo-env-info 1.2.0 environment info:
System:
OS: Windows 10 10.0.19045
Binaries:
Node: 20.8.0 - C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.EXE
Yarn: 1.22.17 - ~\AppData\Roaming\npm\yarn.CMD
npm: 10.1.0 - C:\Program Files\nodejs\npm.CMD
SDKs:
Android SDK:
API Levels: 30, 31, 33
Build Tools: 30.0.2, 30.0.3
IDEs:
Android Studio: Version 2020.3.0.0 AI-203.7717.56.2031.7678000
npmPackages:
@expo/webpack-config: ^19.0.0 => 19.0.0
expo: ~49.0.15 => 49.0.21
expo-router: ^2.0.0 => 2.0.14
react: 18.2.0 => 18.2.0
react-dom: 18.2.0 => 18.2.0
react-native: 0.72.6 => 0.72.6
react-native-web: ~0.19.6 => 0.19.10
Expo Workflow: managed

expo-doctor didn't find any issues

Error output

No response

Reproducible demo or steps to reproduce from a blank project

This is the file that loads my env variables. On Expo Go it doesn't throw an error but on a EAS build it does.

// Constants from environment variables

const ENV_VARIABLE_NAMES = [
    'API_URL',
    'STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY',
    'SUPABASE_URL',
    'SUPABASE_KEY'
]

const validateEnvVariables = () => {
    const missing_vars = []
    for(const var_name of ENV_VARIABLE_NAMES) {
        const full_var_name = 'EXPO_PUBLIC_' + var_name
        if(!process.env[full_var_name]) {
            missing_vars.push(full_var_name)
        }
    }

    if (missing_vars.length > 0) {
        throw new Error('Missing the following environment variables: ' + missing_vars.join(', '))
    }
}

validateEnvVariables();

export const API_URL = process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL!;
export const SUPABASE_URL = process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL!;
export const SUPABASE_KEY = process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_KEY!;
export const STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY = process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY!;

[JorensM]

Apparently Expo only supports dot notation for accessing env variables. Which is strange because it worked with Expo Go. I'll try changing the validator to use dot notation and report back.

[JorensM]

Update: After changing my validator to use dot notation, I'm still getting the same error about missing env vars

[JorensM]

When I run the build command it does show in the CLI that the env variables were added:

Whereas in my EAS build logs, under Spin up build envrionment it doesn't show the env variables (though I'm not sure if it should)

[szdziedzic]

Hi there,

I wanted to check your build logs, but they are expired. Are you still facing this issue? If so may I ask you to run the build once again and send me the link?

[JorensM]

@szdziedzic I'm not working on this project anymore as my client decided to pivot, but I'll try to re run the build when I have some free time

[i-mighty]

Can confirm this a real issue I am facing.

[ermamud]

I am having the same issue as well

[EmilChigu]

Also having the same issue except i can actually see them in the spin up build environment step. However when i publish my app, they are not there.

[pariah140]

Hello was this solved. I have the same issue. It works fine in expo go but when I run a dev build they are all undefined.

[Inalegwu]

Has anyone found a solution to this issue yet ?

[anup-a]

I had a similar issue, while doing local eas build. Everything looks to be working well with expo builds, but fails during eas local builds.

It appears that I needed to set the environment variables for the execution of build command. So, here is what I did -

1. created a bash script set-env.sh (It reads your .env file, and sets the environment)

#!/bin/bash

if [ $# -lt 1 ]; then
  echo "Usage: $0 <command>"
  exit 1
fi

(env $(cat .env | xargs) "$@")

2. Run - sh set-env.sh eas build --profile test --platform ios --local

[ihaddy]

this is still an issue, the above script by @anup-a doesn't work for me.

have a .env file and also a eas.json file

 "build": {
    "development": {
      "developmentClient": true,
      "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_BASE_URL": "....."}
       }
    }

still not working. kind of a big deal breaker and show stopper for running local builds where you can't leverage EAS cloud builds due to enterprise compliance reasons?

trying to call this in app code

  const response = await axios({
        method: method,
        url: `${process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_BASE_URL || process.env.BASE_URL || 'did not load'}${url}`,
        data: body,
        headers: {
          'Content-Type': 'application/json',
          'securetoken': process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SECURE_TOKEN || process.env.SECURE_TOKEN || 'did not load' ,
          'Authorization': jwtToken ? `Bearer ${jwtToken}` : '',
          ...headers
        }
      });

i get 'did not load' in the development and production apk builds of the app ONLY, in expo go and the web browser it loads.

any advice?

