diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b9f3c844e4..2e19b0d0b9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@
 - Fix compatibility with `react-native-legal` ([#5253](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-react-native/pull/5253))
   - The licenses json file is correctly generated and placed into the `res/` folder now
 - Handle missing shouldAddToIgnoreList callback in Metro ([#5260](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-react-native/pull/5260))
+- Overrides the default Cocoa SDK behavior that disables Session Replay on iOS 26.0 ([#5268](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-react-native/pull/5268))
+  - If you are using Apple's Liquid Glass we recommend that you disable Session Replay on iOS to prevent potential PII leaks (see [sentry-cocoa 8.57.0 release note warning](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-cocoa/releases/tag/8.57.0))
 
 ### Dependencies
 
@@ -30,6 +32,9 @@
 - Bump Bundler Plugins from v4.3.0 to v4.4.0 ([#5256](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-react-native/pull/5256))
   - [changelog](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-javascript-bundler-plugins/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md#440)
   - [diff](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-javascript-bundler-plugins/compare/4.3.0...4.4.0)
+- Bump Cocoa SDK from v8.56.2 to v8.57.0 ([#5263](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-react-native/pull/5263))
+  - [changelog](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-cocoa/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md#8570)
+  - [diff](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-cocoa/compare/8.56.2...8.57.0)
 
 ## 7.3.0
 
diff --git a/packages/core/RNSentry.podspec b/packages/core/RNSentry.podspec
index 3548e17a6f..bab1567295 100644
--- a/packages/core/RNSentry.podspec
+++ b/packages/core/RNSentry.podspec
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ Pod::Spec.new do |s|
 
   s.compiler_flags = other_cflags
 
-  s.dependency 'Sentry/HybridSDK', '8.56.2'
+  s.dependency 'Sentry/HybridSDK', '8.57.0'
 
   if defined? install_modules_dependencies
     # Default React Native dependencies for 0.71 and above (new and legacy architecture)
diff --git a/packages/core/RNSentryCocoaTester/RNSentryCocoaTesterTests/RNSentryTests.m b/packages/core/RNSentryCocoaTester/RNSentryCocoaTesterTests/RNSentryTests.m
index 4c9a9d1e04..1929c12b7b 100644
--- a/packages/core/RNSentryCocoaTester/RNSentryCocoaTesterTests/RNSentryTests.m
+++ b/packages/core/RNSentryCocoaTester/RNSentryCocoaTesterTests/RNSentryTests.m
@@ -736,4 +736,129 @@ - (void)testIgnoreErrorsRegexAndStringBothWork
     XCTAssertNotNil(result3, @"Event with non-matching error should not be dropped");
 }
 
