diff --git a/apps/automated/package.json b/apps/automated/package.json
index a5602ba461..56964cd456 100644
--- a/apps/automated/package.json
+++ b/apps/automated/package.json
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@
     "nativescript-theme-core": "file:../../node_modules/nativescript-theme-core"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "@nativescript/android": "alpha",
-    "@nativescript/ios": "alpha",
-    "@nativescript/visionos": "~8.9.0",
+    "@nativescript/android": "~9.0.0",
+    "@nativescript/ios": "~9.0.0",
+    "@nativescript/visionos": "~9.0.0",
     "@nativescript/vite": "file:../../dist/packages/vite",
     "@nativescript/webpack": "file:../../dist/packages/webpack5",
     "circular-dependency-plugin": "^5.2.2",
diff --git a/apps/toolbox/package.json b/apps/toolbox/package.json
index 7bc8f8db39..331ac9ac73 100644
--- a/apps/toolbox/package.json
+++ b/apps/toolbox/package.json
@@ -12,9 +12,9 @@
     "nativescript-theme-core": "file:../../node_modules/nativescript-theme-core"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "@nativescript/android": "alpha",
-    "@nativescript/ios": "alpha",
-    "@nativescript/visionos": "~8.9.0",
+    "@nativescript/android": "~9.0.0",
+    "@nativescript/ios": "~9.0.0",
+    "@nativescript/visionos": "~9.0.0",
     "@nativescript/vite": "file:../../dist/packages/vite",
     "@nativescript/webpack": "file:../../dist/packages/webpack5",
     "typescript": "~5.8.0"
diff --git a/apps/toolbox/src/split-view/split-view-secondary.xml b/apps/toolbox/src/split-view/split-view-secondary.xml
index 75328de39f..110aab0c6f 100644
--- a/apps/toolbox/src/split-view/split-view-secondary.xml
+++ b/apps/toolbox/src/split-view/split-view-secondary.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 <Page xmlns="http://schemas.nativescript.org/tns.xsd" navigatingTo="navigatingTo" class="page">
-  <ActionBar title="Secondary View" class="action-bar">
-  </ActionBar>
   <!-- Secondary column (detail) -->
   <StackLayout class="p-16">
     <Label text="Secondary" marginBottom="12" fontSize="22" fontWeight="bold" />
diff --git a/apps/toolbox/src/split-view/split-view-supplement.xml b/apps/toolbox/src/split-view/split-view-supplement.xml
index 03a99b1b37..7e3fad86d5 100644
--- a/apps/toolbox/src/split-view/split-view-supplement.xml
+++ b/apps/toolbox/src/split-view/split-view-supplement.xml
@@ -1,6 +1,4 @@
 <Page xmlns="http://schemas.nativescript.org/tns.xsd" navigatingTo="navigatingTo" class="page">
-  <ActionBar title="Supplementary View" class="action-bar">
-  </ActionBar>
   <!-- Supplementary column (detail) -->
   <StackLayout class="p-16">
     <Label text="Supplementary" marginBottom="12" fontSize="22" fontWeight="bold" />
diff --git a/apps/ui/package.json b/apps/ui/package.json
index 6b6c66c562..0168a45c97 100644
--- a/apps/ui/package.json
+++ b/apps/ui/package.json
@@ -11,9 +11,9 @@
     "nativescript-theme-core": "file:../../node_modules/nativescript-theme-core"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
-    "@nativescript/android": "alpha",
-    "@nativescript/ios": "alpha",
-    "@nativescript/visionos": "~8.9.0",
+    "@nativescript/android": "~9.0.0",
+    "@nativescript/ios": "~9.0.0",
+    "@nativescript/visionos": "~9.0.0",
     "@nativescript/webpack": "file:../../dist/packages/webpack5",
     "typescript": "~5.8.0"
   },
diff --git a/packages/core/ui/split-view/index.ios.ts b/packages/core/ui/split-view/index.ios.ts
index 65b0baa405..4d96ca8f71 100644
--- a/packages/core/ui/split-view/index.ios.ts
+++ b/packages/core/ui/split-view/index.ios.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { SplitViewBase, displayModeProperty, splitBehaviorProperty, preferredPri
 import { View } from '../core/view';
 import { layout } from '../../utils';
 import { SDK_VERSION } from '../../utils/constants';
+import { FrameBase } from '../frame/frame-common';
 import type { SplitRole } from '.';
 
