diff --git a/docs/platforms/react-native/manual-setup/app-start-error-capture.mdx b/docs/platforms/react-native/manual-setup/app-start-error-capture.mdx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..1255d4c19e300
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/platforms/react-native/manual-setup/app-start-error-capture.mdx
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+---
+title: Capture App Start Errors
+sidebar_order: 50
+description: "Learn how to capture app start errors and crashes that occur before JavaScript loads using native initialization."
+---
+
+<Alert level="warning" title="Alpha Testing">
+
+Sentry React Native SDK v8 is currently in alpha testing. This feature is available for early adopters and may undergo changes before the stable release.
+
+</Alert>
+
+By default, the React Native SDK initializes the native SDK underneath the `init` method called on the JS layer. As a result, the SDK has a current limitation of not capturing native crashes that occur prior to the `init` method being called on the JS layer.
+
+Starting with SDK version 8.0.0, you can initialize Sentry natively before JavaScript loads, enabling capture of app start errors and crashes that occur during:
+
+- Native module initialization
+- JavaScript bundle loading
+- Early React Native bridge setup
+
+This feature uses a `sentry.options.json` configuration file and native initialization APIs that read from this file.
+
+<Alert level="info" title="SDK Version Requirement">
+
+This feature requires Sentry React Native SDK version 8.0.0 or higher.
+
+</Alert>
+
+## Configuration File
+
+Create a `sentry.options.json` file in your React Native project root with the same options you currently have in `Sentry.init`:
+
+```json {filename:sentry.options.json}
+{
+  "dsn": "https://key@example.io/value",
+  "debug": true,
+  "environment": "production",
+  "tracesSampleRate": 1.0,
+  "enableTracing": true
+}
+```
+
+<Alert level="info" title="Options Merging">
+
+Options from `sentry.options.json` are merged with options from `Sentry.init()` in JavaScript. Options specified in JavaScript take precedence over the configuration file, allowing you to override settings at runtime.
+
+</Alert>
+
+## Android Setup
+
+Initialize Sentry in your `MainApplication` class:
+
+```kotlin {filename:android/app/src/main/java/.../MainApplication.kt}
+import io.sentry.react.RNSentrySDK
+
+class MainApplication : Application(), ReactApplication {
+    override fun onCreate() {
+        super.onCreate()
+        RNSentrySDK.init(this)
+        // ... rest of your initialization code
+    }
+}
+```
+
+## iOS Setup
+
+Initialize Sentry in your `AppDelegate`:
+
+```objective-c {filename:ios/YourApp/AppDelegate.mm}
+#import <RNSentry/RNSentry.h>
+
+@implementation AppDelegate
+
+- (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application
+    didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions
+{
+    [RNSentrySDK start];
+    return [super application:application didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:launchOptions];
+}
+
+@end
+```
+
+## Expo Setup
+
+If you're using Expo, you can enable native initialization automatically using the Expo plugin:
+
+```json {filename:app.json}
+{
+  "expo": {
+    "plugins": [
+      [
+        "@sentry/react-native/expo",
+        {
+          "useNativeInit": true
+        }
+      ]
+    ]
+  }
+}
+```
+
+When `useNativeInit` is set to `true`, the Expo plugin automatically:
+- Creates `sentry.options.json` from your Expo config
+- Adds `RNSentrySDK.init()` to your Android `MainApplication`
+- Adds `RNSentrySDK.start()` to your iOS `AppDelegate`
diff --git a/docs/platforms/react-native/manual-setup/native-init.mdx b/docs/platforms/react-native/manual-setup/native-init.mdx
index b35d65e786ee8..28f5693fe7b56 100644
--- a/docs/platforms/react-native/manual-setup/native-init.mdx
+++ b/docs/platforms/react-native/manual-setup/native-init.mdx
@@ -6,8 +6,13 @@ description: "Learn how to manually initialize the native SDKs."
 
 By default, the React Native SDK initializes the native SDK underneath the `init` method called on the JS layer. As a result, the SDK has a current limitation of not capturing native crashes that occur prior to the `init` method being called on the JS layer. You can initialize the native SDKs yourself to overcome this limitation or if you want to provide custom options above what the React Native SDK currently provides.
 
-To do this, set [autoInitializeNativeSdk](/platforms/react-native/configuration/options/#autoInitializeNativeSdk) to `false` in the init options:
+<Alert level="info" title="Capture App Start Errors">
+
+If you're using Sentry React Native SDK version 8.0.0 or higher, see the [Capture App Start Errors](/platforms/react-native/manual-setup/app-start-error-capture/) guide for a simpler approach using `sentry.options.json` and native initialization APIs.
 
+</Alert>
+
+To do this, set [autoInitializeNativeSdk](/platforms/react-native/configuration/options/#autoInitializeNativeSdk) to `false` in the init options:
 
 ```javascript
 Sentry.init({