+- (void)testCreateOptionsWithDictionaryEnableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironmentDefault
+{
+    RNSentry *rnSentry = [[RNSentry alloc] init];
+    NSError *error = nil;
+
+    NSDictionary *_Nonnull mockedReactNativeDictionary = @{
+        @"dsn" : @"https://abcd@efgh.ingest.sentry.io/123456",
+    };
+    SentryOptions *actualOptions = [rnSentry createOptionsWithDictionary:mockedReactNativeDictionary
+                                                                   error:&error];
+
+    XCTAssertNotNil(actualOptions, @"Did not create sentry options");
+    XCTAssertNil(error, @"Should not pass no error");
+
+    id experimentalOptions = [actualOptions valueForKey:@"experimental"];
+    XCTAssertNotNil(experimentalOptions, @"Experimental options should not be nil");
+
+    BOOL enableUnhandledCPPExceptions =
+        [[experimentalOptions valueForKey:@"enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment"] boolValue];
+    XCTAssertFalse(enableUnhandledCPPExceptions,
+        @"enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment should be disabled");
+}
+
+- (void)testCreateOptionsWithDictionaryEnableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironmentWithErrorSampleRate
+{
+    RNSentry *rnSentry = [[RNSentry alloc] init];
+    NSError *error = nil;
+
+    NSDictionary *_Nonnull mockedReactNativeDictionary = @{
+        @"dsn" : @"https://abcd@efgh.ingest.sentry.io/123456",
+        @"replaysOnErrorSampleRate" : @1.0,
+        @"replaysSessionSampleRate" : @0
+    };
+    SentryOptions *actualOptions = [rnSentry createOptionsWithDictionary:mockedReactNativeDictionary
+                                                                   error:&error];
+
+    XCTAssertNotNil(actualOptions, @"Did not create sentry options");
+    XCTAssertNil(error, @"Should not pass no error");
+
+    id experimentalOptions = [actualOptions valueForKey:@"experimental"];
+    XCTAssertNotNil(experimentalOptions, @"Experimental options should not be nil");
+
+    BOOL enableUnhandledCPPExceptions =
+        [[experimentalOptions valueForKey:@"enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment"] boolValue];
+    XCTAssertTrue(enableUnhandledCPPExceptions,
+        @"enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment should be enabled");
+}
+
+- (void)
+    testCreateOptionsWithDictionaryEnableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironmentWithSessionSampleRate
+{
+    RNSentry *rnSentry = [[RNSentry alloc] init];
+    NSError *error = nil;
+
+    NSDictionary *_Nonnull mockedReactNativeDictionary = @{
+        @"dsn" : @"https://abcd@efgh.ingest.sentry.io/123456",
+        @"replaysOnErrorSampleRate" : @0.0,
+        @"replaysSessionSampleRate" : @0.1
+    };
+    SentryOptions *actualOptions = [rnSentry createOptionsWithDictionary:mockedReactNativeDictionary
+                                                                   error:&error];
+
+    XCTAssertNotNil(actualOptions, @"Did not create sentry options");
+    XCTAssertNil(error, @"Should not pass no error");
+
+    id experimentalOptions = [actualOptions valueForKey:@"experimental"];
+    XCTAssertNotNil(experimentalOptions, @"Experimental options should not be nil");
+
+    BOOL enableUnhandledCPPExceptions =
+        [[experimentalOptions valueForKey:@"enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment"] boolValue];
+    XCTAssertTrue(enableUnhandledCPPExceptions,
+        @"enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment should be enabled");
+}
+
+- (void)
+    testCreateOptionsWithDictionaryEnableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironmentWithSessionSampleRates
+{
+    RNSentry *rnSentry = [[RNSentry alloc] init];
+    NSError *error = nil;
+
+    NSDictionary *_Nonnull mockedReactNativeDictionary = @{
+        @"dsn" : @"https://abcd@efgh.ingest.sentry.io/123456",
+        @"replaysOnErrorSampleRate" : @1.0,
+        @"replaysSessionSampleRate" : @0.1
+    };
+    SentryOptions *actualOptions = [rnSentry createOptionsWithDictionary:mockedReactNativeDictionary
+                                                                   error:&error];
+
+    XCTAssertNotNil(actualOptions, @"Did not create sentry options");
+    XCTAssertNil(error, @"Should not pass no error");
+
+    id experimentalOptions = [actualOptions valueForKey:@"experimental"];
+    XCTAssertNotNil(experimentalOptions, @"Experimental options should not be nil");
+
+    BOOL enableUnhandledCPPExceptions =
+        [[experimentalOptions valueForKey:@"enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment"] boolValue];
+    XCTAssertTrue(enableUnhandledCPPExceptions,
+        @"enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment should be enabled");
+}
+
+- (void)testCreateOptionsWithDictionaryEnableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironmentDisabled
+{
+    RNSentry *rnSentry = [[RNSentry alloc] init];
+    NSError *error = nil;
+
+    NSDictionary *_Nonnull mockedReactNativeDictionary = @{
+        @"dsn" : @"https://abcd@efgh.ingest.sentry.io/123456",
+        @"replaysOnErrorSampleRate" : @0,
+        @"replaysSessionSampleRate" : @0
+    };
+    SentryOptions *actualOptions = [rnSentry createOptionsWithDictionary:mockedReactNativeDictionary
+                                                                   error:&error];
+
+    XCTAssertNotNil(actualOptions, @"Did not create sentry options");
+    XCTAssertNil(error, @"Should not pass no error");
+
+    id experimentalOptions = [actualOptions valueForKey:@"experimental"];
+    XCTAssertNotNil(experimentalOptions, @"Experimental options should not be nil");
+
+    BOOL enableUnhandledCPPExceptions =
+        [[experimentalOptions valueForKey:@"enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment"] boolValue];
+    XCTAssertFalse(enableUnhandledCPPExceptions,
+        @"enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment should be disabled");
+}
+
 @end
diff --git a/packages/core/ios/RNSentry.mm b/packages/core/ios/RNSentry.mm
index 2f0f3cb529..c47cf779c0 100644
--- a/packages/core/ios/RNSentry.mm
+++ b/packages/core/ios/RNSentry.mm
@@ -234,7 +234,10 @@ - (SentryOptions *_Nullable)createOptionsWithDictionary:(NSDictionary *_Nonnull)
     [mutableOptions removeObjectForKey:@"enableTracing"];
 
 #if SENTRY_TARGET_REPLAY_SUPPORTED
-    [RNSentryReplay updateOptions:mutableOptions];
+    BOOL isSessionReplayEnabled = [RNSentryReplay updateOptions:mutableOptions];
+#else
+    // Defaulting to false for unsupported targets
+    BOOL isSessionReplayEnabled = NO;
 #endif
 
     SentryOptions *sentryOptions = [SentryOptionsInternal initWithDict:mutableOptions
@@ -315,6 +318,11 @@ - (SentryOptions *_Nullable)createOptionsWithDictionary:(NSDictionary *_Nonnull)
                                                          sentryOptions:sentryOptions];
     }
 
