How to Convert a Bolt.new Project to an iOS App
Short answer: you can't convert it directly. Here's what to do instead.
Founder, Natively
You've built something with Bolt.new and now you want it on the App Store. I get it — Bolt makes it incredibly fast to go from an idea to a working application. But that application is a web app, and getting it onto an iPhone as a real native iOS app isn't as straightforward as exporting a file. Let me walk you through what's actually going on and what your real options are.
Key Takeaways
- Bolt.new builds web apps — using React, Next.js, Vue, and other web frameworks that run in the browser, not on iOS natively
- There is no "export to iOS" button — web code and native mobile code are fundamentally different technologies
- Wrapping it in a WebView gives you a poor experience that Apple frequently rejects from the App Store
- The real path is to rebuild your app idea using a native mobile framework like React Native
What Bolt.new Actually Builds
Bolt.new is an AI-powered development tool built by the team behind StackBlitz. It lets you describe what you want in plain English, and it generates a full-stack web application right in your browser. It uses a technology called WebContainers to run a complete Node.js environment without any local setup.
The output is a web application. Bolt supports frameworks like React, Next.js, Vue, Svelte, Astro, and Remix — all web technologies. It handles package management, gives you a live preview, and can deploy directly to hosting providers like Netlify.
Web Apps vs. Native iOS Apps
This is the core issue. A web app runs in a browser — Safari, Chrome, whatever. It's built with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. A native iOS app is compiled code that runs directly on the device using Apple's own frameworks. They're fundamentally different things, like comparing a Google Doc to a desktop application.
What This Means for Your Bolt.new Project
Your Bolt.new project — no matter how polished it looks — is running web code. It can't access iOS-native features like the Apple Push Notification service (APNs), Face ID, HealthKit, Core Location in the background, or any of the native UI components that make iOS apps feel like iOS apps. There is no conversion tool, export button, or plugin that can transform web framework code into native iOS code.
Why You Can't Just Convert It
I want to be direct about this because I see a lot of misleading advice online. Some people suggest you can "convert" any web app to a mobile app. That's not really accurate. Here's why a Bolt.new project specifically can't be converted:
Different Rendering Engines
A Bolt.new React app renders through a browser engine. A native iOS app renders through UIKit or SwiftUI. These are completely different rendering pipelines. Your React components, your CSS styles, your web-based routing — none of that translates to native iOS components. A <div> is not a UIView. A CSS flexbox layout is not a native stack view.
Different Navigation Models
Web apps navigate between URLs. iOS apps navigate between screens using a navigation stack with gestures — swipe back, modal presentations, tab bars. These patterns are baked into how native apps work, and users expect them. Web navigation in a mobile shell feels immediately wrong.
No Access to Native APIs
Even if the UI somehow looked right, a web app running in a container still can't access native iOS APIs properly. Push notifications through APNs, background app refresh, Siri shortcuts, widgets, NFC, Bluetooth — these all require native code.
What About Frameworks Like Next.js?
Even if your Bolt.new project uses a full-stack framework like Next.js with server-side rendering, it's still a web application. Server-side rendering improves web performance — it doesn't make the output native mobile code. The client-side JavaScript still runs in a browser context.
Why Wrapping Your Bolt.new App Won't Work Either
The next thing people try is wrapping. Tools like Capacitor, Cordova, or plain WebView containers let you package a web app inside a native shell. You get an app icon and you can technically submit to the App Store. But here's what actually happens:
Two paths to the App Store
Wrapped Web App vs. Native App
React / Next.js / Vite
WebView Wrapper
Capacitor / Cordova
App Store
NativelyDescribe your app idea with AI
Real Native Code
React Native + Expo → .ipa
App StoreUser Experience Problems
- ✗Scrolling doesn't feel native — rubber banding, momentum, and inertia are all off
- ✗Transitions and animations look janky compared to native apps
- ✗Text selection, input fields, and keyboards behave differently
- ✗No native gestures — swipe-to-go-back, long press menus, haptics
App Store Problems
- ✗Apple's guideline 4.2 rejects apps that are just repackaged websites
- ✗Reviewers specifically test for WebView-only apps
- ✗Even if it slips through, users leave poor reviews
- ✗Future updates may get rejected even if the first version passed
Apple's Guideline 4.2 — Minimum Functionality
Apple explicitly states: "Your app should include features, content, and UI that elevate it beyond a repackaged website." Apps that are essentially a web view wrapping a website are routinely rejected. This applies directly to wrapping a Bolt.new project in Capacitor or a similar tool and submitting it.
