diff --git a/template/Gemfile.lock b/template/Gemfile.lock
index 089d06d0..56283519 100644
--- a/template/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/template/Gemfile.lock
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ GEM
       public_suffix (~> 4.0)
       typhoeus (~> 1.0)
     cocoapods-deintegrate (1.0.5)
-    cocoapods-downloader (1.6.2)
+    cocoapods-downloader (1.6.3)
     cocoapods-plugins (1.0.0)
       nap
     cocoapods-search (1.0.1)
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ GEM
     nanaimo (0.3.0)
     nap (1.1.0)
     netrc (0.11.0)
-    public_suffix (4.0.6)
+    public_suffix (4.0.7)
     rexml (3.2.5)
     ruby-macho (2.5.1)
     typhoeus (1.4.0)
diff --git a/template/android/app/build.gradle b/template/android/app/build.gradle
index a173c56b..ecaab597 100644
--- a/template/android/app/build.gradle
+++ b/template/android/app/build.gradle
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 apply plugin: "com.android.application"
 
 import com.android.build.OutputFile
+import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.condition.Os
 
 /**
  * The react.gradle file registers a task for each build variant (e.g. bundleDebugJsAndAssets
@@ -157,6 +158,17 @@ android {
                     // Make sure this target name is the same you specify inside the
                     // src/main/jni/Android.mk file for the `LOCAL_MODULE` variable.
                     targets "helloworld_appmodules"
+
+                    // Fix for windows limit on number of character in file paths and in command lines
+                    if (Os.isFamily(Os.FAMILY_WINDOWS)) {
+                        arguments "NDK_OUT=${rootProject.projectDir.getParent()}\\.cxx",
+                            "NDK_APP_SHORT_COMMANDS=true"
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            if (!enableSeparateBuildPerCPUArchitecture) {
+                ndk {
+                    abiFilters (*reactNativeArchitectures())
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/template/android/build.gradle b/template/android/build.gradle
index 8a1d68f9..e7156fcc 100644
--- a/template/android/build.gradle
+++ b/template/android/build.gradle
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.condition.Os
+
 // Top-level build file where you can add configuration options common to all sub-projects/modules.
 
 buildscript {
@@ -6,7 +8,18 @@ buildscript {
         minSdkVersion = 21
         compileSdkVersion = 31
         targetSdkVersion = 31
-        ndkVersion = "21.4.7075529"
+
+        if (System.properties['os.arch'] == "aarch64") {
+            // For M1 Users we need to use the NDK 24 which added support for aarch64
+            ndkVersion = "24.0.8215888"
+        } else if (Os.isFamily(Os.FAMILY_WINDOWS)) {
+            // For Android Users, we need to use NDK 23, otherwise the build will
+            // fail due to paths longer than the OS limit
+            ndkVersion = "23.1.7779620"
+        } else {
+            // Otherwise we default to the side-by-side NDK version from AGP.
+            ndkVersion = "21.4.7075529"
+        }
     }
     repositories {
         google()
diff --git a/template/package.json b/template/package.json
index f49e30c2..7dfca188 100644
--- a/template/package.json
+++ b/template/package.json
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "react": "17.0.2",
-    "react-native": "0.68.0"
+    "react-native": "0.68.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@babel/core": "^7.12.9",