[jonra1993]

I have the same issue the environment variables appear in the expo logs console. But when I publish to play store the build of the app crashes because it says that the environment variable does not exist EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL. I works in development mode.

  expo-env-info 1.2.0 environment info:
    System:
      OS: macOS 13.6.7
      Shell: 5.9 - /bin/zsh
    Binaries:
      Node: 20.11.1 - ~/.nvm/versions/node/v20.11.1/bin/node
      Yarn: 4.2.2 - ~/.nvm/versions/node/v20.11.1/bin/yarn
      npm: 10.2.4 - ~/.nvm/versions/node/v20.11.1/bin/npm
      Watchman: 2024.01.22.00 - /usr/local/bin/watchman
    Managers:
      CocoaPods: 1.15.2 - /Users/jona/.rvm/gems/ruby-3.3.0/bin/pod
    SDKs:
      iOS SDK:
        Platforms: DriverKit 23.2, iOS 17.2, macOS 14.2, tvOS 17.2, visionOS 1.0, watchOS 10.2
    IDEs:
      Android Studio: 2023.2 AI-232.10300.40.2321.11567975
      Xcode: 15.2/15C500b - /usr/bin/xcodebuild
    npmPackages:
      expo: ~51.0.9 => 51.0.9 
      expo-router: ~3.5.14 => 3.5.14 
      react: 18.2.0 => 18.2.0 
      react-native: 0.74.1 => 0.74.1 
      react-native-web: ^0.19.11 => 0.19.11 
    npmGlobalPackages:
      eas-cli: 9.1.0
      expo-cli: 6.3.10
    Expo Workflow: bare

[KristianLentino99]

I have the same issue here

[sthay8f]

I have the same issue today.

The environment variable is correct when Spin up build environment in Logs.

[dawidvdh]

Yeah this is really problematic for me also, on production builds the env vars just are not present.

[varofon]

Similar-ish issue here.
npx expo run:android works fine and loads all EXPO_PUBLIC_ env variables from .env
But npx expo run:android --variant release says that it loads variables in log, but process.env only has NODE_ENV in it

[hkhawar21]

Facing a similar issue
Env variables are loaded when running the application in development client mode or with expo go but no env variables are loaded with npx expo start --no-dev --minify

[dawidvdh]

Yeah this is really problematic for me also, on production builds the env vars just are not present.

In the end this was me missing a vital piece of documentation on the standard env resolution I had a .env.ci which although is not listed there seems to have taken preference over .env and so it appeared empty but in actual fact those values in the .env.ci file did not exist.

Weird gotcha, but I resolved this by combining the CI and app envs into a single .env.

[Anis-Ghliss]

I am facing the same issue, although the env variable is detected in dev mode, it is not when I run eas build, even though the logs show that it is loaded

[saifborghol]

You need to add EXPO_PUBLIC_ befor each variable
Folow this example

https://docs.expo.dev/guides/environment-variables/#migrating-to-expo-environment-variables

[cameronmurphy]

This is annoying. local-build-plugin does not copy any .env files into the build dir when doing an EAS build locally. Currently the only way to get environment variables into the build is to manually export them before running eas build as per @anup-a's answer.

[yogendra-meta]

I even manually exported them, still facing the issue, no env vars were being read

[magix022]

Having the same issue here, I can see the variable in the eas spin-up build environment too but its not there in the app.

[rafaelgrilli92]

I'm having the exact same issue! I can't make the production build app work because the ENV are not present anymore. It all started after updating from Expo 49 to 50!!! This is ridiculous!

[samimenouar]

Well, that's weird. If I have console.error(process.env); before using the environement variables, everything works (even in Release mode). But as soon as I take it out, the variable is not available and the app crashes...

[rafaelgrilli92]

Well, that's weird. If I have console.error(process.env); before using the environement variables, everything works (even in Release mode). But as soon as I take it out, the variable is not available and the app crashes...

@samimenouar , That's very strange! Have you built the apk and the env variables work after you console.log the process.env?

[dragospeta]

I managed to find a solution. (Was pretty scared to see an opened issue from January)

I added my env in eas.json, ex:

"preview": {
    "distribution": "internal",
    "node": "18.18.2",
    "yarn": "1.22.19",
    "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL": "https://www.some_url.com/api",
    }
}

I wrote in app.config.js (if you don't have it it's app.json and you have to rename it):

export default {
    expo: {
        name: "your app name",
        ....other config stuff
        extra: {
            ...
            EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL
        }
 }

Then i have a file named model.tsx and i used the expo-constants library (yarn add expo-constants, or npm install):

import Constants from "expo-constants";

const extra = Constants.expoConfig?.extra;

const API_URL = extra?.EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL ?? "";

export { API_URL }

Now everywhere i import import { API_URL } from "./model"; it has the right value.

