diff --git a/React/Modules/RCTI18nUtil.h b/React/Modules/RCTI18nUtil.h
index 79828eb74958a1..f3a1550e5ec778 100644
--- a/React/Modules/RCTI18nUtil.h
+++ b/React/Modules/RCTI18nUtil.h
@@ -18,19 +18,11 @@
 + (instancetype)sharedInstance;
 
 - (BOOL)isRTL;
-
-/**
- * Should be used very early during app start up
- * Before the bridge is initialized
- */
-@property (atomic, setter=allowRTL:) BOOL isRTLAllowed;
-
-/**
- * Could be used to test RTL layout with English
- * Used for development and testing purpose
- */
-@property (atomic, setter=forceRTL:) BOOL isRTLForced;
-
-@property (atomic, setter=swapLeftAndRightInRTL:) BOOL doLeftAndRightSwapInRTL;
+- (BOOL)isRTLAllowed;
+- (void)allowRTL:(BOOL)value;
+- (BOOL)isRTLForced;
+- (void)forceRTL:(BOOL)value;
+- (BOOL)doLeftAndRightSwapInRTL;
+- (void)swapLeftAndRightInRTL:(BOOL)value;
 
 @end
diff --git a/React/Modules/RCTI18nUtil.m b/React/Modules/RCTI18nUtil.m
index 17207d053635d3..eb26f7fe23e68d 100644
--- a/React/Modules/RCTI18nUtil.m
+++ b/React/Modules/RCTI18nUtil.m
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ + (instancetype)sharedInstance
   dispatch_once(&onceToken, ^{
     sharedInstance = [self new];
     [sharedInstance swapLeftAndRightInRTL:true];
-    [sharedInstance allowRTL:true];
   });
 
   return sharedInstance;
@@ -41,6 +40,53 @@ - (BOOL)isRTL
   return NO;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Should be used very early during app start up
+ * Before the bridge is initialized
+ * @return whether the app allows RTL layout, default is true
+ */
+- (BOOL)isRTLAllowed
+{
+  NSNumber *value = [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] objectForKey:@"RCTI18nUtil_allowRTL"];
+  if (value == nil) {
+    return YES;
+  }
+  return [value boolValue];
+}
+
+- (void)allowRTL:(BOOL)rtlStatus
+{
+  [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setBool:rtlStatus forKey:@"RCTI18nUtil_allowRTL"];
+  [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] synchronize];
+}
+
+/**
+ * Could be used to test RTL layout with English
+ * Used for development and testing purpose
+ */
+- (BOOL)isRTLForced
+{
+  BOOL rtlStatus = [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] boolForKey:@"RCTI18nUtil_forceRTL"];
+  return rtlStatus;
+}
+
+- (void)forceRTL:(BOOL)rtlStatus
+{
+  [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setBool:rtlStatus forKey:@"RCTI18nUtil_forceRTL"];
+  [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] synchronize];
+}
+
+- (BOOL)doLeftAndRightSwapInRTL
+{
+  return [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] boolForKey:@"RCTI18nUtil_makeRTLFlipLeftAndRightStyles"];
+}
+
+- (void)swapLeftAndRightInRTL:(BOOL)value
+{
+  [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] setBool:value forKey:@"RCTI18nUtil_makeRTLFlipLeftAndRightStyles"];
+  [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] synchronize];
+}
+
 // Check if the current device language is RTL
 - (BOOL)isDevicePreferredLanguageRTL
 {