[iOS][New Architecture] onAccessibilityAction with "activate" does not reliably fire VoiceOver double-tap without onAccessibilityTap

Start with the mandatory reproducer and compare VoiceOver activation under the Old and New Architectures on a physical iOS device. Trace the accessibility action handling involved in the reported React Native example; done means the standard double-tap reliably invokes onAccessibilityAction without requiring onAccessibilityTap.

Description

There appears to be a regression in the iOS accessibility activation behavior when enabling the React Native New Architecture.

With the Old Architecture, onAccessibilityAction with the activate action was sufficient to handle VoiceOver's standard double-tap gesture.

After enabling the New Architecture on iOS, the same implementation no longer reliably triggers onAccessibilityAction when the user performs the standard VoiceOver double-tap gesture.

Adding onAccessibilityTap makes the interaction work again.

Expected behavior

VoiceOver double-tap should trigger the activate accessibility action and invoke onAccessibilityAction.

<View
accessible={true}
accessibilityRole="switch"
accessibilityActions={[{name: 'activate'}]}
onAccessibilityAction={handleAccessibilityAction}
/>
Actual behavior

With the New Architecture enabled on iOS, VoiceOver can focus the element correctly, but performing the standard double-tap does not reliably invoke:

onAccessibilityAction

Adding:

onAccessibilityTap={handleAccessibilityAction}

causes the double-tap interaction to work.

Steps to reproduce

Steps to reproduce

1. Create a new React Native project.
2. Enable the New Architecture.
3. Run the application on a physical iOS device.
4. Enable VoiceOver.
5. Focus the accessible switch.
6. Perform the standard VoiceOver double-tap gesture.
7. Observe whether onAccessibilityAction is invoked.
8. Add onAccessibilityTap.
9. Repeat the double-tap.
10. Observe that the action is now triggered.

React Native Version

0.86.3

Affected Platforms

Runtime - iOS

Areas

Fabric - The New Renderer

Output of npx @react-native-community/cli info

System:
  OS: Windows 11 10.0.26200
  CPU: "(16) x64 AMD Ryzen 7 5800H with Radeon Graphics         "
  Memory: 862.17 MB / 5.86 GB
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 24.15.0
    path: C:\Program Files\nodejs\node.EXE
  Yarn:
    version: 1.22.19
    path: C:\Users\Ola Abaza\AppData\Roaming\npm\yarn.CMD
  npm:
    version: 11.12.1
    path: C:\Program Files\nodejs\npm.CMD
  Watchman: Not Found
SDKs:
  Android SDK: Not Found
  Windows SDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: AI-212.5712.43.2112.8815526
  Visual Studio: Not Found
Languages:
  Java: Not Found
  Ruby: Not Found
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 20.1.0
    wanted: 20.1.0
  react:
    installed: 19.2.3
    wanted: 19.2.3
  react-native:
    installed: 0.86.3
    wanted: 0.86.3
  react-native-windows: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: Not found
  newArchEnabled: Not found

Stacktrace or Logs

.

MANDATORY Reproducer

https://github.com/OlaAbaza/rn-accessibility-reproducer

Screenshots and Videos

No response