diff --git a/.github/actions/maestro-ios/action.yml b/.github/actions/maestro-ios/action.yml
index 6ebc7327fb0b..782005fb4899 100644
--- a/.github/actions/maestro-ios/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/maestro-ios/action.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name: Maestro E2E iOS
-description: Runs E2E Tests on iOS using Maestro
+description: Runs E2E Tests on iOS using Maestro against a remote simulator via sim-remote
 inputs:
   app-path:
     required: true
@@ -27,9 +27,33 @@ runs:
       run: export MAESTRO_VERSION=2.6.1; curl -Ls "https://get.maestro.mobile.dev" | bash
     - name: Installing Maestro dependencies
       shell: bash
+      # libplist-utils provides plistutil, which backs the sim-remote plutil
+      # shim (Maestro pipes `simctl listapps` output through `plutil`).
       run: |
-        brew tap facebook/fb
-        brew install facebook/fb/idb-companion
+        sudo apt-get update
+        sudo apt-get install -y libplist-utils
+    - name: Install sim-remote
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        case "$(uname -m)" in
+          x86_64) TARGET="x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu" ;;
+          aarch64 | arm64) TARGET="aarch64-unknown-linux-gnu" ;;
+          *) echo "Unsupported architecture: $(uname -m)"; exit 1 ;;
+        esac
+        mkdir -p "$HOME/.local/bin"
+        curl -fL --retry 3 -o "$HOME/.local/bin/sim-remote" \
+          "https://github.com/software-mansion/sim-remote-releases/releases/download/softu/sim-remote-${TARGET}"
+        chmod +x "$HOME/.local/bin/sim-remote"
+        echo "$HOME/.local/bin" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
+    - name: Acquire remote simulator
+      shell: bash
+      # Credentials come from the calling job's env:
+      # SIM_ROUTER_URL, SIM_ROUTER_USERNAME, SIM_ROUTER_API_KEY.
+      run: |
+        # An unset SIM_ROUTER_URL secret arrives as an empty env var, which
+        # would override the router URL baked into the binary — drop it.
+        [ -n "${SIM_ROUTER_URL:-}" ] || unset SIM_ROUTER_URL
+        sim-remote login --timeout 900
     - name: Set up JDK 17
       uses: actions/setup-java@v5
       with:
@@ -53,6 +77,10 @@ runs:
       id: run-tests
       shell: bash
       run: |
+        # Put the Maestro shims (xcrun, xcodebuild, plutil, ...) on PATH so
+        # stock Maestro drives the remote simulator through sim-remote.
+        eval "$(sim-remote install-shims)"
+
         # Avoid exit from the job if one of the command returns an error.
         # Maestro can fail in case of flakyness, we have some retry logic.
         set +e
@@ -64,6 +92,10 @@ runs:
           "Hermes" \
           "${{ inputs.flavor }}" \
           "${{ inputs.working-directory }}"
+    - name: Release remote simulator
+      if: ${{ always() }}
+      shell: bash
+      run: sim-remote logout || true
     - name: Store video record
       if: always()
       uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
diff --git a/.github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js b/.github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js
index 6b7a536f72d2..2859fd90988c 100644
--- a/.github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js
+++ b/.github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js
@@ -32,10 +32,12 @@ function findAvailableSimulator() {
   const devices = Object.values(JSON.parse(String(output)).devices)
     .flat()
     .reverse();
-  const simulator = devices.find(device => /^iPhone .* Pro$/.test(device.name));
+  const simulator =
+    devices.find(device => /^iPhone .* Pro$/.test(device.name)) ??
+    devices.find(device => /^iPhone /.test(device.name));
 
   if (simulator == null) {
-    throw new Error('Unable to find an available iPhone Pro simulator');
+    throw new Error('Unable to find an available iPhone simulator');
   }
 
   return simulator;
@@ -54,9 +56,26 @@ function launchSimulator(simulator) {
   }
 }
 
-function installAppOnSimulator(appPath) {
+function installAppOnSimulator(appPath, udid) {
   console.log(`Installing app at path ${appPath}`);
-  childProcess.execSync(`xcrun simctl install booted "${appPath}"`);
+  childProcess.execSync(`xcrun simctl install "${udid}" "${appPath}"`);
+}
+
+// When running against a remote simulator through the sim-remote Maestro
+// shims (`sim-remote install-shims` exports SIM_REMOTE_BIN), localhost inside
+// the simulator is the remote host, not this machine — so the app cannot
+// reach the local Metro server on its own. A reverse tunnel exposes the local
+// Metro port to the simulator via localhost.
+function exposeMetroToSimulator(udid) {
+  const simRemote = process.env.SIM_REMOTE_BIN;
+  if (!simRemote) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  console.log('Exposing local Metro port 8081 to the remote simulator');
+  childProcess.execSync(`"${simRemote}" reverse start "${udid}" 8081`, {
+    stdio: 'inherit',
+  });
 }
 
 function bringSimulatorInForeground() {
@@ -80,13 +99,13 @@ async function launchAppOnSimulator(appId, udid, isDebug) {
   }
 }
 
