Fixing “APNS token has not been set yet” in Firebase Messaging

Firebase’s Flutter guide says that from iOS SDK 10.4.0 the APNs token must be available before FCM API requests, and that it isn’t guaranteed to be there in time. Its sample requests permission, then calls getAPNSToken() and only goes on to FCM calls such as getToken() or subscribeToTopic() when the result isn’t null. In practice that means not calling getToken() straight from main() on app start: request permission first, check the APNs token, and if it is still null, try again later rather than letting the exception break startup. Listening to onTokenRefresh catches the FCM token once it becomes available.

Capabilities: open ios/Runner.xcworkspace and add Push Notifications, then the Background fetch and Remote notifications background modes. APNs key: in the Firebase console, open Settings > General, then the Cloud Messaging tab, and upload a .p8 APNs authentication key with its key ID and your Apple team ID, for development, production or both. Swizzling: the Flutter plugin needs method swizzling; if FirebaseAppDelegateProxyEnabled is set to NO in Info.plist, token handling won’t work. Native apps that turn swizzling off, and SwiftUI apps, must pass the APNs token to Firebase themselves in application(_:didRegisterForRemoteNotificationsWithDeviceToken:). Device: Simulator only gets remote notifications on iOS 16 or later, running on macOS 13 or later on an Apple silicon or T2 Mac, through the APNs sandbox.

Once messaging works, keep the iOS side building as Apple raises requirements. FlutterFire wraps the native Firebase SDK, and Firebase has stopped publishing new versions to CocoaPods, see CocoaPods going read-only. Flutter itself moved to iOS 15 as the minimum in Flutter 3.47, and Xcode 27 brings the UIScene requirement, which matters if your AppDelegate handles notifications.

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