Error: ENOSPC: System limit for number of file watchers reached

increase_file_watchers.md

Fix ENOSPC Error: Increase System File Watcher Limit

Problem

The ENOSPC error occurs when the system reaches its limit for file watchers, which is common in Expo and React Native projects that monitor many files.

Solution Steps

1. Check Current File Watcher Limit

cat /proc/sys/user/max_inotify_watches

Current Limit: 65,536 watchers

2. Increase the Limit Permanently

echo fs.inotify.max_user_watches=524288 | sudo tee -a /etc/sysctl.conf

3. Apply Changes Immediately

sudo sysctl -p

4. Verify New Limit

cat /proc/sys/fs/notify/max_user_watches

New Limit: 524,288 watchers ✅

Result

Successfully increased the file watcher limit from 65,536 to 524,288, which should resolve the ENOSPC error.

Summary

• Modified system configuration in /etc/sysctl.conf
• Applied changes without requiring reboot
• Increased capacity for file monitoring by 8x