DotLottie Crashing IOS RN App during screen switching through bottom tab nav

[AbdulAleemWorks]

Overview:

Hi , So I downloaded a .lottie animation of a waving pirate flag (link is below) , I am using it on a component in a screen for my iOS only app , The animation worked flawlessly but then I started switching screens , upon rapidly switching between screens from the bottomNav the app started to crash and the CrashLogs showed that DotLottiePlayer was the culprit , Upon some digging I found that it might be DotLottiePlayer renderer issue so I switched to renderer="sw” , that didn’t solve anything either . I tried freeze() , pause() , stop() everything , I even added a Focus variable that would render the DotLottie file only when screen is in Focus But nothing solved the issue , as opposed some changes made it worse , then I gave up and used LottieView instead but that same animation file in .json looks like a jumping skull on a black box than an animation . 

Steps To Recreate:

1. Install @lottiefiles/dotlottie-react-native.
2. Add a .lottie file to src/assets/animations/ (e.g., piratesFlag.lottie).
3. Import the DotLottie component in a React Native screen.
4. Attempt to render the animation as follows:tsx

   <DotLottie
 source={require('../../assets/animations/piratesFlag.lottie')}
 autoPlay
 loop
 style={{ width: '100%', height: '100%' }}
/>
5. Navigate to the screen containing the component.
6. Result: The app crashes with a native exception or a white screen/hang.Current Rendering Logic (Workaround)
   To avoid the crash, we have transitioned back to standard Lottie JSON files:
   tsx

import LottieView from 'lottie-react-native';

// ... inside component
<LottieView
  source={require('../../assets/animations/piratesFlag.json')}
  autoPlay
  loop
  style={{ width: '100%', height: '100%', transform: [{ scale: 0.77 }] }}
/>

### Potential Root Causes

• Linkage Issues: Static framework linkage (use_frameworks! :linkage => :static) in the Podfile may be causing issues with the DotLottie native module.
• Simulator Compatibility: The experimental nature of iOS 26.2 simulators may have architectural differences that the current DotLottie SDK version does not yet support.
• Resource Parsing: Possible failure in the native layer when decompressing/parsing the .lottie (zipped) format compared to the raw .json format.
  Expected Behavior
  The .lottie animation should render smoothly without causing a native crash, maintaining the performance benefits of the dotLottie format.

### Crash Log:

Thread 0 Crashed::  Dispatch queue: com.apple.main-thread
0   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100baec78 ecma_gc_set_object_visited(ecma_object_t*) + 0
1   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100bf438c ecma_gc_mark(ecma_object_t*) (.cold.9) + 224
2   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100baeab8 ecma_gc_mark(ecma_object_t*) + 284
3   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100bae2b0 ecma_gc_run() + 172
4   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100badb08 ecma_finalize() + 32
5   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100baca78 jerry_cleanup + 36
6   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100b4db34 LottieExpressions::retrieve(LottieExpressions*) + 96
7   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100b2abb0 LottieLoader::~LottieLoader() + 200
8   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100b2acc8 LottieLoader::~LottieLoader() + 12
9   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100b5e950 tvg::LoaderMgr::retrieve(tvg::LoadModule*) + 132
10  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100b603b0 tvg::PictureImpl::~PictureImpl() + 40
11  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100b56814 SceneImpl::clearPaints() + 300
12  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100b56fe4 SceneImpl::~SceneImpl() + 40
13  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100b56e94 SceneImpl::~SceneImpl() + 12
14  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100b5e56c tvg::Paint::unref(bool) + 72
15  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100b58f0c tvg::SwCanvas::~SwCanvas() + 68
16  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100b58f5c tvg::SwCanvas::~SwCanvas() + 12
17  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100b29dfc tvg_canvas_destroy + 24
18  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x100a677f4 

Environment :


"react-native": "0.84.1"
"@lottiefiles/dotlottie-react-native": "^0.9.0"
"node": ">= 22.11.0"


IOS
Simulator:

iPhone 17 Pro iOS 26.2

Machine : M1 MacBook Pro

[theashraf]

Thanks for the detailed report.

looking at the crash trace, the failing path goes through ThorVG LottieExpressions, so the crash may be specific to the content of this file. To reproduce it reliably we need a couple of things:

could you attach the file to this issue ?
does the same .lottie crash in the standalone dotlottie-ios sample app ?

that helps us isolate whether the bug is in this RN wrapper or upstream in the native SDK

[yonatankalman]

Any update on this? I'm also experiencing something similar (when navigating back and forth to a screen with DotLottie). Seems like it might be related but not entirely sure.

