URLs unable to open since v20.1.1

[leotm]

Environment

> npx react-native info
info Fetching system and libraries information...
System:
 OS: macOS 27.0
 CPU: (12) arm64 Apple M2 Pro
 Memory: 84.03 MB / 16.00 GB
 Shell:
 version: 5.9.1
 path: /opt/homebrew/bin/zsh
Binaries:
 Node:
 version: 24.14.0
 path: /Users/leo/.local/state/fnm_multishells/16445_1782247296120/bin/node
 Yarn:
 version: 4.17.0
 path: /Users/leo/.local/state/fnm_multishells/16445_1782247296120/bin/yarn
 npm:
 version: 11.9.0
 path: /Users/leo/.local/state/fnm_multishells/16445_1782247296120/bin/npm
 Watchman:
 version: 2026.06.15.00
 path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
 CocoaPods: Not Found
SDKs:
 iOS SDK:
 Platforms:
 - DriverKit 27.0
 - iOS 27.0
 - macOS 27.0
 - tvOS 27.0
 - visionOS 27.0
 - watchOS 27.0
 Android SDK: Not Found
IDEs:
 Android Studio: Not Found
 Xcode:
 version: 27.0/27A5194q
 path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
 Java:
 version: 17.0.19
 path: /Users/leo/.jenv/shims/javac
 Ruby:
 version: 2.6.10
 path: /usr/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
 "@react-native-community/cli":
 installed: 20.1.1
 wanted: 20.1.1
 react:
 installed: 19.2.3
 wanted: 19.2.3
 react-native:
 installed: 0.86.0
 wanted: 0.86.0
 react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
 "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
 hermesEnabled: true
 newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
 hermesEnabled: true
 newArchEnabled: true

NB: using android-studio-preview@canary via brew

Description

Looks like

• fix: prevent RCE in openURLMiddleware via URL sanitization #2758

prevents URLs opening in native default browsers

the official template is on v20.1.0 so doesn't include the regression

Reproducible Demo

npx @react-native-community/cli@latest init MyProject --version latest
yarn install
yarn run android
yarn run ios

URLs open (in native default browser)

bump

 "@react-native-community/cli": "20.1.0",
 "@react-native-community/cli-platform-android": "20.1.0",
 "@react-native-community/cli-platform-ios": "20.1.0",

to

 "@react-native-community/cli": "20.1.1",
 "@react-native-community/cli-platform-android": "20.1.1",
 "@react-native-community/cli-platform-ios": "20.1.1",

URLs fail to open

NB: tested URLs shown in @react-native/new-app-screen