-function startVideoRecording(jsengine, currentAttempt) {
+function startVideoRecording(udid, currentAttempt) {
   console.log(
     `Start video record using pid: video_record_${currentAttempt}.pid`,
   );
 
   const recordingArgs =
-    `simctl io booted recordVideo --force video_record_${currentAttempt}.mov`.split(
+    `simctl io ${udid} recordVideo --force video_record_${currentAttempt}.mov`.split(
       ' ',
     );
   const recordingProcess = childProcess.spawn('xcrun', recordingArgs, {
@@ -109,7 +128,7 @@ function stopVideoRecording(recordingProcess) {
 }
 
 function executeFlowWithRetries(appId, udid, flow, jsengine, currentAttempt) {
-  const recProcess = startVideoRecording(jsengine, currentAttempt);
+  const recProcess = startVideoRecording(udid, currentAttempt);
   try {
     const timeout = 1000 * 60 * 10; // 10 minutes
     const command = `$HOME/.maestro/bin/maestro --udid="${udid}" test "${flow}" --format junit -e APP_ID="${appId}"`;
@@ -176,8 +195,11 @@ async function main(args = process.argv.slice(2)) {
 
   const simulator = findAvailableSimulator();
   launchSimulator(simulator);
-  installAppOnSimulator(appPath);
+  installAppOnSimulator(appPath, simulator.udid);
   bringSimulatorInForeground();
+  if (isDebug) {
+    exposeMetroToSimulator(simulator.udid);
+  }
   await launchAppOnSimulator(appId, simulator.udid, isDebug);
   executeFlows(appId, simulator.udid, maestroFlow, jsengine);
   console.log('Test finished');
diff --git a/.github/workflows/analyze-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/analyze-pr.yml
index 9d8b6c56b094..a03e0c49a858 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/analyze-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/analyze-pr.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 name: Analyze Pull Request
 
 on:
-  pull_request_target:
-    types: [opened, edited, reopened, synchronize]
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 permissions:
   pull-requests: write
diff --git a/.github/workflows/api-changes.yml b/.github/workflows/api-changes.yml
index e714a29fc6b6..ec49ae87268c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/api-changes.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/api-changes.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 name: Analyze API Changes
 
 on:
-  pull_request_target:
-    types: [opened, edited, reopened, synchronize]
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 permissions:
   pull-requests: write
diff --git a/.github/workflows/autorebase.yml b/.github/workflows/autorebase.yml
index aee759bf78b0..5df1ff7cd52a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/autorebase.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/autorebase.yml
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@ name: Automatic Rebase
 # containing the text "/rebase". It uses the cirrus-actions/rebase action.
 # See https://github.com/cirrus-actions/rebase
 on:
-  issue_comment:
-    types: [created]
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
 permissions:
   contents: read
 jobs:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cache-reaper.yml b/.github/workflows/cache-reaper.yml
index 85ce2a8c88c1..d20d5369990d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cache-reaper.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cache-reaper.yml
@@ -2,9 +2,6 @@ name: Keep Github Actions Cache < 10GB
 
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
-  schedule:
-    # Run every 2hrs during weekdays
-    - cron: '0 0/2 * * 1-5'
 
 jobs:
   cache-cleaner:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/check-for-reproducer.yml b/.github/workflows/check-for-reproducer.yml
index 72b122a905fb..3d0a8a5b699d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check-for-reproducer.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check-for-reproducer.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 name: Check for reproducer
 # This workflow is triggered when issue is created or edited.
 on:
-  issues:
-    types: [opened, edited]
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 jobs:
   check-for-reproducer:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/close-pr.yml b/.github/workflows/close-pr.yml
index 6af1b037fcf3..b1809659add8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/close-pr.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/close-pr.yml
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 name: Label closed PR as merged and leave a comment
-on: push
+on:
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-rntester.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-rntester.yml
index f7ec8894d3d9..d4b3c43c1696 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-rntester.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-rntester.yml
@@ -16,7 +16,11 @@ on:
 