[kaushiksahoo2000]

Can confirm the above works as well. Similar solution referenced in the Expo discord here

[rafaelgrilli92]

This is a major issue and there's still no answer for it. I'm currently on the "on-demand" plan in EXPO Dev, which means I pay $1 every time I do a build, and before I realised that this was an issue with EXPO, and not my code, I did at least 5 builds + the time and effort wasted on trying to find an issue that is not even in my application. We need this fixed ASAP!!!

[SwhiteMHC]

I am also experiencing this issue. When values are defined in my .env file as EXPO_PUBLIC_VAR, and in my eas.json, when running locally none of the variables appear.

[zollipaul]

For me, the script below successfully makes the environment variables available for eas build, since it directly sources the .env file in the current shell context. This is more reliable and ensures that all environment variables are properly loaded and available for the eas build command

set-env.sh:

#!/bin/bash

# Load environment variables
set -a; source .env; set +a

# Execute command passed as arguments to this script
"$@"

run it like this:
./set-env.sh eas build --profile preview:device --platform ios --local

[Ception]

router

You. Are. A. Godsend.
After 4 hours of beating my head against the wall and trying everything under the sun, including reading dozens of doc files, and tons of stackoverflow. This was the only solution that worked.

I can confirm this actually worked. Just a small correction to this:

I wrote in app.config.js (if you don't have it it's app.json and you have to rename it):

You do not need to rename your app.json to app.config.js, I'm sure they both work the same, but you can keep your existing app.json and add on EXPO_SECRET_KEY to extra in app.json and it works just the same.

Thank youuuuuu!!!!

[ppinel]

Same issue for me and it took me a while to figure it out. iOS doesn't say anything, and crash report is useless.
I'll use the workaround waiting for an official solution (?)

Thanks guys !

[djMax]

I still don't understand what's at play here. This is basically eas-cli's whole job, and it USED to work. Latest versions 11.x break environment variable resolution.

[kutsan]

In addition to expo-constants instructions above, my approach was to use the dotenv-cli package. This tool loads environment variables into the current shell context. You can create a script in package.json to use with eas-cli. I think this is as clean as it gets.

npm i dotenv-cli -D

For .env.development file, you can use:

"build:android": "dotenv -c development -- eas build --platform android --profile preview --local",

Package docs: https://www.npmjs.com/package/dotenv-cli

[Cancuuu]

I waste time and money with this issue, please fix it ASAP! Im willing to help if you need it @Expoteam

[mjko2000]

Did you guys try to change to

presets: ['babel-preset-expo']

in babel.config.js ?

[sanchit-bhalla]

This fix works for me but there might be a better way to fix it. Basically what I have observed is that when the .env file is gitignored then environment variables are not loaded. So before generating the build we need to remove it from the .gitignore file.

1. Before running the build command, remove .env from the .gitignore file and save the .gitignore file.
2. Then run the build command eas build --platform android --profile preview
3. After the build is generated, add .env back to .gitignore file

I only have .env file and didn't add env property in the eas.json

[Cancuuu]

This fix works for me but there might be a better way to fix it. Basically what I have observed is that when the .env file is gitignored then environment variables are not loaded. So before generating the build we need to remove it from the .gitignore file.

1. Before running the build command, remove .env from the .gitignore file and save the .gitignore file.
2. Then run the build command eas build --platform android --profile preview
3. After the build is generated, add .env back to .gitignore file

I only have .env file and didn't add env property in the eas.json

Thats an interest solution, do you think that is the same for local build (with --local flag)??
this command for example 👉 eas build --platform android --local

[sanchit-bhalla]

I haven't tried building locally yet but if you are facing the issue because the environment variables are not loaded properly, you can try this way.

[lgustavosoftwareengineer]

I managed to find a solution. (Was pretty scared to see an opened issue from January)

I added my env in eas.json, ex:

"preview": {
    "distribution": "internal",
    "node": "18.18.2",
    "yarn": "1.22.19",
    "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL": "https://www.some_url.com/api",
    }
}

I wrote in app.config.js (if you don't have it it's app.json and you have to rename it):

export default {
    expo: {
        name: "your app name",
        ....other config stuff
        extra: {
            ...
            EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL
        }
 }

Then i have a file named model.tsx and i used the expo-constants library (yarn add expo-constants, or npm install):

import Constants from "expo-constants";

const extra = Constants.expoConfig?.extra;

const API_URL = extra?.EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL ?? "";

export { API_URL }

Now everywhere i import import { API_URL } from "./model"; it has the right value.

