Enable Firebase Authentication

Turn on and configure the sign-in providers a React Native app needs: email, Google, Apple, and phone.

Firebase Auth providers are all disabled by default on a new project. This guide covers enabling the ones a React Native app commonly uses.

Quick Answer

In Firebase Console → Authentication → Sign-in method, enable each provider your app uses, complete the provider-specific native setup, then test sign-up from the app and confirm the user appears under Authentication → Users.

1. Email/Password

The simplest provider to test with. Toggle it on under Sign-in method; no additional configuration needed.

2. Google Sign-In

  • Toggle on the Google provider.
  • Firebase generates a Web client ID note it, since the client SDK usually needs it.
  • iOS: add the reversed client ID from GoogleService-Info.plist to your URL schemes in Xcode.
  • Android: add your signing certificate's SHA-1 and SHA-256 fingerprints under Project Settings, so Google can verify your app. You need these for both your debug key and your release key.

Get your debug fingerprint with:

keytool -list -v -alias androiddebugkey -keystore ~/.android/debug.keystore

3. Apple Sign-In (iOS)

  • Toggle on the Apple provider in Firebase.
  • In your Apple Developer account, enable the Sign in with Apple capability for your app's bundle identifier.
  • In Xcode, add the Sign in with Apple capability under Signing & Capabilities.

Apple requires Sign in with Apple on any iOS app that offers other third-party social logins, so if you ship Google Sign-In, plan for this one too.

4. Phone Auth (optional)

  • Toggle on the Phone provider.
  • Add test phone numbers in the Firebase console during development, so you don't consume real SMS quota.
  • Phone auth needs additional native setup (APNs on iOS, SafetyNet/Play Integrity on Android) check the current Firebase docs for your SDK version.

Common Issues

auth/operation-not-allowed the provider isn't enabled in Firebase Console.

Google Sign-In works on iOS but fails on Android the SHA fingerprint registered in Firebase doesn't match the key that signed the build. Add both debug and release fingerprints.

Apple Sign-In button does nothing the capability isn't enabled in Xcode, or you're testing somewhere without an Apple ID signed in.

Users appear in Firebase but the app doesn't recognize them sign-in succeeded but your app's own user record wasn't created; check whatever code runs after the auth callback.

Verification Checklist

  • every provider your app uses shows as Enabled;
  • Google Sign-In fingerprints are registered for both debug and release keys;
  • the Sign in with Apple capability is added in Xcode (iOS);
  • a fresh sign-up creates a user visible under Authentication → Users.

Next Steps