 jobs:
   test:
-    runs-on: macos-26-large
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      SIM_ROUTER_URL: ${{ secrets.SIM_ROUTER_URL }}
+      SIM_ROUTER_USERNAME: ${{ vars.SIM_ROUTER_USERNAME }}
+      SIM_ROUTER_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.SIM_ROUTER_API_KEY }}
     outputs:
       status: ${{ steps.report-status.outputs.status }}
     strategy:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-templateapp.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-templateapp.yml
index 20e5a9c5dff3..cc092e9acfb5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-templateapp.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-templateapp.yml
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ on:
         value: ${{ jobs.report.outputs.status }}
 
 jobs:
-  test:
+  # Building the app needs Xcode, so it stays on a macOS runner. The E2E run
+  # itself drives a remote simulator via sim-remote, so it runs on Linux.
+  build:
     runs-on: macos-26-large
-    outputs:
-      status: ${{ steps.report-status.outputs.status }}
     strategy:
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           git config --global user.email "react-native-bot@meta.com"
           git config --global user.name "React Native Bot"
-      - name: Prepare artifacts
+      - name: Build the app
         run: |
           REACT_NATIVE_PKG=$(find /tmp/react-native-tmp -type f -name "*.tgz")
           echo "React Native tgs is $REACT_NATIVE_PKG"
@@ -92,12 +92,72 @@ jobs:
             -sdk "iphonesimulator" \
             -destination "generic/platform=iOS Simulator" \
             -derivedDataPath "/tmp/RNTestProject"
+      - name: Upload app
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v6
+        with:
+          name: RNTestProject-${{ matrix.flavor }}
+          path: /tmp/RNTestProject/Build/Products/${{ matrix.flavor }}-iphonesimulator/RNTestProject.app
+
+  test:
+    needs: build
+    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      SIM_ROUTER_URL: ${{ secrets.SIM_ROUTER_URL }}
+      SIM_ROUTER_USERNAME: ${{ vars.SIM_ROUTER_USERNAME }}
+      SIM_ROUTER_API_KEY: ${{ secrets.SIM_ROUTER_API_KEY }}
+    outputs:
+      status: ${{ steps.report-status.outputs.status }}
+    strategy:
+      fail-fast: false
+      matrix:
+        flavor: [Debug, Release]
+    steps:
+      - name: Checkout
+        uses: actions/checkout@v6
+      - name: Setup node.js
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-node
+      - name: Run yarn
+        uses: ./.github/actions/yarn-install
+      - name: Download app
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v7
+        with:
+          name: RNTestProject-${{ matrix.flavor }}
+          path: /tmp/RNTestProjectBuild/RNTestProject.app
+      - name: Check downloaded folder content
+        run: ls -l /tmp/RNTestProjectBuild/RNTestProject.app
+      - name: Download React Native Package
+        if: ${{ matrix.flavor == 'Debug' }}
+        uses: actions/download-artifact@v7
+        with:
+          name: react-native-package
+          path: /tmp/react-native-tmp
+      - name: Configure git
+        if: ${{ matrix.flavor == 'Debug' }}
+        shell: bash
+        run: |
+          git config --global user.email "react-native-bot@meta.com"
+          git config --global user.name "React Native Bot"
+      - name: Prepare project for Metro
+        if: ${{ matrix.flavor == 'Debug' }}
+        # In Debug the app loads its bundle from Metro, which must run from an
+        # initialized project. Re-initialize it here (JS only — no pods); the
+        # native app itself comes prebuilt from the `build` job.
+        run: |
+          REACT_NATIVE_PKG=$(find /tmp/react-native-tmp -type f -name "*.tgz")
+          echo "React Native tgs is $REACT_NATIVE_PKG"
+
+          BRANCH=${{ github.ref_name }}
+          if ! [[ $BRANCH == *-stable* ]]; then
+            BRANCH=main
+          fi
+
+          node ./scripts/e2e/init-project-e2e.js --projectName RNTestProject --currentBranch $BRANCH --directory /tmp/RNTestProject --pathToLocalReactNative $REACT_NATIVE_PKG
       - name: Run E2E Tests
         id: run-tests
         continue-on-error: true
         uses: ./.github/actions/maestro-ios
         with:
-          app-path: '/tmp/RNTestProject/Build/Products/${{ matrix.flavor }}-iphonesimulator/RNTestProject.app'
+          app-path: '/tmp/RNTestProjectBuild/RNTestProject.app'
           app-id: org.reactjs.native.example.RNTestProject
           maestro-flow: ./scripts/e2e/.maestro/
           flavor: ${{ matrix.flavor }}
diff --git a/.github/workflows/monitor-new-issues.yml b/.github/workflows/monitor-new-issues.yml
index 476daf11880d..c47dcb5ad0c0 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/monitor-new-issues.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/monitor-new-issues.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,6 @@
 name: Monitor React Native New Issues
 
 on:
-  schedule:
-    - cron: '0 0,6,12,18 * * *'
   workflow_dispatch:
 
