Arduino IDE does not start

mikemarcu · February 9, 2026, 2:49pm

Computer Win11.

IDE does not start, stays for ever into the white screen with the pulsating Arduino logo.

Help, please!!!

ptillisch · February 9, 2026, 2:51pm

Hi @mikemarcu. I'm going to ask you to provide some additional information that might help us to identify the problem.

This procedure is not intended to solve the problem. The purpose is to gather more information.

Please do this:

Close all Arduino IDE windows if the IDE is already running.
Start Windows "File Explorer".
Open the Arduino IDE installation folder.
ⓘ The default installation location is at one of the following paths:
- ```
C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE
```
- ```
C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Programs\Arduino IDE
```
  (where <username> is your Windows username)
  If looking for it with your file manager or command line, note that the AppData folder is hidden by default. On Windows "File Explorer", you can make it visible by opening the "View" menu, then checking the box next to "☐ Hidden items".
In the folder listing of the Arduino IDE installation folder, hold the Shift key while clicking the right hand button on the mouse.
A context menu will open
Select "Open PowerShell window here" from the menu.
Windows PowerShell will now open with the current directory set to the Arduino IDE installation folder.
Type the following command in the PowerShell window:
```
& ".\Arduino IDE"
```
Press the Enter key.
Debug output should now be printed to the PowerShell window as Arduino IDE starts.
Wait until you are sure the IDE startup has gone into the hang state
(as indicated by no additional output being printed to the terminal).
Switch back to the PowerShell window if the Arduino IDE window took the focus.
Press the Ctrl+Shift+A keyboard shortcut.
This will select all the text in the PowerShell window.
Press the Ctrl+C keyboard shortcut.
This will copy the contents of the PowerShell window to the clipboard.
Open a reply here on this forum topic by clicking the "Reply" button.
Click the <CODE/> icon on the post composer toolbar.
This will add the forum's code block markup (```) to your reply to make sure the error messages are correctly formatted.

Code block icon on toolbar390×118 4.25 KB
Press the Ctrl+V keyboard shortcut.
This will paste the output into the code block.
Move the cursor outside of the code block markup before you add any additional text to your reply.
Click the "Reply" button to publish the post.

Please let us know if you have any questions or problems while following those instructions.

pert · February 9, 2026, 2:51pm

I moved your topic to an appropriate forum category @mikemarcu.

In the future, when creating a topic please take some time to pick the forum category that best suits the subject of your topic. There is an "About the _____ category" topic at the top of each category that explains its purpose.

This is an important part of responsible forum usage, as explained in the "How to get the best out of this forum" guide. The guide contains a lot of other useful information. Please read it.

Thanks in advance for your cooperation

mikemarcu · February 9, 2026, 3:10pm

Error pasting the output of PowerShell, only 120000 characters allowed, my PowerShell output has over 400000

mikemarcu · February 9, 2026, 3:13pm

One more detail that I just notified, in the TaskBar IDE shows like a white page, not the normal IDE.

ptillisch · February 9, 2026, 3:25pm

OK, please do this:

Close all Arduino IDE windows if the IDE is already running.
Start Windows "File Explorer".
Open the Arduino IDE installation folder.
In the folder listing of the Arduino IDE installation folder, hold the Shift key while clicking the right hand button on the mouse.
A context menu will open
Select "Open PowerShell window here" from the menu.
Windows PowerShell will now open with the current directory set to the Arduino IDE installation folder.
Type the following command in the PowerShell window:
```
& ".\Arduino IDE"
```
Press the Enter key.
Debug output should now be printed to the PowerShell window as Arduino IDE starts.
Wait until you are sure the IDE startup has gone into the hang state
Switch back to the PowerShell window if the Arduino IDE window took the focus.
Press the Ctrl+Shift+A keyboard shortcut.
This will select all the text in the PowerShell window.
Press the Ctrl+C keyboard shortcut.
Open any text editor program.
Paste the copied output into the text editor.
Save the file in .txt format.
Open a reply here on this forum topic by clicking the "Reply" button.
Click the "Upload" icon () on the post composer toolbar:

Upload icon on toolbar393×121 6.05 KB

The "Open" dialog will open.
Select the .txt file you saved from the "Open" dialog.
Click the "Open" button.
The dialog will close.
Click the "Reply" button to publish the post.

Alternatively, instead of using the "Upload" icon on the post composer toolbar as described in steps 16-18 above, you can simply drag and drop the .txt file onto the post composer field to attach it.

Please let us know if you have any questions or problems while following those instructions.

mikemarcu · February 9, 2026, 3:37pm

PS CProgram FilesArduino IDE & .Ard.txt (397.4 KB)

mikemarcu · February 9, 2026, 9:06pm

Any suggestions, please?

ptillisch · February 9, 2026, 10:36pm

mikemarcu:

2026-02-09T15:05:36.442Z daemon INFO Unable to get Documents Folder: The system cannot find the file specified.
2026-02-09T15:05:36.442Z daemon ERROR Error: Unable to get Documents Folder: The system cannot find the file specified.
    at Socket.<anonymous> (C:\Program Files\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:5328158)
    at Socket.emit (node:events:519:28)
    at addChunk (node:internal/streams/readable:559:12)
    at readableAddChunkPushByteMode (node:internal/streams/readable:510:3)
    at Readable.push (node:internal/streams/readable:390:5)
    at Pipe.onStreamRead (node:internal/stream_base_commons:191:23)

On startup, Arduino IDE queries the Windows operating system for the location of your user "Documents" folder. The reason Arduino IDE is not starting is because when it makes this query Windows responds that the "Documents" folder doesn't exist. Since that folder should always exist, the IDE fails to start with this "Unable to get Documents Folder: ..." error.