For a deeper comparison of what native apps can do that web wrappers can't, see our guide on native apps vs web apps vs PWAs.
Want Your App Idea on the App Store?
Instead of trying to convert a web app, build a real native iOS and Android app with Natively. Describe your idea, and our AI generates production-ready React Native code — the same technology powering Instagram, Shopify, and Discord.
The Right Way: Build a Native App From Your Idea
If you have a Bolt.new project and you want it on the App Store, the path forward is to build a native mobile app separately. This doesn't mean your Bolt.new work was wasted — you've already validated your idea, figured out the user flows, and maybe even built a backend. That's all valuable.
What you need now is a tool that builds native mobile apps, not web apps. That's what Natively does.
How Natively Works
Natively works similarly to Bolt in that you describe what you want and AI builds it. The critical difference is the output: Natively generates React Native + Expo apps that compile to actual native iOS and Android code. It's not a web app in disguise — it's real native code that uses native UI components, native navigation, and has full access to device APIs.
From Bolt.new Idea to the App Store
- 1Use your Bolt.new project as a reference
You've already figured out the features, screens, and user flows. Use that as your blueprint.
- 2Describe your app in Natively
Tell the AI what your app does. You can be as detailed as you want — reference your Bolt.new project's features, screens, and behavior.
- 3Get a real native app generated
Natively creates a React Native + Expo project with native UI components, proper iOS navigation, and full device API access.
- 4Preview on your phone
Test the app instantly on your actual iPhone using Expo Go — scan a QR code and see it running natively on your device.
- 5Deploy to the App Store
Build your iOS app and submit it to the App Store. You own 100% of the source code with no vendor lock-in.
What You Can Carry Over
Building native doesn't mean throwing away everything. Here's what transfers directly from your Bolt.new project:
Your Idea and Product Thinking
The most valuable thing you built in Bolt.new isn't the code — it's the understanding of what your app should do, how users should navigate it, and what features matter. All of that carries over directly to your prompt in Natively.
Your Backend
If your Bolt.new project connects to a backend — whether that's Supabase, a custom API, or any other service — your native app can connect to the same backend. Natively supports Supabase integration out of the box and can connect to any REST or GraphQL API. One backend, two frontends (web + mobile).
Keeping Both Your Web App and Mobile App
You don't have to choose one or the other. Many products have both a web app and a native mobile app. Your Bolt.new project can stay live as your web version, while your Natively app serves mobile users. Same product, optimized for each platform.
If you're using a different web builder like Lovable or Replit, we have dedicated guides for those platforms too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I directly convert my Bolt.new project to an iOS app?
No. Bolt.new generates web applications using frameworks like React, Next.js, and Vue. These are fundamentally different from native iOS apps. There is no converter or export tool that can transform web code into native mobile code.
Does Bolt.new support building mobile apps at all?
No. Bolt.new is designed for web applications. It uses WebContainers — a browser-based Node.js runtime — and supports web frameworks only. It does not support React Native, Flutter, or any native mobile framework.
Can I use Capacitor or Cordova to wrap my Bolt.new app?
You can try, but the result will be a web app inside a native shell — not a real native app. Performance will suffer, the UX will feel off, and Apple commonly rejects these under App Store guideline 4.2. For anything intended for real users, wrapping is not a viable path.
Do I have to rebuild everything from scratch?
Not entirely. Your product concept, feature set, user flows, and backend all carry over. You're rebuilding the frontend in a native framework, not reinventing your product. With AI tools like Natively, you describe what you want and the app gets generated — so the process is fast.
What is React Native, and is it really native?
React Native is a framework created by Meta that compiles to actual native iOS and Android components. It's not a web view — it renders real native UI elements. It powers production apps at Instagram, Shopify, Discord, Coinbase, and thousands of others. Natively uses React Native + Expo to generate your apps.
How much does it cost to build a native app with Natively?
Natively starts at $5/month. Compare that to hiring a mobile developer or agency, which typically costs $50,000–$300,000+. You get full source code ownership and can export to GitHub at any time.
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