 # Reminder for when we have to update the schedule (before Jan 2026):
diff --git a/.github/workflows/needs-attention.yml b/.github/workflows/needs-attention.yml
index 85ac9761d919..29ccbf5a6601 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/needs-attention.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/needs-attention.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 name: Issue Needs Attention
 # This workflow is triggered on issue comments.
 on:
-  issue_comment:
-    types: [created]
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
diff --git a/.github/workflows/on-issue-labeled.yml b/.github/workflows/on-issue-labeled.yml
index b59f9afdbdfa..b9f7b8add93c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/on-issue-labeled.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/on-issue-labeled.yml
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 name: On Issue Labeled
 # This workflow is triggered when a label is added to an issue.
 on:
-  issues:
-    types: [labeled]
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 permissions:
   contents: write
diff --git a/.github/workflows/publish-npm.yml b/.github/workflows/publish-npm.yml
index a3e097774b32..6ca213211f75 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/publish-npm.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/publish-npm.yml
@@ -15,17 +15,7 @@
 name: Publish to npm
 
 on:
-  push:
-    tags:
-      - 'v0.*.*' # This should match v0.X.Y
-      - 'v0.*.*-rc.*' # This should match v0.X.Y-RC.0
-    branches:
-      - 'main'
-      - '*-stable'
   workflow_dispatch:
-  # nightly build @ 2:15 AM UTC
-  schedule:
-    - cron: '15 2 * * *'
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
diff --git a/.github/workflows/stale-bot.yml b/.github/workflows/stale-bot.yml
index ab7ada8c9c51..8eac569b0d77 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/stale-bot.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/stale-bot.yml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 name: Stale bot
 on:
-  schedule:
-    - cron: '*/10 5 * * *'
+  workflow_dispatch:
+
 jobs:
   stale:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
diff --git a/.github/workflows/test-all.yml b/.github/workflows/test-all.yml
index d2c63d843967..9908b4e1aadc 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test-all.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test-all.yml
@@ -2,11 +2,6 @@ name: Test All
 
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
-  pull_request:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-      - '*-stable'
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-cxx-api-snapshots.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-cxx-api-snapshots.yml
index e0c7caa2f5d8..dfbd21cfa393 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-cxx-api-snapshots.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-cxx-api-snapshots.yml
@@ -2,25 +2,6 @@ name: Validate C++ API Snapshots
 
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
-  pull_request:
-    paths:
-      - 'packages/react-native/ReactCommon/**'
-      - 'packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/**'
-      - 'packages/react-native/React/**'
-      - 'packages/react-native/ReactApple/**'
-      - 'packages/react-native/Libraries/**'
-      - 'scripts/cxx-api/**'
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-      - '*-stable'
-    paths:
-      - 'packages/react-native/ReactCommon/**'
-      - 'packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/**'
-      - 'packages/react-native/React/**'
-      - 'packages/react-native/ReactApple/**'
-      - 'packages/react-native/Libraries/**'
-      - 'scripts/cxx-api/**'
 
 env:
   DOXYGEN_VERSION: '1.16.1'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/validate-dotslash-artifacts.yml b/.github/workflows/validate-dotslash-artifacts.yml
index 2970d4329056..88c549abf250 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/validate-dotslash-artifacts.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/validate-dotslash-artifacts.yml
@@ -2,27 +2,6 @@ name: Validate DotSlash Artifacts
 
 on:
   workflow_dispatch:
-  release:
-    types: [published]
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - main
-    paths:
-      - packages/debugger-shell/bin/react-native-devtools
-      - 'scripts/releases/**'
-      - package.json
-      - yarn.lock
-  pull_request:
-    branches:
-      - main
-    paths:
-      - packages/debugger-shell/bin/react-native-devtools
-      - 'scripts/releases/**'
-      - package.json
-      - yarn.lock
-  # Same time as the nightly build: 2:15 AM UTC
-  schedule:
-    - cron: '15 2 * * *'
 
 jobs:
   validate-dotslash-artifacts: