diff --git a/packages/react-native/Libraries/AppState/AppState.d.ts b/packages/react-native/Libraries/AppState/AppState.d.ts
index 45beaca9bde90b..6333c8190565ce 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/Libraries/AppState/AppState.d.ts
+++ b/packages/react-native/Libraries/AppState/AppState.d.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import {NativeEventSubscription} from '../EventEmitter/RCTNativeAppEventEmitter'
  * App States
  *      active - The app is running in the foreground
  *      background - The app is running in the background. The user is either in another app or on the home screen
- *      inactive [iOS] - This is a transition state that currently never happens for typical React Native apps.
+ *      inactive [iOS] - This is a transition state that happens when the app launches, is asking for permissions or when a call or SMS message is received.
  *      unknown [iOS] - Initial value until the current app state is determined
  *      extension [iOS] - The app is running as an app extension
  *
diff --git a/packages/react-native/React/CoreModules/RCTAppState.mm b/packages/react-native/React/CoreModules/RCTAppState.mm
index 389aa6d642dfd0..bb7ca9c2dc457b 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/React/CoreModules/RCTAppState.mm
+++ b/packages/react-native/React/CoreModules/RCTAppState.mm
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
   static NSDictionary *states;
   static dispatch_once_t onceToken;
   dispatch_once(&onceToken, ^{
-    states = @{@(UIApplicationStateActive) : @"active", @(UIApplicationStateBackground) : @"background"};
+    states = @{@(UIApplicationStateActive) : @"active", @(UIApplicationStateBackground) : @"background", @(UIApplicationStateInactive) : @"inactive"};
   });
 
   if (RCTRunningInAppExtension()) {