Works for me in combination with: #2195 (comment) solution

[Ception]

Solution for Using Environment Variables in Expo with EAS Build

After diving deep into Expo's documentation and blogs, I’ve finally figured out how to properly handle environment variables in Expo projects, especially with EAS builds. I’m sharing this to help others who might run into the same issues.

First, I recommend reviewing the following:

1. Environment Variables in Expo
2. Environment Variables and Secrets in EAS Build

How it Works

• app.json: Defines project details for Expo, such as:

  • App name
  • Version
  • Plugins
  • Platform-specific configurations (ios, android)

• eas.json: Instructs the EAS service on how to handle the build process based on the project’s configuration.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a .env file in your project root and prefix your variables with EXPO_PUBLIC_. For example:

   EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY="eyJ..."

2. To access these variables in your project, use:

   const myVariable = process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY;
   console.log(`Proof that this loads: ${myVariable}`);

3. For better accessibility, you can create a config.ts file:

   const config = {
     SUPABASE_URL: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL ?? "",
     SUPABASE_KEY: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY ?? "",
   };
   
   export default config;

Important Note:

.env files are not included in your EAS build by default.

Using Environment Variables in EAS Builds

If you want to use your local environment variables during EAS builds:

1. Create the same variables in your Expo project’s secrets. You can find them here:
   https://expo.dev/accounts/<username>/settings/secrets

2. Update your eas.json to tell EAS which secrets to use for specific branches (e.g., development, production):

   "development": {
     "autoIncrement": true,
     "developmentClient": true,
     "distribution": "internal",
     "env": {
       "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL": "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL",
       "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY": "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY"
     },
     "channel": "development"
   }

This tells EAS to look for EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY in the secrets and retrieve its value during the build.

Pushing Secrets Directly from the Command Line

To avoid manually setting up secrets in the Expo dashboard, you can push your .env file directly:

eas secret:push --scope project --env-file .env

This will automatically upload your existing env to project specific secrets.

I hope this helps someone else in the future because dealing with this was a total nightmare! But now that I understand the flow of Expo’s configurations, it’s much clearer!

PS: If you have anything to add, or if you think I might’ve misunderstood something, I’m all ears.

A Few Key Notes:

• Using the --local flag will still use EAS Services, but make the build locally on your computer, instead of the cloud, meaning you’ll still need to update EAS Secrets / JSON
• You do not need to remove your .env from your .gitignore.
• No need to add any configurations or environment variables to app.config.js or app.json.

[marinoandrea]

It looks like the use of EXPO_PUBLIC* env vars has some drawbacks. The docs do discuss how to centralize configuration variables based on channels (and prevent EAS Updates from overriding the vars set by EAS Build which is what I believe is happening to most people here, me included).

[fellenabmb]

I managed to find a solution. (Was pretty scared to see an opened issue from January)

I added my env in eas.json, ex:

"preview": {
    "distribution": "internal",
    "node": "18.18.2",
    "yarn": "1.22.19",
    "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL": "https://www.some_url.com/api",
    }
}

I wrote in app.config.js (if you don't have it it's app.json and you have to rename it):

export default {
    expo: {
        name: "your app name",
        ....other config stuff
        extra: {
            ...
            EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL
        }
 }

Then i have a file named model.tsx and i used the expo-constants library (yarn add expo-constants, or npm install):

import Constants from "expo-constants";

const extra = Constants.expoConfig?.extra;

const API_URL = extra?.EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL ?? "";

export { API_URL }

Now everywhere i import import { API_URL } from "./model"; it has the right value.

This did work for me, I can now access env variables in both development an eas builds.
Generally, i wouldn't complain when something is not working in an open source project. But in this case, the company where I work is paying per build in EAS, and having to do a workaround for this is honestly not good. I'd expect something as common and basic as environment handling to work properly when using a paid service.

[tbanj]

Solution for Using Environment Variables in Expo with EAS Build

After diving deep into Expo's documentation and blogs, I’ve finally figured out how to properly handle environment variables in Expo projects, especially with EAS builds. I’m sharing this to help others who might run into the same issues.

