diff --git a/samples/expo/AGENTS.md b/samples/expo/AGENTS.md
index fb2193c7b7..9e1130a048 100644
--- a/samples/expo/AGENTS.md
+++ b/samples/expo/AGENTS.md
@@ -11,3 +11,7 @@ yarn android        # Build & run the Android dev client (expo run:android)
 ```
 
 `yarn start` then follows the Expo CLI prompts to open on an iOS simulator, Android emulator, or a physical device. Because the SDK ships native code, plain Expo Go isn't enough — the `run:*` scripts build a dev client that includes it.
+
+## iOS UIScene lifecycle
+
+The `plugins/withIosSceneLifecycle.js` config plugin makes this app adopt the iOS **UIScene lifecycle** with Expo's own `EXExpoAppSceneDelegate` (a Swift `UIWindowSceneDelegate`). This is where Apple/Expo are pushing every app ("Required by iOS 27"), so running the sample this way keeps the SDK exercised under the lifecycle real apps are migrating to. Expo 57 ships `ExpoAppSceneDelegate` but does not wire it up during prebuild yet, so the plugin adds the `UIApplicationSceneManifest` and adjusts the generated `AppDelegate` (conform to `ExpoReactNativeFactoryProvider`, and let the scene delegate own the window / React Native start).
diff --git a/samples/expo/app.json b/samples/expo/app.json
index ff0424daf8..a3b1d2b7d0 100644
--- a/samples/expo/app.json
+++ b/samples/expo/app.json
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@
           }
         }
       ],
-      "expo-web-browser"
+      "expo-web-browser",
+      "./plugins/withIosSceneLifecycle"
     ],
     "extra": {
       "router": {
diff --git a/samples/expo/plugins/withIosSceneLifecycle.js b/samples/expo/plugins/withIosSceneLifecycle.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..330811de49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/samples/expo/plugins/withIosSceneLifecycle.js
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+/**
+ * Makes the Expo sample adopt the iOS UIScene lifecycle with Expo's own `EXExpoAppSceneDelegate`
+ * (a Swift `UIWindowSceneDelegate`). This is the direction Apple/Expo are pushing every app
+ * ("Required by iOS 27"), so running the sample this way keeps the SDK exercised under the
+ * lifecycle real apps are migrating to.
+ *
+ * Expo 57 ships `ExpoAppSceneDelegate` but does not yet wire it up during prebuild, so this plugin
+ * does it:
+ *   1. Adds a `UIApplicationSceneManifest` to Info.plist pointing at `EXExpoAppSceneDelegate`.
+ *   2. Makes the generated `AppDelegate` conform to `ExpoReactNativeFactoryProvider` and defer the
+ *      window / React Native start to the scene delegate.
+ */
+const { withInfoPlist, withAppDelegate } = require('@expo/config-plugins');
+
+const SCENE_DELEGATE_CLASS = 'EXExpoAppSceneDelegate';
+
+function withSceneManifest(config) {
+  return withInfoPlist(config, cfg => {
+    cfg.modResults.UIApplicationSceneManifest = {
+      UIApplicationSupportsMultipleScenes: false,
+      UISceneConfigurations: {
+        UIWindowSceneSessionRoleApplication: [
+          {
+            UISceneConfigurationName: 'Default Configuration',
+            UISceneDelegateClassName: SCENE_DELEGATE_CLASS,
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    };
+    return cfg;
+  });
+}
+
+function patchAppDelegate(contents) {
+  let out = contents;
+
+  // Conform to ExpoReactNativeFactoryProvider so the scene delegate can retrieve the factory the
+  // app delegate creates in didFinishLaunching.
+  const classDecl = 'class AppDelegate: ExpoAppDelegate {';
+  if (!out.includes(classDecl)) {
+    throw new Error('[withIosSceneLifecycle] AppDelegate class declaration not found; Expo template changed.');
+  }
+  out = out.replace(classDecl, 'class AppDelegate: ExpoAppDelegate, ExpoReactNativeFactoryProvider {');
+
+  // Remove the app-delegate window creation + RN start; under the scene lifecycle the scene
+  // delegate (ExpoAppSceneDelegate) owns the window and starts React Native.
+  const windowBlock = /#if os\(iOS\) \|\| os\(tvOS\)[\s\S]*?factory\.startReactNative\([\s\S]*?\)\s*#endif/;
+  if (!windowBlock.test(out)) {
+    throw new Error('[withIosSceneLifecycle] window/startReactNative block not found; Expo template changed.');
+  }
+  out = out.replace(
+    windowBlock,
+    [
+      '// [withIosSceneLifecycle] Scene lifecycle: ExpoAppSceneDelegate creates the window and',
+      '    // starts React Native in scene(_:willConnectTo:). Do NOT start it here.',
+    ].join('\n'),
+  );
+
+  return out;
+}
+
+function withSceneAppDelegate(config) {
+  return withAppDelegate(config, cfg => {
+    if (cfg.modResults.language !== 'swift') {
+      throw new Error('[withIosSceneLifecycle] expected a Swift AppDelegate.');
+    }
+    cfg.modResults.contents = patchAppDelegate(cfg.modResults.contents);
+    return cfg;
+  });
+}
+
+module.exports = function withIosSceneLifecycle(config) {
+  config = withSceneManifest(config);
+  config = withSceneAppDelegate(config);
+  return config;
+};