FlatList: Pull to Refresh refresh controls are "freezed" after navigation.goBack() #41515

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1. ivanignatiev

   added

   Needs: Triage 🔍

   on Nov 16, 2023
2. github-actions

   added

   Needs: ReproThis issue could be improved with a clear list of steps to reproduce the issue.This issue could be improved with a clear list of steps to reproduce the issue.

   Component: FlatList

   on Nov 16, 2023
3. github-actions commented on Nov 16, 2023

   

   github-actionsBot

   on Nov 16, 2023 – with GitHub Actions

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   ⚠️	Missing Reproducible Example
   ℹ️	We could not detect a reproducible example in your issue report. Please provide either: If your bug is UI related: a Snack If your bug is build/update related: use our Reproducer Template. A reproducer needs to be in a GitHub repository under your username.
4. huiqun922 commented on Nov 18, 2023

   

   huiqun922

   on Nov 18, 2023

   Last edited by huiqun922

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   +1 same isuues. when switch tab or back to desktop and return app.
   screen loss of focus happens。
   only iOS
5. cortinico commented on Nov 22, 2023

   

   cortinico

   on Nov 22, 2023

   Contributor

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   0.73.0-rc.4

   Is this a regression from 0.72?
6. huiqun922 commented on Nov 22, 2023

   

   huiqun922

   on Nov 22, 2023

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   0.73.0-rc.4

   Is this a regression from 0.72?

   0.72.4
7. ivanignatiev commented on Nov 22, 2023

   

   ivanignatiev

   on Nov 22, 2023

   Author

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   My observations, it is happening only when I write logs, so they are showing in metro. In release build with logs turned off everything is working as expected.

   Maybe communication with metro in async operation is breaking something.
8. cortinico commented on Nov 23, 2023

   

   cortinico

   on Nov 23, 2023

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   @ivanignatiev can you try on 0.72 and confirm if the issue persists there or not?
9. huiqun922 commented on Nov 30, 2023

   

   huiqun922

   on Nov 30, 2023

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   @cortinico i have same issue on 0.72.1

   Demo Repository: https://github.com/huiqun922/rn_nav.git

   2023-11-30.14.24.28.mov
10. cortinico

    added

    Issue: Author Provided ReproThis issue can be reproduced in Snack or an attached project.This issue can be reproduced in Snack or an attached project.

    on Nov 30, 2023
11. huanguolin commented on Jun 4, 2024

    

    huanguolin

    on Jun 4, 2024

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    same issue with 0.72.12
12. jdarshan5 commented on Jun 3, 2025

    

    jdarshan5

    on Jun 3, 2025

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    +1
13. jsonxr commented on Sep 16, 2025

    

    jsonxr

    on Sep 16, 2025

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    Still issue on 0.81

    👍React with 👍1Reacted by Miguel Mano
14. JacobJaffe commented on Oct 9, 2026

    

    JacobJaffe

    on Oct 9, 2026

    Last edited by JacobJaffe

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    I've been fighting this bug for years, and I just let Claude have a crack at it. The future is scary and impressive. Here's my fix for this now, for any who dare attempt it...

    ---

    There are actually two separate bugs with similar symptoms, both caused by the refresh control being detached from the window while its screen is inactive. With react-native-screens, inactive bottom tabs and covered native-stack screens are detached.

    Environment

    • Expo SDK 54, React Native 0.81.5, old architecture (newArchEnabled: false). Can't move to the new architecture yet because of problems with Reanimated scroll handlers.
    • react-native-screens ~4.16, @react-navigation/bottom-tabs 7 and native-stack 7
    • FlashList 1.7.6 wrapped with Animated.createAnimatedComponent, plus plain FlatLists. It isn't list-specific.
    • Built from source (not prebuilt RN core), tested on iOS 18.7.8

    Bug 1: refresh ends while detached, spinner stuck forever

    Repro: pull to refresh, then switch tabs or goBack() before the fetch finishes. JS sets refreshing={false} while the screen is inactive. When you return, the spinner is frozen, the content stays pushed down, and scrolling doesn't clear it.

    Cause: endRefreshingProgrammatically returns early when !_hasMovedToWindow, but setRefreshing: has already set _currentRefreshingState = NO. Nothing replays the skipped endRefreshing when the control re-enters a window. JS state and UIKit state stay out of sync permanently.

    Bug 2: idle control drawn as "pulled" after re-attach

    Repro: open a screen whose list is still on its initial load, navigate away during the load, and return after it finishes. refreshing was never true, but a frozen spinner is visible. Unlike bug 1, scrolling clears it.

    Cause: logging showed super.refreshing == NO and _currentRefreshingState == NO the whole time, and no valueChanged fired. UIKit was never refreshing. The scroll view's content inset changed during the initial load (from -50 to 48.3 in our case), and after the detach and re-attach, UIKit lays out the idle control as partially pulled. This looks like the issue #31024 fixed by calling endRefreshing in didMoveToWindow. That call isn't in the current didMoveToWindow, which only toggles _hasMovedToWindow.

    Fix (patch-package)

    node_modules/react-native/React/Views/RefreshControl/RCTRefreshControl.m

    Reconcile the two states one tick after the control re-attaches to a window:

    - (void)didMoveToWindow
    {
      [super didMoveToWindow];
    
      if (self.window) {
        _hasMovedToWindow = YES;
        UInt64 timestamp = _currentRefreshingStateTimestamp;
        dispatch_async(dispatch_get_main_queue(), ^{
          if (!self.window || timestamp != self->_currentRefreshingStateTimestamp) {
            return; // detached again, or setRefreshing: already ran while attached
          }
          [self _reconcileRefreshingAfterReattach];
        });
      } else {
        _hasMovedToWindow = NO;
      }
    }
    
    - (void)_reconcileRefreshingAfterReattach
    {
      if (_currentRefreshingState) {
        return;
      }
    
      if (!super.refreshing) {
        // Bug 2: reset idle layout (what #31024 did), and re-trigger the
        // control's offset observation the same way a manual scroll does.
        [super endRefreshing];
        UIScrollView *scrollView = self.scrollView;
        if (scrollView) {
          [scrollView setContentOffset:scrollView.contentOffset animated:NO];
        }
        return;
      }
    
      // Bug 1: replay the endRefreshing that was skipped while detached.
      UIScrollView *scrollView = self.scrollView;
      if (scrollView && scrollView.contentOffset.y < -scrollView.contentInset.top) {
        UInt64 ts = _currentRefreshingStateTimestamp;
        CGPoint offset = {scrollView.contentOffset.x, -scrollView.contentInset.top};
        [UIView animateWithDuration:0.25
            delay:0
            options:UIViewAnimationOptionBeginFromCurrentState
            animations:^{ [scrollView setContentOffset:offset]; }
            completion:^(__unused BOOL finished) {
              if (ts == self->_currentRefreshingStateTimestamp) {
                [super endRefreshing];
              }
            }];
      } else {
        [super endRefreshing];
      }
    }