+    if (isSessionReplayEnabled) {
+        [RNSentryExperimentalOptions setEnableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment:YES
+                                                                     sentryOptions:sentryOptions];
+    }
+
     return sentryOptions;
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/core/ios/RNSentryExperimentalOptions.h b/packages/core/ios/RNSentryExperimentalOptions.h
index 05fab2ddef..ec0501cb05 100644
--- a/packages/core/ios/RNSentryExperimentalOptions.h
+++ b/packages/core/ios/RNSentryExperimentalOptions.h
@@ -28,6 +28,15 @@ NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN
  */
 + (void)setEnableLogs:(BOOL)enabled sentryOptions:(SentryOptions *)sentryOptions;
 
+/**
+ * Sets the enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment experimental option on SentryOptions
+ * @param sentryOptions The SentryOptions instance to configure
+ * @param enabled Whether enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment from sentry Cocoa should be
+ * enabled
+ */
++ (void)setEnableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment:(BOOL)enabled
+                                        sentryOptions:(SentryOptions *)sentryOptions;
+
 @end
 
 NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_END
diff --git a/packages/core/ios/RNSentryExperimentalOptions.m b/packages/core/ios/RNSentryExperimentalOptions.m
index 2e7db99a71..7e0974e527 100644
--- a/packages/core/ios/RNSentryExperimentalOptions.m
+++ b/packages/core/ios/RNSentryExperimentalOptions.m
@@ -27,4 +27,13 @@ + (void)setEnableLogs:(BOOL)enabled sentryOptions:(SentryOptions *)sentryOptions
     sentryOptions.experimental.enableLogs = enabled;
 }
 
++ (void)setEnableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment:(BOOL)enabled
+                                        sentryOptions:(SentryOptions *)sentryOptions
+{
+    if (sentryOptions == nil) {
+        return;
+    }
+    sentryOptions.experimental.enableSessionReplayInUnreliableEnvironment = enabled;
+}
+
 @end
diff --git a/packages/core/ios/RNSentryReplay.h b/packages/core/ios/RNSentryReplay.h
index 452914af15..cda7035550 100644
--- a/packages/core/ios/RNSentryReplay.h
+++ b/packages/core/ios/RNSentryReplay.h
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 
 @interface RNSentryReplay : NSObject
 
-+ (void)updateOptions:(NSMutableDictionary *)options;
+/**
+ * Updates the session replay options
+ * @return true when session replay is enabled
+ */
++ (BOOL)updateOptions:(NSMutableDictionary *)options;
 
 + (void)postInit;
 
diff --git a/packages/core/ios/RNSentryReplay.mm b/packages/core/ios/RNSentryReplay.mm
index 263ce6f6cb..94fa30b4e4 100644
--- a/packages/core/ios/RNSentryReplay.mm
+++ b/packages/core/ios/RNSentryReplay.mm
@@ -12,12 +12,14 @@
 @implementation RNSentryReplay {
 }
 
-+ (void)updateOptions:(NSMutableDictionary *)options
++ (BOOL)updateOptions:(NSMutableDictionary *)options
 {
-    if (options[@"replaysSessionSampleRate"] == nil
-        && options[@"replaysOnErrorSampleRate"] == nil) {
+    NSNumber *sessionSampleRate = options[@"replaysSessionSampleRate"];
+    NSNumber *errorSampleRate = options[@"replaysOnErrorSampleRate"];
+
+    if (sessionSampleRate == nil && errorSampleRate == nil) {
         NSLog(@"Session replay disabled via configuration");
-        return;
+        return NO;
     }
 
     NSLog(@"Setting up session replay");
@@ -26,8 +28,8 @@ + (void)updateOptions:(NSMutableDictionary *)options
     NSString *qualityString = options[@"replaysSessionQuality"];
 
     [options setValue:@{
-        @"sessionSampleRate" : options[@"replaysSessionSampleRate"] ?: [NSNull null],
-        @"errorSampleRate" : options[@"replaysOnErrorSampleRate"] ?: [NSNull null],
+        @"sessionSampleRate" : sessionSampleRate ?: [NSNull null],
+        @"errorSampleRate" : errorSampleRate ?: [NSNull null],
         @"quality" : @([RNSentryReplayQuality parseReplayQuality:qualityString]),
         @"maskAllImages" : replayOptions[@"maskAllImages"] ?: [NSNull null],
         @"maskAllText" : replayOptions[@"maskAllText"] ?: [NSNull null],
@@ -38,6 +40,8 @@ + (void)updateOptions:(NSMutableDictionary *)options
             @ { @"name" : REACT_NATIVE_SDK_NAME, @"version" : REACT_NATIVE_SDK_PACKAGE_VERSION }
     }
                forKey:@"sessionReplay"];
+    return (errorSampleRate != nil && [errorSampleRate doubleValue] > 0)
+        || (sessionSampleRate != nil && [sessionSampleRate doubleValue] > 0);
 }
 
 + (NSArray *_Nonnull)getReplayRNRedactClasses:(NSDictionary *_Nullable)replayOptions