diff --git a/.github/workflows/native-rn-matrix.yml b/.github/workflows/native-rn-matrix.yml
index d7d2925..655bdeb 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/native-rn-matrix.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/native-rn-matrix.yml
@@ -6,8 +6,11 @@ name: Native engine — Vitest × RN matrix
 #  • React Native (rows). The engine runs REAL RN JS and mocks only the ~7-module
 #    native boundary, so it is sensitive to RN-version drift (the boundary has
 #    broken before on SectionList / RendererProxy changes between minors).
-#    Supported range (verified): RN 0.81–0.85. 0.80 and earlier fail host-component
+#    Supported range (verified): RN 0.81–0.86. 0.80 and earlier fail host-component
 #    detection and are below the floor; latest is canaried in compat-check.yml.
+#    Keep the newest row in sync with the lockfile RN version — the fidelity page
+#    derives its published claim from THIS list (scripts/fidelity-report.mjs), so a
+#    stale matrix publishes an understated range.
 #
 #  • Vitest (columns). Vitest churn is what bit-rotted the predecessor plugin
 #    (vitest-community/vitest-react-native) — and the hot runtime rides Vitest's
@@ -44,7 +47,7 @@ jobs:
       # Report every cell independently rather than stopping at the first failure.
       fail-fast: false
       matrix:
-        rn: ['0.81', '0.82', '0.83', '0.84', '0.85']
+        rn: ['0.81', '0.82', '0.83', '0.84', '0.85', '0.86']
         vitest: ['locked', 'latest-supported']
 
     steps:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index df770c3..105bd9e 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ A fast pure-JS **mock** engine is available as an opt-in for RN-free unit tests.
 **📖 Documentation: [danfry1.github.io/vitest-native](https://danfry1.github.io/vitest-native/)**
 
 > **Beta.** The reproducible guarantee is a CI-gated behavioral cross-check that runs the same
-> assertions under the mock engine **and** real React Native across RN 0.81–0.85, failing the build
+> assertions under the mock engine **and** real React Native across RN 0.81–0.86, failing the build
 > on any divergence. We've also exercised the native engine against real apps in our own testing
 > (react-native-paper, the obytes template, Rocket.Chat). Some APIs may still shift before 1.0.
 >
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ describe('MyComponent', () => {
   14 itself requires Node >= 22.13 — on Node 20, stay on RNTL 13.
 - **`engine: 'native'`** (the default) needs `@react-native/babel-preset` + `@babel/core` (these
   ship with React Native projects). The opt-in mock engine needs no Babel.
-- **React Native** 0.81–0.85 validated in CI (native engine).
+- **React Native** 0.81–0.86 validated in CI (native engine).
 - Tested against RNTL 12, 13, and 14 in CI.
 
 ## Choosing an engine
diff --git a/packages/vitest-native/README.md b/packages/vitest-native/README.md
index 30b6ba5..d647a73 100644
--- a/packages/vitest-native/README.md
+++ b/packages/vitest-native/README.md
@@ -847,7 +847,7 @@ Every release must pass:
 
 - Linux on Node 20.19 and 22.13, plus macOS and Windows on Node 22.13.
 - The mock, native iOS, native Android, hot-runtime, isolation, and 100-file soak suites.
-- React Native 0.81–0.85 against both locked and newest-supported Vitest 4.
+- React Native 0.81–0.86 against both locked and newest-supported Vitest 4.
 - Packed bare RN 0.83/RNTL 12, Expo 56/RNTL 13, Vite 8 monorepo/RNTL 14, and RN 0.86 consumers.
 - Mock-versus-real-RN behavioral cross-checks, example-app tests, typecheck, lint, formatting, and
   package export analysis.
diff --git a/packages/vitest-native/scripts/fidelity-report.mjs b/packages/vitest-native/scripts/fidelity-report.mjs
index 4fc0232..46562ed 100644
--- a/packages/vitest-native/scripts/fidelity-report.mjs
+++ b/packages/vitest-native/scripts/fidelity-report.mjs
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ generated from the corpus itself, so the numbers below are exactly what ships.
 