Traditionally, the default location of the "Documents" folder was a path with this format:

C:\Users\<username>\Documents

(where <username> is your Windows username)

Although that is the default, it is possible to customize the location of this folder. If the location was changed to a drive that is not accessible (e.g., a USB drive that is unplugged), that could cause the "Unable to get Documents Folder: ..." error.

If you have the Windows "OneDrive folder syncing" feature enabled, the "Documents" folder is located under the OneDrive storage by default, at a path with this format:

C:\Users\<username>\OneDrive\Documents

(where the name of the Documents folder might actually be the localized equivalent)

It is also possible the folder could be located on alternative cloud storage providers (e.g., Dropbox.

When other users reported encountering this "Unable to get Documents Folder: ..." error, we often found that the problem was caused by them having disabled OneDrive in some manner, or else by them not having a connection to the OneDrive service.

Can you think of anything unusual about your system that might cause Arduino IDE to not be able to access your "Documents" folder?

xfpd · February 9, 2026, 11:39pm

I am using a very s l o w Windows 11 computer.

When I start my IDE (2.3.7), I stop all other applications and wait. If, after thirty minutes, the IDE is not up and running, I close the IDE, wait a few minutes (yes, minutes) and then restart the IDE... and wait... thirty minutes... then stop the IDE and restart. Eventually, it will start.

The IDE needs updates, which is part of your waiting

mikemarcu · February 10, 2026, 12:24am

here is OneDrive

 Directory of C:\Users\mikem

02/09/2026  07:15 PM    <DIR>          .
08/05/2025  02:51 PM    <DIR>          ..
02/09/2026  09:32 AM    <DIR>          .arduinoIDE
08/12/2025  02:37 PM    <DIR>          .dotnet
08/06/2025  10:24 AM    <DIR>          .ms-ad
02/07/2026  10:58 AM    <DIR>          .platformio
08/06/2025  01:36 PM    <DIR>          .vscode
08/05/2025  02:28 PM    <DIR>          Contacts
02/09/2026  07:17 PM    <DIR>          Documents
02/08/2026  05:33 PM    <DIR>          Downloads
08/05/2025  02:28 PM    <DIR>          Favorites
08/05/2025  02:28 PM    <DIR>          Links
08/05/2025  02:28 PM    <DIR>          Music
02/09/2026  07:16 PM    <DIR>          OneDrive
08/05/2025  02:28 PM    <DIR>          Saved Games
08/05/2025  06:22 PM    <DIR>          Searches
08/18/2025  11:12 AM    <DIR>          Videos

mikemarcu · February 10, 2026, 12:26am

I never used OneDrive online, cloud.

ptillisch · February 10, 2026, 7:35am

You can try the following procedure to correct the configuration of the "Documents" folder:

Close the Arduino IDE window if it is still running.
Start Windows "File Explorer".
Right click on the "Documents" folder.
A context menu will open.
Select "Properties" from the menu.
The "Documents Properties" dialog will open.
Select the "Location" tab in the "Documents Properties" dialog.
Click the "Restore Default" button.
Verify that the path shown in the field now has the following format:
```
C:\Users\<username>\Documents
```
(where <username> is your Windows username)
Click the "OK" button.
The "Documents Properties" dialog will close.

Now start Arduino IDE again. Hopefully this time it will start up completely and work as expected. If not, add a reply here on this forum topic to let us know and we'll try to find an alternative solution.

mikemarcu · February 10, 2026, 2:56pm

I had to restore the location of Documents folder modifying the Registry.

Now it works well with one small bug, the icon on the TaskBar.

mikemarcu · February 10, 2026, 3:13pm

All fixed.

Thank you for your help!

stnmrmnv · February 18, 2026, 5:43pm

Hi. I'm having the same problem.

PC: Win 11 24H2. Arduino IDE v2.3.7 x64.

After fresh install the IDE just stay with pulsing logo. Tested with v2.3.1 - same thing.
My 'Documents' folder is on "D:<username>\Documents". Moved there for safe keeping.
Been there from my Windows 7 days.
Tested with restored location - problem not fixed.

Please fix from IDE itself.

-- PS --------------------------------
Please don't use the default locations. Use the special "Documents" default environment variable build in Windows ( %USERPROFILE%\Documents).
I uninstall Arduino IDE. Maybe will try next version. Maybe ...

mikemarcu · February 18, 2026, 6:03pm

@stnmrmnv

Check the registry.

stnmrmnv · February 20, 2026, 7:32pm

Hi Again.
My registry is fine, thanks for you concern.

I figure it today by myself. Because v2.3.7 wasn't install (2.3.6 was) on my other PC with Win10, decided to test it as well.
2.3.6 also 'hiked up' but manage to spit something in output window for my system clock not being in correct time. (Actually was 2 hrs down ) An because Arduino is checking for updates, wasn't been able to "verify some integrity" of something... i forgot exact message.
Manually adjusted the clock and all is fixed. After updating to 2.3.7 still working.

So on Win11, fresh install (never been installed before) Arduino IDE starts, trying to download and install default boards and libraries and fail ... result in only bouncing logo.

Te reason why my clock is 'off time' is that: I'm running dual boot Linux Mint & Windows 11.
Both OS have different opinion for time saving formats ...
Primarily I'm programming in Linux, but this time (just this time) decided to check in Windows.
So it nobody's fault, but isn't it will be better if Arduino IDE load its interface first, then ask (or at least tell to user) what is doing and report is something go wrong?

So i'm hoping my experience will help others. And also Arduino developers too.

stnmrmnv · February 20, 2026, 7:45pm

One more thing. I've tested Documents location problem also.
Turns out, as long the location is accessible, there is no problem if is in :

C:\Users\<username>\Documents

or

D:\<username>\Documents

Cheers.

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