First, I recommend reviewing the following:

1. [Environment Variables in Expo](https://docs.expo.dev/guides/environment-variables/)

2. [Environment Variables and Secrets in EAS Build](https://docs.expo.dev/build-reference/variables/)

How it Works

* **`app.json`**: Defines project details for Expo, such as:
  
  * App name
  * Version
  * Plugins
  * Platform-specific configurations (`ios`, `android`)

* **`eas.json`**: Instructs the EAS service on how to handle the build process based on the project’s configuration.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. **Create a `.env` file in your project root** and prefix your variables with `EXPO_PUBLIC_`. For example:
   ```shell
   EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY="eyJ..."
   ```

2. To access these variables in your project, use:
   ```js
   const myVariable = process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY;
   console.log(`Proof that this loads: ${myVariable}`);
   ```

3. For better accessibility, you can create a `config.ts` file:
   ```ts
   const config = {
     SUPABASE_URL: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL ?? "",
     SUPABASE_KEY: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY ?? "",
   };
   
   export default config;
   ```

Important Note:

.env files are not included in your EAS build by default.

Using Environment Variables in EAS Builds

If you want to use your local environment variables during EAS builds:

1. **Create the same variables** in your Expo project’s secrets. You can find them here:
   `https://expo.dev/accounts/<username>/settings/secrets`

2. **Update your `eas.json`** to tell EAS which secrets to use for specific branches (e.g., `development`, `production`):
   ```json
   "development": {
     "autoIncrement": true,
     "developmentClient": true,
     "distribution": "internal",
     "env": {
       "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL": "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL",
       "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY": "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY"
     },
     "channel": "development"
   }
   ```

This tells EAS to look for EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY in the secrets and retrieve its value during the build.

Pushing Secrets Directly from the Command Line

To avoid manually setting up secrets in the Expo dashboard, you can push your .env file directly:

eas secret:push --scope project --env-file .env

This will automatically upload your existing env to project specific secrets.

I hope this helps someone else in the future because dealing with this was a total nightmare! But now that I understand the flow of Expo’s configurations, it’s much clearer!

PS: If you have anything to add, or if you think I might’ve misunderstood something, I’m all ears.

A Few Key Notes:

* Using the `--local` flag will still use EAS Services, but make the build locally on your computer, instead of the cloud, meaning you’ll still need to update EAS Secrets / JSON

* You **do not** need to remove your `.env` from your `.gitignore`.

* No need to add any configurations or environment variables to `app.config.js` or `app.json`.

This your solution works for me

[chinnawat1995]

Solution from @Ception works for me.

[checkerap]

Solution for Using Environment Variables in Expo with EAS Build

After diving deep into Expo's documentation and blogs, I’ve finally figured out how to properly handle environment variables in Expo projects, especially with EAS builds. I’m sharing this to help others who might run into the same issues.

First, I recommend reviewing the following:

1. Environment Variables in Expo
2. Environment Variables and Secrets in EAS Build

How it Works

• app.json: Defines project details for Expo, such as:

  • App name
  • Version
  • Plugins
  • Platform-specific configurations (ios, android)

• eas.json: Instructs the EAS service on how to handle the build process based on the project’s configuration.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a .env file in your project root and prefix your variables with EXPO_PUBLIC_. For example:

   EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY="eyJ..."

2. To access these variables in your project, use:

   const myVariable = process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY;
   console.log(`Proof that this loads: ${myVariable}`);

3. For better accessibility, you can create a config.ts file:

   const config = {
     SUPABASE_URL: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL ?? "",
     SUPABASE_KEY: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY ?? "",
   };
   
   export default config;

Important Note:

.env files are not included in your EAS build by default.

Using Environment Variables in EAS Builds

If you want to use your local environment variables during EAS builds:

1. Create the same variables in your Expo project’s secrets. You can find them here:
   https://expo.dev/accounts/<username>/settings/secrets
2. Update your eas.json to tell EAS which secrets to use for specific branches (e.g., development, production):

   "development": {
     "autoIncrement": true,
     "developmentClient": true,
     "distribution": "internal",
     "env": {
       "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL": "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL",
       "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY": "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY"
     },
     "channel": "development"
   }

This tells EAS to look for EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY in the secrets and retrieve its value during the build.

Pushing Secrets Directly from the Command Line

To avoid manually setting up secrets in the Expo dashboard, you can push your .env file directly:

eas secret:push --scope project --env-file .env

This will automatically upload your existing env to project specific secrets.

I hope this helps someone else in the future because dealing with this was a total nightmare! But now that I understand the flow of Expo’s configurations, it’s much clearer!

PS: If you have anything to add, or if you think I might’ve misunderstood something, I’m all ears.