 ## Summary
 
-- **${summary.matching} / ${summary.total} probes** match between the mock engine and real React Native.
+- **${summary.matching} / ${summary.total} probes** match between the mock engine and real React Native${report.reactNativeVersion ? ` (this page was generated against React Native ${report.reactNativeVersion})` : ""}.
 - ${ciLine}
 - Reproduce it yourself: \`bun run crosscheck\`.
 
diff --git a/website/guide/comparison.md b/website/guide/comparison.md
index 0bb9e4e..ba8126a 100644
--- a/website/guide/comparison.md
+++ b/website/guide/comparison.md
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ With `engine: 'native'` and isolation on, vitest-native isn't categorically fast
 
 ## The cross-check
 
-The mock engine is a reimplementation of React Native, so it could in principle drift from real RN behavior. vitest-native guards against that with a **CI-gated behavioral cross-check**: a corpus of probes runs the same assertions against both the mock engine and real RN across React Native 0.81–0.85, and divergences fail CI. It's reproducible — clone the repo and run `bun run crosscheck`. The full corpus and its current pass count are published in the [Fidelity Report](/guide/fidelity).
+The mock engine is a reimplementation of React Native, so it could in principle drift from real RN behavior. vitest-native guards against that with a **CI-gated behavioral cross-check**: a corpus of probes runs the same assertions against both the mock engine and real RN across React Native 0.81–0.86, and divergences fail CI. It's reproducible — clone the repo and run `bun run crosscheck`. The full corpus and its current pass count are published in the [Fidelity Report](/guide/fidelity).
 
 This is the trust mechanism for the mock — and it has already caught and fixed real mock bugs (for example, an `Animated.Text` host-name mismatch that broke `queryByText`, and `Animated.Value`-in-style not resolving for `toHaveStyle`). The native engine doesn't need this — it *is* real RN.
 
diff --git a/website/guide/engines.md b/website/guide/engines.md
index 0fa3e04..6d00904 100644
--- a/website/guide/engines.md
+++ b/website/guide/engines.md
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ Both engines share the same test API. You can mix them across suites in the same
 
 ## Keeping the mock honest
 
-Because the mock is a reimplementation, it could drift from real RN behavior. A **CI-gated behavioral cross-check** runs the same assertions against both the mock and real RN across React Native 0.81–0.85, so divergences are caught before release. See [Comparison with Jest](/guide/comparison#the-cross-check) for how that trust mechanism works.
+Because the mock is a reimplementation, it could drift from real RN behavior. A **CI-gated behavioral cross-check** runs the same assertions against both the mock and real RN across React Native 0.81–0.86, so divergences are caught before release. See [Comparison with Jest](/guide/comparison#the-cross-check) for how that trust mechanism works.
 
 ## Hot runtime (experimental)
 
diff --git a/website/guide/fidelity.md b/website/guide/fidelity.md
index 1b4c60e..3014884 100644
--- a/website/guide/fidelity.md
+++ b/website/guide/fidelity.md
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ generated from the corpus itself, so the numbers below are exactly what ships.
 
 ## Summary
 
-- **75 / 75 probes** match between the mock engine and real React Native.
-- CI runs the same corpus across **React Native 0.81–0.85** on every commit.
+- **75 / 75 probes** match between the mock engine and real React Native (this page was generated against React Native 0.86.0).
+- CI runs the same corpus across **React Native 0.81–0.86** on every commit.
 - Reproduce it yourself: `bun run crosscheck`.
 
 The `native` engine needs no cross-check — it *is* real React Native.
diff --git a/website/guide/helpers.md b/website/guide/helpers.md
index ddd8b80..fbddb41 100644
--- a/website/guide/helpers.md
+++ b/website/guide/helpers.md
@@ -1,20 +1,26 @@
 # Test Helpers
 
-vitest-native ships a small set of helpers for controlling device state inside a test — platform, dimensions, color scheme, and native modules. Import them from `vitest-native/helpers`.
+vitest-native ships a small set of helpers for controlling device state inside a test — dimensions, color scheme, safe-area insets, and native modules. Import them from `vitest-native/helpers`.
 
 ```ts
 import {
-  setPlatform,
   setDimensions,
   setColorScheme,
+  setInsets,
   mockNativeModule,
   resetAllMocks,
 } from 'vitest-native/helpers'
 ```
 
+All helpers work under both engines, with one exception: `setPlatform` is mock-engine-only (see below).
+
 ## `setPlatform(os)`
 
-Switch the platform for a test. Affects `Platform.OS` and platform-specific behavior.
+::: warning Mock engine only
+Under the default `native` engine, `setPlatform()` throws: the platform is baked in when the real React Native module graph loads (`Platform.ios`/`Platform.android` and every `.ios.ts`/`.android.ts` file have already been selected). Set it in config instead — `reactNative({ platform: 'android' })` — or run both platforms as separate Vitest projects.
+:::
+
+Switch the platform for a test (mock engine). Affects `Platform.OS` and platform-specific behavior.
 
 ```ts
 setPlatform('android')
@@ -36,6 +42,14 @@ Switch the color scheme reported by `Appearance` and `useColorScheme`.
 setColorScheme('dark')
 ```
 