Repro

A small <DotLottie source={anim} autoplay={false} loop={false} /> mounted on a stack screen. Push the screen, pop, repeat. Crashes after a handful of cycles.

Crash

EXC_BAD_ACCESS (SIGSEGV) / KERN_INVALID_ADDRESS at 0x0000beaddeca67c8 (high bits match a PAC-signed dangling pointer, i.e. a use-after-free).
Faulting thread (com.apple.main-thread):

DotLottiePlayer _genOutline(SwShape&, RenderShape const*, Matrix const&, …) + 256 DotLottiePlayer shapePrepare(SwShape&, …) DotLottiePlayer SwShapeTask::run(unsigned int) DotLottiePlayer tvg::SwRenderer::prepareCommon(SwTask*, …) DotLottiePlayer tvg::SwRenderer::prepare(RenderShape const&, …) DotLottiePlayer tvg::Paint::Impl::update(…) DotLottiePlayer SceneImpl::update(…) (×3 nested scenes) DotLottiePlayer tvg::PictureImpl::update(…) DotLottiePlayer tvg::Canvas::Impl::update() DotLottiePlayer tvg::Canvas::update() DotLottiePlayer LottieRendererImpl::render(…) DotLottiePlayer DotLottiePlayer::render() DotLottiePlayer dotlottie_tick DotLottiePlayer DotLottiePlayer.tick() (DotLottiePlayerBridge.swift:488) DotLottiePlayer Player.tick() (Player.swift:132) DotLottiePlayer DotLottieAnimation.tick() (DotLottieAnimation.swift:219) DotLottiePlayer Coordinator.draw(in:) (Coordinator.swift:192) MetalKit -[MTKView draw] QuartzCore CA::Display::DisplayLink::dispatch_deferred_display_links

Per claude: So a `CADisplayLink` fires one more frame after the screen has been popped, `Coordinator.draw(in:)` calls `tick()` against a player whose underlying `SwShape` / `RenderShape` outline buffer has already been freed, and `_genOutline` writes into freed memory.

ENV

• @lottiefiles/dotlottie-react-native: 0.9.0 (latest)
• DotLottiePlayer.framework: 0.1.57 (the build that ships inside 0.9.0)
• React Native: 0.81.5, Expo SDK 54
• iOS Simulator on macOS 26.3.1
• Renderer: default

This is not reproducing on the example app.

[AbdulAleemWorks]

us isolate whether the

@theashraf Thanks for responding , GitHub doesn't allow .lottie files to be attached So , I'll just share the link , Hopefully You can track it down through this . I haven't tried using it in the demo app but If I try it in the future I'll update on this . I did try all the props though and trying to stop the animation on screen switches or as some other scree gets pushed up the stack but those fixes didn't work .
https://app.lottiefiles.com/share/d575df60-527a-40cc-98a7-589f3324500f

[AbdulAleemWorks]

Tried using Dotlottie again in another project , made my custom animation on lottie creator for a splash screen . The environment was almost the same as above and the moment we hit the screen with DotLottie view crash , why is the developer community so dead on this repo @theashraf @yonatankalman @musaid @jawish :

below is the crash log :

