Setup

Set up CometChat Calls SDK v5 for React Native with installation, app credentials, initialization, authentication, and a basic calling flow.

Faster Integration with UI Kits

If you’re using CometChat UI Kits, voice and video calling can be quickly integrated:

• Incoming & outgoing call screens
• Call buttons with one-tap calling
• Call logs with history

👉 React Native UI Kit Calling Integration

Use this Calls SDK directly only if you need custom call UI or advanced control.

Quick Reference for AI Agents & Developers

# The SDK plus its six REQUIRED peer dependencies — versions are pinned; do not float them
npm install @cometchat/calls-sdk-react-native@5.0.5
npm install @react-native-async-storage/async-storage@^2.1.2 react-native-background-timer@^2.4.1 \
  react-native-performance@^5.1.2 react-native-svg@^15.12.0 react-native-url-polyfill@2.0.0 \
  react-native-webrtc@124.0.7
cd ios && pod install && cd ..

<!-- android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml -->
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS" />
<!-- ios/<App>/Info.plist -->
<!-- NSCameraUsageDescription + NSMicrophoneUsageDescription -->

• Android 6.0+ also needs a runtime permission request — a manifest entry alone is not enough
• Works on the old architecture and the New Architecture, including bridgeless — no extra setup
• Next → Authentication → Join Session

This guide walks you through installing the CometChat Calls SDK and configuring it in your React Native application.

Add the CometChat Dependency

Using npm

npm install @cometchat/calls-sdk-react-native@5.0.5

Using Yarn

yarn add @cometchat/calls-sdk-react-native@5.0.5

Install Required Dependencies

The Calls SDK relies on the following packages. Install them alongside the SDK:

Package	Version
@react-native-async-storage/async-storage	^2.1.2
react-native-background-timer	^2.4.1
react-native-performance	^5.1.2
react-native-svg	^15.12.0
react-native-url-polyfill	2.0.0
react-native-webrtc	124.0.7

Using npm

npm install @react-native-async-storage/async-storage@^2.1.2 react-native-background-timer@^2.4.1 react-native-performance@^5.1.2 react-native-svg@^15.12.0 react-native-url-polyfill@2.0.0 react-native-webrtc@124.0.7

Using Yarn

yarn add @react-native-async-storage/async-storage@^2.1.2 react-native-background-timer@^2.4.1 react-native-performance@^5.1.2 react-native-svg@^15.12.0 react-native-url-polyfill@2.0.0 react-native-webrtc@124.0.7

React Native New Architecture

The Calls SDK works with both the old architecture and the New Architecture, including bridgeless mode. No extra setup is needed — leave newArchEnabled set to whatever your app requires and follow the same integration steps either way.

The SDK ships as a legacy native module rather than a TurboModule/Fabric component. On the New Architecture it runs through React Native’s built-in interop layer, so the API and behavior are identical on both architectures.

Expo

The Calls SDK depends on react-native-webrtc, which ships its own Android and iOS native code. That has two consequences for Expo projects:

The Calls SDK cannot run in Expo Go. Expo Go bundles a fixed set of native modules and cannot load react-native-webrtc. You need a development build — run npx expo prebuild and build with npx expo run:ios / npx expo run:android, or use EAS Build.

react-native-webrtc ships no Expo config plugin, so declare the native configuration in app.json rather than editing Info.plist and AndroidManifest.xml by hand — a prebuild regenerates those files and discards manual edits:

{
  "expo": {
    "ios": {
      "infoPlist": {
        "NSCameraUsageDescription": "Camera access is required for video calls",
        "NSMicrophoneUsageDescription": "Microphone access is required for voice and video calls"
      }
    },
    "android": {
      "permissions": ["CAMERA", "RECORD_AUDIO", "MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS", "BLUETOOTH_CONNECT"]
    }
  }
}

iOS Configuration

Install CocoaPods Dependencies

Navigate to your iOS directory and install the pods:

cd ios
pod install
cd ..

Add Permissions

Add the required permissions to your ios/YourApp/Info.plist:

<key>NSCameraUsageDescription</key>
<string>Camera access is required for video calls</string>
<key>NSMicrophoneUsageDescription</key>
<string>Microphone access is required for voice and video calls</string>

Enable Background Modes

For calls to continue when the app is in the background:

1. Open your project in Xcode
2. Select your target and go to Signing & Capabilities
3. Click + Capability and add Background Modes
4. Enable:
   • Audio, AirPlay, and Picture in Picture
   • Voice over IP (if using VoIP push notifications)

Android Configuration

Add Permissions

Add the required permissions to your android/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH" android:maxSdkVersion="30" />
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BLUETOOTH_CONNECT" />

For Android 6.0 (API level 23) and above, you must request camera and microphone permissions at runtime before starting a call.

Request Runtime Permissions

Use a library like react-native-permissions or implement native permission requests:

import { PermissionsAndroid, Platform } from 'react-native';

async function requestCallPermissions(): Promise<boolean> {
  if (Platform.OS === 'android') {
    const granted = await PermissionsAndroid.requestMultiple([
      PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.CAMERA,
      PermissionsAndroid.PERMISSIONS.RECORD_AUDIO,
    ]);
    
    return (
      granted['android.permission.CAMERA'] === PermissionsAndroid.RESULTS.GRANTED &&
      granted['android.permission.RECORD_AUDIO'] === PermissionsAndroid.RESULTS.GRANTED
    );
  }
  return true;
}

Verify Installation

After installation, rebuild your app:

# iOS
npx react-native run-ios

# Android
npx react-native run-android

Related Documentation

• Authentication - Initialize the SDK and authenticate users
• Join Session - Start your first call