+## `setInsets(insets)`
+
+Override the safe-area insets reported by the auto-detected `react-native-safe-area-context` preset (`useSafeAreaInsets`, `SafeAreaProvider`). No-op when the preset isn't active.
+
+```ts
+setInsets({ top: 59, bottom: 34, left: 0, right: 0 })
+```
+
 ## `mockNativeModule(name, impl)`
 
 Provide a mock implementation for a native module.
diff --git a/website/guide/index.md b/website/guide/index.md
index 0b4220b..e02d4b6 100644
--- a/website/guide/index.md
+++ b/website/guide/index.md
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ Migrating a large, deeply Jest-coupled suite *wholesale* is possible but **not t
 - **RNTL compatible** — works with `@testing-library/react-native` automatically.
 - **Third-party presets** — auto-detected mocks for Reanimated, Gesture Handler, Safe Area, Navigation, Screens, AsyncStorage, Device Info, MMKV, SVG, WebView, and Expo.
 - **jest-compat layer** — `vitest-native/jest-compat` eases migrating existing Jest suites.
-- **Test helpers** — `setPlatform`, `setDimensions`, `setColorScheme`, `mockNativeModule` for easy state control.
+- **Test helpers** — `setDimensions`, `setColorScheme`, `setInsets`, `mockNativeModule` for easy state control under both engines (plus mock-only `setPlatform`).
 - **TypeScript first** — full type safety across the entire API.
 
 ::: tip Beta
-A CI-gated behavioral cross-check runs the same assertions under the mock engine and real React Native across React Native 0.81–0.85, failing the build on any divergence. Some APIs may still shift before 1.0.
+A CI-gated behavioral cross-check runs the same assertions under the mock engine and real React Native across React Native 0.81–0.86, failing the build on any divergence. Some APIs may still shift before 1.0.
 :::
 
 Next: [Installation](/guide/install) → [Quick Start](/guide/quick-start).
diff --git a/website/guide/install.md b/website/guide/install.md
index a21ca5d..a47082f 100644
--- a/website/guide/install.md
+++ b/website/guide/install.md
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ That's it. The plugin auto-injects its setup file, configures `@testing-library/
 | **Vitest** | 4.x |
 | **Vite** | ^6.4.2, ^7.3.2, or ^8.0.5 |
 | **React** | >= 18 |
-| **React Native** | 0.81–0.85 validated in CI (native engine) |
+| **React Native** | 0.81–0.86 validated in CI (native engine) |
 
 The default **`engine: 'native'`** needs `@react-native/babel-preset` and `@babel/core` — these already ship with React Native projects. The plugin uses them to Flow-strip real React Native, the same toolchain RN already uses.
 
diff --git a/website/guide/plugin-options.md b/website/guide/plugin-options.md
index 9e72a4a..9b79c0e 100644
--- a/website/guide/plugin-options.md
+++ b/website/guide/plugin-options.md
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ Which engine to use. See [Choosing an Engine](/guide/engines) for the full break
 
 ## `platform`
 
-`'ios'` (default) or `'android'`. Controls which platform-specific file extension wins during resolution (`.ios.ts` vs `.android.ts`) and the value of `Platform.OS`. Switch per-test at runtime with [`setPlatform`](/guide/helpers).
+`'ios'` (default) or `'android'`. Controls which platform-specific file extension wins during resolution (`.ios.ts` vs `.android.ts`) and the value of `Platform.OS`. To test both platforms, run them as separate Vitest projects with one plugin instance each. (Under the mock engine only, [`setPlatform`](/guide/helpers#setplatform-os) can also switch per-test at runtime; the native engine fixes the platform when the module graph loads.)
 
 ## `diagnostics`
 
@@ -45,6 +45,10 @@ reactNative({
 
 ## `mocks`
 
+::: warning Mock engine only
+`mocks` merges overrides into the mock's export table, so it only applies with `engine: 'mock'` — the native engine runs the real `react-native` module and throws a configuration error if `mocks` is set. Use `vi.mock()` in a setup file or [`mockNativeModule`](/guide/helpers#mocknativemodule-name-impl) instead.
+:::
+
 Custom mock overrides, keyed by export name. Useful for the handful of [unstable/private RN exports](/api/coverage#not-covered) that aren't mocked:
 
 ```ts
diff --git a/website/guide/quick-start.md b/website/guide/quick-start.md
index 3651677..c14f748 100644
--- a/website/guide/quick-start.md
+++ b/website/guide/quick-start.md
@@ -67,17 +67,17 @@ it('handles a press', () => {
 
 ## Control device state
 
-Use the [test helpers](/guide/helpers) to switch platform, dimensions, or color scheme inside a test:
+Use the [test helpers](/guide/helpers) to control dimensions or color scheme inside a test — these work under both engines:
 