A Few Key Notes:

• Using the --local flag will still use EAS Services, but make the build locally on your computer, instead of the cloud, meaning you’ll still need to update EAS Secrets / JSON
• You do not need to remove your .env from your .gitignore.
• No need to add any configurations or environment variables to app.config.js or app.json.

this works and it's clearer than the docs. thank you!

[fellenabmb]

This is still going on 😁

[gregoriocarranza]

Solution for Using Environment Variables in Expo with EAS Build

After diving deep into Expo's documentation and blogs, I’ve finally figured out how to properly handle environment variables in Expo projects, especially with EAS builds. I’m sharing this to help others who might run into the same issues.

First, I recommend reviewing the following:

1. Environment Variables in Expo
2. Environment Variables and Secrets in EAS Build

How it Works

• app.json: Defines project details for Expo, such as:

  • App name
  • Version
  • Plugins
  • Platform-specific configurations (ios, android)

• eas.json: Instructs the EAS service on how to handle the build process based on the project’s configuration.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a .env file in your project root and prefix your variables with EXPO_PUBLIC_. For example:

   EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY="eyJ..."

2. To access these variables in your project, use:

   const myVariable = process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY;
   console.log(`Proof that this loads: ${myVariable}`);

3. For better accessibility, you can create a config.ts file:

   const config = {
     SUPABASE_URL: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL ?? "",
     SUPABASE_KEY: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY ?? "",
   };
   
   export default config;

Important Note:

.env files are not included in your EAS build by default.

Using Environment Variables in EAS Builds

If you want to use your local environment variables during EAS builds:

1. Create the same variables in your Expo project’s secrets. You can find them here:
   https://expo.dev/accounts/<username>/settings/secrets
2. Update your eas.json to tell EAS which secrets to use for specific branches (e.g., development, production):

   "development": {
     "autoIncrement": true,
     "developmentClient": true,
     "distribution": "internal",
     "env": {
       "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL": "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL",
       "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY": "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY"
     },
     "channel": "development"
   }

This tells EAS to look for EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY in the secrets and retrieve its value during the build.

Pushing Secrets Directly from the Command Line

To avoid manually setting up secrets in the Expo dashboard, you can push your .env file directly:

eas secret:push --scope project --env-file .env

This will automatically upload your existing env to project specific secrets.

I hope this helps someone else in the future because dealing with this was a total nightmare! But now that I understand the flow of Expo’s configurations, it’s much clearer!

PS: If you have anything to add, or if you think I might’ve misunderstood something, I’m all ears.

A Few Key Notes:

• Using the --local flag will still use EAS Services, but make the build locally on your computer, instead of the cloud, meaning you’ll still need to update EAS Secrets / JSON
• You do not need to remove your .env from your .gitignore.
• No need to add any configurations or environment variables to app.config.js or app.json.

I saw this repost in a million other github forums and in redit but it doesnt work for me.

I have my env (in local ) that is EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL, and in expo screts i have EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL_DEVELOPMENT and EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL_PRODUCTION.

when i access it with process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL_DEVELOPMENT i dont have any problems (the build is using the expo secrets) buttt, when i try to use it in the eas.json like this

{
  "cli": {
    "version": ">= 10.2.1"
  },
  "build": {
    "development": {
      "developmentClient": false,
      "distribution": "internal",
      "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_NODE_ENV": "development",
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL": "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL_DEVELOPMENT",
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY": "EXPO_PUBLIC_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY"
      }
    },
    "preview": {
      "distribution": "internal"
    },
    "production": {
      "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_NODE_ENV": "production",
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL": "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL_PRODUCTION",
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY": "EXPO_PUBLIC_GOOGLE_MAPS_API_KEY"
      }
    }
  },
  "submit": {
    "production": {}
  }
}

it use the literal string "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL_DEVELOPMENT" or "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL_PRODUCTION".

im trying to use it in the eas for convenience but i will try the app.config.js option

[JorensM]

Hi there,

I wanted to check your build logs, but they are expired. Are you still facing this issue? If so may I ask you to run the build once again and send me the link?

