How can I resolve the 'project cannot be launched for Android' error in my MAUI 9 project?

Below are a few troubleshooting steps specific to MAUI projects with platform-specific code that can help resolve this issue:

1. Check Your Android SDK and Workloads

Ensure that you have the correct Android SDK installed and that Visual Studio has the MAUI and Android workloads installed. You might need to update or repair your installation via the Visual Studio Installer.

2. Validate Your Startup Project

Make sure you’re running the correct startup project. In multi-targeted MAUI projects, sometimes the wrong target (for example, a Windows or Mac configuration) is launched instead of Android.

• Right-click your solution and select Set Startup Projects.
• Confirm that the Android project is selected as a startup project.

3. Review Platform-Specific Code

Since your project contains platform-specific code, check that your Android-specific files (like MainActivity.cs and Android Manifest files) are configured properly. A misconfiguration there can interrupt the launch process without surfacing errors in the Error List.

4. Clean and Rebuild Your Project

Sometimes old builds can interfere with a new build:

BASHCopied
dotnet clean
dotnet build

Doing a clean and then rebuilding the project in Visual Studio may clear any transient issues.

5. Check the Output Window

If the Error List is not showing any errors, check the output window for more detailed diagnostic messages:

• In Visual Studio, go to View → Output.
• Switch the dropdown to Build or Debug to see if any relevant messages are logged.

6. Emulator or Device Configuration

Verify that your selected emulator or connected device meets the minimum requirements for your Android build. Outdated or misconfigured emulators can sometimes prevent the project from launching.

By following these steps, you should be able to narrow down the underlying cause of the error message. If the issue persists, consider creating a minimal reproduction project to isolate whether the problem comes from your platform-specific code or overall project configuration.