   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086df9b0 TtfReader::glyph(unsigned int) + 64
1   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086dfd0c TtfReader::glyph(unsigned int, TtfGlyphMetrics*) + 24
2   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086dc8c0 TtfLoader::request(unsigned int) + 340
3   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086dcaf4 TtfLoader::wrapNone(tvg::FontMetrics&, tvg::Point const&, char const*, char const*, tvg::RenderPath&) + 380
4   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086de81c TtfLoader::get(tvg::FontMetrics&, char*, unsigned int, tvg::RenderPath&) + 272
5   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086918f0 tvg::TextImpl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 104
6   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x108690c60 tvg::Paint::Impl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 680
7   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086914c4 SceneImpl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 340
8   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x108690c10 tvg::Paint::Impl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 600
9   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086914c4 SceneImpl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 340
10  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x108690c10 tvg::Paint::Impl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 600
11  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x108691834 tvg::PictureImpl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 592
12  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x108690d5c tvg::Paint::Impl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 932
13  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086914c4 SceneImpl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 340
14  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x108690c10 tvg::Paint::Impl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 600
15  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x10868cca4 tvg::Canvas::Impl::update() + 172
16  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x10868cbec tvg::Canvas::update() + 16
17  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086147cc _RNvXs2_NtCsjLuJ4FkFw2P_12dotlottie_rs15lottie_rendererINtB5_18LottieRendererImplNtNtB5_6thorvg11TvgRendererENtB5_14LottieRenderer6renderB7_ + 540
18  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1085fde00 _RNvMs2_NtCsjLuJ4FkFw2P_12dotlottie_rs6playerNtB5_15DotLottiePlayer6render + 44

[theashraf]

Tried using Dotlottie again in another project , made my custom animation on lottie creator for a splash screen . The environment was almost the same as above and the moment we hit the screen with DotLottie view crash , why is the developer community so dead on this repo @theashraf @yonatankalman @musaid @jawish :

below is the crash log :

   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086df9b0 TtfReader::glyph(unsigned int) + 64
1   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086dfd0c TtfReader::glyph(unsigned int, TtfGlyphMetrics*) + 24
2   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086dc8c0 TtfLoader::request(unsigned int) + 340
3   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086dcaf4 TtfLoader::wrapNone(tvg::FontMetrics&, tvg::Point const&, char const*, char const*, tvg::RenderPath&) + 380
4   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086de81c TtfLoader::get(tvg::FontMetrics&, char*, unsigned int, tvg::RenderPath&) + 272
5   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086918f0 tvg::TextImpl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 104
6   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x108690c60 tvg::Paint::Impl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 680
7   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086914c4 SceneImpl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 340
8   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x108690c10 tvg::Paint::Impl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 600
9   DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086914c4 SceneImpl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 340
10  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x108690c10 tvg::Paint::Impl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 600
11  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x108691834 tvg::PictureImpl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 592
12  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x108690d5c tvg::Paint::Impl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 932
13  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086914c4 SceneImpl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 340
14  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x108690c10 tvg::Paint::Impl::update(tvg::RenderMethod*, tvg::Matrix const&, tvg::Array<void*>&, unsigned char, tvg::RenderUpdateFlag, bool) + 600
15  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x10868cca4 tvg::Canvas::Impl::update() + 172
16  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x10868cbec tvg::Canvas::update() + 16
17  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1086147cc _RNvXs2_NtCsjLuJ4FkFw2P_12dotlottie_rs15lottie_rendererINtB5_18LottieRendererImplNtNtB5_6thorvg11TvgRendererENtB5_14LottieRenderer6renderB7_ + 540
18  DotLottiePlayer               	       0x1085fde00 _RNvMs2_NtCsjLuJ4FkFw2P_12dotlottie_rs6playerNtB5_15DotLottiePlayer6render + 44

​Hey @yonatankalman @AbdulAleemWorks! apologies for the radio silence on this issue, it definitely got missed in our triage queue.

[theashraf]

@AbdulAleemWorks, I'm not able to download the asset for debugging. Feel free to email it to ashraf@lottiefiles.com.

[yonatankalman]

Hello @theashraf 👋
Any update regarding this?
Thanks!

[theashraf]

@yonatankalman @AbdulAleemWorks has been fixed in v0.9.3, please give it a try and let us know if you're still facing the same issue

[theashraf]

Please have a look at v0.10.0