Hi, sorry for the late response. Here is my build log: https://expo.dev/accounts/jorensm/projects/app/builds/58dc3481-75ce-43b1-bffd-5c4b46499a62 (hopefully you can access it with this link)

And my eas.json:

{
  "cli": {
    "version": ">= 0.48.2",
    "appVersionSource": "remote"
  },
  "build": {
    "testing": {
      "distribution": "internal",
      "android": {
        "buildType": "app-bundle"
      },
      "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL": "XXX",
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL": "XXX",
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_KEY": "XXX",
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY": "XXX"
      }
    },
    "preview": {
      "distribution": "internal",
      "android": {
        "buildType": "apk"
      },
      "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_API_URL": "XXX",
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL": "XXX",
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_KEY": "XXX",
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_STRIPE_PUBLISHABLE_KEY": "XXX"
      }
    },
    "production": {}
  },
  "submit": {
    "production": {}
  }
}

[JorensM]

Solution for Using Environment Variables in Expo with EAS Build

After diving deep into Expo's documentation and blogs, I’ve finally figured out how to properly handle environment variables in Expo projects, especially with EAS builds. I’m sharing this to help others who might run into the same issues.

First, I recommend reviewing the following:

1. Environment Variables in Expo
2. Environment Variables and Secrets in EAS Build

How it Works

• app.json: Defines project details for Expo, such as:

  • App name
  • Version
  • Plugins
  • Platform-specific configurations (ios, android)

• eas.json: Instructs the EAS service on how to handle the build process based on the project’s configuration.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a .env file in your project root and prefix your variables with EXPO_PUBLIC_. For example:

   EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY="eyJ..."

2. To access these variables in your project, use:

   const myVariable = process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY;
   console.log(`Proof that this loads: ${myVariable}`);

3. For better accessibility, you can create a config.ts file:

   const config = {
     SUPABASE_URL: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL ?? "",
     SUPABASE_KEY: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY ?? "",
   };
   
   export default config;

Important Note:

.env files are not included in your EAS build by default.

Using Environment Variables in EAS Builds

If you want to use your local environment variables during EAS builds:

1. Create the same variables in your Expo project’s secrets. You can find them here:
   https://expo.dev/accounts/<username>/settings/secrets
2. Update your eas.json to tell EAS which secrets to use for specific branches (e.g., development, production):

   "development": {
     "autoIncrement": true,
     "developmentClient": true,
     "distribution": "internal",
     "env": {
       "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL": "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL",
       "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY": "EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY"
     },
     "channel": "development"
   }

This tells EAS to look for EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY in the secrets and retrieve its value during the build.

Pushing Secrets Directly from the Command Line

To avoid manually setting up secrets in the Expo dashboard, you can push your .env file directly:

eas secret:push --scope project --env-file .env

This will automatically upload your existing env to project specific secrets.

I hope this helps someone else in the future because dealing with this was a total nightmare! But now that I understand the flow of Expo’s configurations, it’s much clearer!

PS: If you have anything to add, or if you think I might’ve misunderstood something, I’m all ears.

A Few Key Notes:

• Using the --local flag will still use EAS Services, but make the build locally on your computer, instead of the cloud, meaning you’ll still need to update EAS Secrets / JSON
• You do not need to remove your .env from your .gitignore.
• No need to add any configurations or environment variables to app.config.js or app.json.

Although this may work, I'm not sure if that's the expected behavior. I think that Secrets and Env Vars are different and have different uses.

From one of the pages you linked:

However, the recommended practice is to use .env files in your local environment, while defining environment variables for EAS Build in eas.json. Environment variables defined in your eas.json build profile will be used when evaluating your app.config.js when running eas build and will be available to all steps of the build process on the EAS Build server.

[GregBaLpro]

The "EAS secrets" doc page is unreachable it's pretty annoying :'(
https://docs.expo.dev/build-reference/variables/

[Zakisb]

iNSANE NO ONE FROM THE EXPO AND EAS TEAM JOINED THE DISCUSSION AND PROVIDED A FIX ! WHAT ARE THEY DOING ?

[GaspardCLD]

In my case, I tried many approaches and built a scenario for every possibility to access variables in my code (plain text, secret, declared directly in eas.json, added on the Expo website, with and without the EXPO_PUBLIC_ prefix).

What ultimately worked for me was the following setup:

1. Keep the .env file as is and add it to .gitignore.
2. Add the required environment variables on the Expo dashboard with plain text option, all with the EXPO_PUBLIC_ prefix.

Configure the environment in the Expo dashboard for each build type (e.g., preview and production in my case) and ensure the build process is properly declared in eas.json
(with the following nest :

"build": 
    { "your_environment_name": 
        { "environment": "preview", // or production, development

)

I had multiple variables with identical names on the Expo dashboard, all prefixed with EXPO_PUBLIC_. The difference between them was the build environment they were associated with (e.g., preview or production). These prefixes were necessary because the variables needed to be available directly in my code, removing them didn't work.

