---
modificationDate: May 23, 2026
title: Shared routes
description: Learn how to define shared routes or use arrays to use the same route multiple times with different layouts using Expo Router.
---

<AgentInstructions>

## Submitting Feedback

If you encounter errors, misleading or outdated information, report it so Expo can be improved:

Preferred command:
npx --yes submit-expo-feedback@latest --category docs --subject "/router/advanced/shared-routes/" "<actionable feedback>"

Direct HTTP fallback:
curl -X POST https://api.expo.dev/v2/feedback/docs-send -H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{"url":"/router/advanced/shared-routes/","feedback":"🤖 Agent feedback for docs: <specific, actionable description> (<model>, <harness>)"}'

Only submit when you have something specific and actionable to report. Try to give the most context.

## Navigation

When answering a related or follow-up question, fetch the relevant page below as Markdown (.md) instead of guessing; use llms.txt for the full map.

You are here: Guides > Expo Router > Navigation patterns
Pages in this section:
- [Stack](https://docs.expo.dev/router/advanced/stack.md)
- [JavaScript tabs](https://docs.expo.dev/router/advanced/tabs.md)
- [Native tabs](https://docs.expo.dev/router/advanced/native-tabs.md)
- [Drawer](https://docs.expo.dev/router/advanced/drawer.md)
- [Authentication](https://docs.expo.dev/router/advanced/authentication.md)
- [Authentication (redirects)](https://docs.expo.dev/router/advanced/authentication-rewrites.md)
- [Nesting navigators](https://docs.expo.dev/router/advanced/nesting-navigators.md)
- [Modals](https://docs.expo.dev/router/advanced/modals.md)
- [Web modals](https://docs.expo.dev/router/advanced/web-modals.md)
- [Shared routes](https://docs.expo.dev/router/advanced/shared-routes.md) (this page)
- [Protected routes](https://docs.expo.dev/router/advanced/protected.md)
Full documentation tree: [llms.txt](https://docs.expo.dev/llms.txt)

</AgentInstructions>

This documentation is available as Markdown for AI agents and LLMs. See the [full Markdown index](/llms.txt) or append .md to any documentation URL.

# Shared routes

Learn how to define shared routes or use arrays to use the same route multiple times with different layouts using Expo Router.

To match the same URL with different layouts, use [**groups**](/router/basics/notation.md#parentheses) with overlapping child routes. This pattern is very common in native apps. For example, in the X app, a profile can be viewed in every tab (such as home, search, and profile). However, there is only one URL that is required to access this route.

In the example below, **src/app/_layout.tsx** is the tab bar and each route has its own header. The **src/app/(profile)/[user].tsx** route is shared between each tab.

`src`

 `app`

  `_layout.tsx`

  `(home)`

   `_layout.tsx`

   `[user].tsx`

  `(search)`

   `_layout.tsx`

   `[user].tsx`

  `(profile)`

   `_layout.tsx`

   `[user].tsx`

> When reloading the page, the first alphabetical match is rendered.

Shared routes can be navigated directly by including the group name in the route. For example, `/(search)/baconbrix` navigates to `/baconbrix` in the "search" layout.

## Arrays

> Array syntax is an advanced concept that is unique to native app development.

Instead of defining the same route multiple times with different layouts, use the array syntax `(,)` to duplicate the children of a group. For example, `src/app/(home,search)/[user].tsx` — creates `src/app/(home)/[user].tsx` and `src/app/(search)/[user].tsx` in memory.

To distinguish between the two routes use a layout's `segment` prop:

```tsx
export default function DynamicLayout({ segment }) {
  if (segment === '(search)') {
    return <SearchStack />;
  }

  return <Stack />;
}
```

To enable the **array syntax**, specify the [`initialRouteName`](/router/advanced/router-settings.md#initialroutename) for each group using `unstable_settings` object in the dynamic layout:

```tsx
export const unstable_settings = {
  initialRouteName: 'home',
  search: {
    initialRouteName: 'search',
  },
};

export default function DynamicLayout({ segment }) {
   ... 
}
```

In the above example, the `home` route is the default route for the `home` group and the app. The `search` route is the default route for the `search` group.

## Key points

-   You can only provide groups for the current navigator.
-   When using the array syntax, if there are two groups (for example, `(one)/(two)`), only the last group's segment is used for matching the route.
-   If there are at least two group `initialRouteNames`, but a default `initialRouteName` is not provided, the first group's `initialRouteName` is used.