 ```tsx
-import { setPlatform, setColorScheme, resetAllMocks } from 'vitest-native/helpers'
+import { setDimensions, setColorScheme, resetAllMocks } from 'vitest-native/helpers'
 import { afterEach } from 'vitest'
 
 afterEach(() => resetAllMocks())
 
-it('renders Android branch', () => {
-  setPlatform('android')
-  // … assertions for the Android path
+it('renders the tablet layout', () => {
+  setDimensions({ width: 768, height: 1024 })
+  // … assertions for the tablet path
 })
 
 it('renders in dark mode', () => {
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ it('renders in dark mode', () => {
 })
 ```
 
+To test Android-specific behavior, set the platform in config — `reactNative({ platform: 'android' })` — or run both platforms as separate Vitest projects. Under the default `native` engine the platform is fixed when the module graph loads, so there is no per-test switch (`setPlatform()` is [mock-engine-only](/guide/helpers#setplatform-os)).
+
 ## Next steps
 
 - [Choosing an Engine](/guide/engines) — when to use `native` vs `mock`.
diff --git a/website/index.md b/website/index.md
index f4e4600..41da668 100644
--- a/website/index.md
+++ b/website/index.md
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ It is **not** primarily a speed play — choose it for the fidelity option and D
 
 ## How it's verified
 
-The reproducible guarantee is a **CI-gated behavioral cross-check**: a corpus of probes runs the same assertions under the mock engine **and** real React Native across React Native 0.81–0.85, and any divergence fails the build. Anyone can run it (`bun run crosscheck`), and the full corpus with its current pass count is published in the [Fidelity Report](/guide/fidelity). On top of that, the full CI gate runs lint, typecheck, build, and the mock + native + hot suites across an OS × Node matrix.
+The reproducible guarantee is a **CI-gated behavioral cross-check**: a corpus of probes runs the same assertions under the mock engine **and** real React Native across React Native 0.81–0.86, and any divergence fails the build. Anyone can run it (`bun run crosscheck`), and the full corpus with its current pass count is published in the [Fidelity Report](/guide/fidelity). On top of that, the full CI gate runs lint, typecheck, build, and the mock + native + hot suites across an OS × Node matrix.
 
 We've also run real apps' own test suites under the native engine. **react-native-paper**'s suite passes **625 of 734 tests (~85%)** — no paper source changed, just an RNTL bump and the test config/setup. The remaining failures are tests coupled to Jest's RN-mock internals (e.g. `vi.spyOn(View.prototype, 'measure')`, deep `jest.mock('react-native/…')` of Appearance/Dimensions), not vitest-native bugs. The Expo-based **obytes template** runs **34 of 40 (~85%)** — a more deeply-coupled case that needed a few library mocks. Both are reproducible: see [**vitest-native-bakeoffs**](https://github.com/danfry1/vitest-native-bakeoffs). We've also migrated a Rocket.Chat suite in local testing.
 
diff --git a/website/migration/from-vitest-react-native.md b/website/migration/from-vitest-react-native.md
index 751de0c..369db41 100644
--- a/website/migration/from-vitest-react-native.md
+++ b/website/migration/from-vitest-react-native.md
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ npm rm vitest-react-native @vitejs/plugin-react
 npm i -D vitest-native @react-native/babel-preset @babel/core
 ```
 
-Keep your existing `vitest`, `vite`, `react`, `react-native`, and `@testing-library/react-native`. Requirements: **Vitest 4.x, Vite ^6.4.2, ^7.3.2, or ^8.0.5, the React version required by your RN release, React Native 0.81–0.85 (validated in CI), and RNTL 12–14.** RNTL 14 uses async rendering APIs and (per RNTL's own requirements) needs Node 22.13 or 24+.
+Keep your existing `vitest`, `vite`, `react`, `react-native`, and `@testing-library/react-native`. Requirements: **Vitest 4.x, Vite ^6.4.2, ^7.3.2, or ^8.0.5, the React version required by your RN release, React Native 0.81–0.86 (validated in CI), and RNTL 12–14.** RNTL 14 uses async rendering APIs and (per RNTL's own requirements) needs Node 22.13 or 24+.
 
 ## 2. Update vitest.config