I accessed these variables in my code using process.env. However, attempting to retrieve them elsewhere with a dynamic approach, such as:

  const envValue = process.env["EXPO_PUBLIC_MY_VALUE"];
   return envValue;

did not work for me (took me a long time to figure it out, dynamic call after build doesn't seem to work).

I've got non prefixed variables but they are only for build purpose. process.env reach them during build.

Hope this will help someone !

Have a nice day

[tharakadesilva]

Setting up Supabase with Expo Updates and EAS

If you're struggling with Supabase integration, here's what worked for me:

Understanding the Issue

Environment variables are being picked up during the build phase but not during updates, as updates don't get access to env vars from Expo directly.

My Setup

• Using EAS for builds and updates
• Using continuous deployment fingerprint action for:
  • Creating new builds when changes occur
  • Publishing updates

Key Solution: Using Environment Flag

The crucial part is using --environment during expo update to attach the environment variables.

Step-by-Step Implementation

1. Create Environment Variables in Expo

   • Go to: https://expo.dev/accounts/[account]/projects/[project]/environment-variables
   • Create these as Plain Text variables (note: Secrets aren't supported, but Sensitive is):
     • EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL
     • EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY
   • Select applicable environments (production, development, and/or preview)

2. Update eas.json

   • Reference: https://docs.expo.dev/eas/environment-variables/#setting-the-environment-for-your-builds
   • This correlates env vars to the build based on environment (optional for Supabase use case)

3. Important Documentation Note

   When the --environment flag is provided, eas update will use the environment variables on EAS servers for and won't use the .env files present in your project. Expo CLI will substitute prefixed variables in your code (for example,process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_VARNAME) with the corresponding plain text and sensitive environment variable values set on EAS servers for the environment specified with the --environment flag.

   Any EXPO_PUBLIC_ variables in your application code will be replaced inline with the corresponding values from your EAS environment whether that is your local machine or your CI/CD server.

   We recommend using the --environment flag to ensure the same environment variables are used both for your update and build jobs.

4. Accessing Variables
   Use process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL and process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY

Now, when your app is built / an update is published, the env variable will be available for the app! 🎉

For GitHub Actions Users

If using continuous-deploy-fingerprint:

1. Currently awaiting this change to be merged
2. Temporary solution: Use uses: tharakadesilva/expo-github-action/continuous-deploy-fingerprint@main
3. Set environment in your action config:

   environment: ${{ github.event_name != 'pull_request' && 'production' || 'development' }}
   

[suhascv]

can't believe this issue has been open for over two years and still has no support from expo team. 😠

[jbcrestot]

I'll try to bring some clarity from my experience.

dev builds

EXPO_PUBLIC_XXX is meant to be used with .env files.

so, you may use it on local build like this :

`.env.local

EXPO_PUBLIC_ICON_PREFIX=icon_dev
EXPO_PUBLIC_MY_SECRET=xxx
`

Then when running
npx expo start Starting project at [...] env: load .env.local env: export EXPO_PUBLIC_ICON_PREFIX [...]

this allows your local build to access vars like this const myIcon = process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_ICON_PREFIX

EAS builds

EAS CLI itself does not support loading .env files to set environment variables when resolving the expo config.
Instead, it's recommended to use the EAS environment variables management system with EAS CLI commands to set environment variables for your build jobs [...]

So, you have to use EAS env vars.

When setting your eas.json, you can use EXPO_PUBLIC_XXX, but don't have to.

Here is what I do :

"build": {
  "production": {
    "env": {
      "ICON_PREFIX": "icon_prod",
      "MY_SECRET": "will_be_overwritten" 
    }
  }
}

const appConfig: AppConfig = {
    iconPrefix: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_ICON_PREFIX as string,
    mySecret: process.env.EXPO_PUBLIC_MY_SECRET as string,
}

if (process.env.APP_VARIANT !== "development") {
    Object.assign(appConfig, {
      iconPrefix: process.env.ICON_PREFIX,
      mySecret: process.env.MY_SECRET,
    })
}

return {
  ios: {
      icon: `./src/images/${appConfig.iconPrefix}_ios.png`,
  },
  extra: {
    mySecret: appConfig.mySecret
  }
}

this allows your cloud build to access vars like this :

import Constants from "expo-constants"

[...]

Constants.expoConfig?.extra?.mySecret

Hope it will help.

PS :
I'm not sure if its needed but I also declare my EXPO_PUBLIC_XXX in eas for dev

"build":
  "development": {
      "developmentClient": true,
      "distribution": "internal",
      "env": {
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_ICON_PREFIX": "icon_dev",
        "EXPO_PUBLIC_MY_SECRET": "will_be_overwritten",
      }
  }