 @NativeClass
@@ -93,6 +94,37 @@ export class SplitView extends SplitViewBase {
 		return this.viewController.view;
 	}
 
+	onLoaded(): void {
+		super.onLoaded();
+		// Ensure proper view controller containment
+		this._ensureViewControllerContainment();
+	}
+
+	private _ensureViewControllerContainment(): void {
+		if (!this.viewController) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		const window = this.nativeViewProtected?.window;
+
+		if (!window) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		const currentRootVC = window.rootViewController;
+
+		// If the window's rootViewController is not our SplitViewController,
+		// we need to set it up properly
+		if (currentRootVC !== this.viewController) {
+			// Check if we can become the root view controller
+			// or if we need to be added as a child
+			if (currentRootVC) {
+				currentRootVC.addChildViewController(this.viewController);
+				this.viewController.didMoveToParentViewController(currentRootVC);
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	disposeNativeView(): void {
 		super.disposeNativeView();
 		this._controllers.clear();
@@ -256,6 +288,36 @@ export class SplitView extends SplitViewBase {
 		return wrapper;
 	}
 
+	private _attachSecondaryDisplayModeButton(): void {
+		const secondary = this._controllers.get('secondary');
+		if (!(secondary instanceof UINavigationController)) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		const targetVC = secondary.topViewController;
+		if (!targetVC) {
+			// Subscribe to Frame's navigatedTo event to know when the first page is shown
+			const frameChild = this._children.get('secondary') as any;
+			if (frameChild && frameChild.on && !frameChild._splitViewSecondaryNavigatedHandler) {
+				frameChild._splitViewSecondaryNavigatedHandler = () => {
+					// Use setTimeout to ensure the navigation controller's topViewController is updated
+					setTimeout(() => this._attachSecondaryDisplayModeButton(), 0);
+				};
+				frameChild.on(FrameBase.navigatedToEvent, frameChild._splitViewSecondaryNavigatedHandler);
+			}
+			return;
+		}
+
+		// Avoid duplicates
+		if (targetVC.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem) {
+			return;
+		}
+
+		// Set the displayModeButtonItem on the page's navigationItem
+		targetVC.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = this.viewController.displayModeButtonItem;
+		targetVC.navigationItem.leftItemsSupplementBackButton = true;
+	}
+
 	private _attachInspectorButton(): void {
 		const inspector = this._controllers.get('inspector');
 		if (!(inspector instanceof UINavigationController)) {
@@ -264,14 +326,14 @@ export class SplitView extends SplitViewBase {
 
 		const targetVC = inspector.topViewController;
 		if (!targetVC) {
-			// Subscribe to Frame event to know when the top VC is shown, then attach the button.
-			// Can only attach buttons once VC is available
+			// Subscribe to Frame's navigatedTo event to know when the first page is shown
 			const frameChild = this._children.get('inspector') as any;
-			if (frameChild && frameChild.on && !frameChild._inspectorVCShownHandler) {
-				frameChild._inspectorVCShownHandler = () => {
-					setTimeout(() => this._attachInspectorButton());
+			if (frameChild && frameChild.on && !frameChild._splitViewNavigatedHandler) {
+				frameChild._splitViewNavigatedHandler = () => {
+					// Use setTimeout to ensure the navigation controller's topViewController is updated
+					setTimeout(() => this._attachInspectorButton(), 0);
 				};
-				frameChild.on('viewControllerShown', frameChild._inspectorVCShownHandler.bind(this));
+				frameChild.on(FrameBase.navigatedToEvent, frameChild._splitViewNavigatedHandler);
 			}
 			return;
 		}
@@ -365,10 +427,10 @@ export class SplitView extends SplitViewBase {
 		const secondary = this._controllers.get('secondary');
 		const supplementary = this._controllers.get('supplementary');
 		const inspector = this._controllers.get('inspector');
-		if (secondary instanceof UINavigationController && secondary.navigationItem) {
-			// TODO: can add properties to customize this
-			secondary.navigationItem.leftBarButtonItem = this.viewController.displayModeButtonItem;
-			secondary.navigationItem.leftItemsSupplementBackButton = true;
+
+		// Attach displayModeButtonItem to the secondary column's first page
+		if (secondary instanceof UINavigationController) {
+			this._attachSecondaryDisplayModeButton();
 		}
 		if (supplementary) {
 			this.showSupplementary();