Android Studio missing essential plugin org.jetbrains.android - android-studio

Question

I have just updated to Android Studio 4.1 Canary 9, but I am getting the following error:
Missing essential plugin:
org.jetbrains.android
Please reinstall Android Studio from scratch.
I've tried reinstalling Android Studio from scratch, as the error says, but nothing changes.

Answer 1

Just delete this file (or delete last disabled plugin(s) in this file):
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\.AndroidStudio<version>\config\disabled_plugins.txt
Update 10 Feb 2021:
If you couldn't find this address try this on windows:
C:\Users\%USERNAME%\AppData\Roaming\Google\AndroidStudio<version>\disabled_plugins.txt
Recently this Address transferred to here.
Update 04 August 2021:
If you are using windows 11
The App data folder is hidden and needs to be prompted(just search how to take out the missing app data folder in windows 11)
Then go to the same location as earlier mentioned and delete that file

Answer 2

On Mac OS
Open ~/Library/Application Support/Google/AndroidStudioXXXX.X
delete disabled_plugins.txt
restart Android Studio

Answer 3

For Windows users.
C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Google\AndroidStudioPreview4.1\disabled_plugins.txt
Deleting this file will fix the issue.
More detailed information.

Answer 4

As the Known Issues section of the Android Studio 4.1 Preview page notes, if you are getting this error in Android Studio 4.1 Canary 9, it means that you have a locally installed Kotlin plugin that is not compatible with the new IDE.
To resolve it, you should delete the Kotlin folder from the following locations (from the above linked page), depending on your operating system:
Linux: ~/.local/share/Google/AndroidStudioPreview4.1
Windows: C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Google\AndroidStudioPreview4.1
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Google/AndroidStudioPreview4.1
For Linux and macOS, ~ refers to your home directory, and a directory can be removed from the command line (Terminal) with rm -rf directory_name_here.
There is no need to install a replacement Kotlin plugin, as it is bundled in that version of Android Studio.

Answer 5

On Linux (Fedora release 30), the issue happened after I wanted to disable Kotlin features during installation. I could resolve it by removing configure files:
rm -r ~/.config/Google/AndroidStudio4.1
Or just remove the disabled_plugins.txt file:
rm ~/.config/Google/AndroidStudio4.1/disabled_plugins.txt
Sometimes you are compelled to re-extract your android-studio on your Linux machine. Notice that removing ~/.local/share/Google/AndroidStudio4.1/ directory did not help me.

Answer 6

Disabling the Kotlin plugin for Android Studio 4.x causes this problem and you can't open the Android Studio until enable the Kotlin plugin again. To re-enable plugins without opening Android Studio, you can delete or edit the disabled_plugins.txt file from your Android Studio configuration path.
For Linux distros, the default configuration directory is ~/.config/Google/AndroidStudio4.x/
So deleting disabled_plugins.txt will enable all of your disabled plugins and solve your problem.
rm ~/.config/Google/AndroidStudio4.1/disabled_plugins.txt
For macOS, the default directory is ~/Library/Application Support/Google/AndroidStudio4.x
rm ~/Library/Application\ Support/Google/AndroidStudio4.1/disabled_plugins.txt

Answer 7

2022 - for MacOs Catalina:
Finder /
Users /
*your_username /
Library /
Application Support /
Google /
AndroidStudio20021+ /
disable_plugins.txt /
find and delete this line "org.jetbrains.kotlin"
or
delete the line causing your problem

Answer 8

On Linux, when disabling all plugins, this may happen (Artic Fox). The path is (or may be):
~/.config/Google/AndroidStudio2020.3/disabled_plugins.txt
Commenting out entries with a # is possible, in order to leave specific plugins disabled.

Answer 9

I'm using Linux Ubuntu 18.04 and Android Studio 4.0 and I found disabled_plugins.txt file in this directory:
/home/[your_username]/.AndroidStudio4.0/config
and after that I found I've put Kotlin plugin at the end of file.
Just remove that line, Android Studio will work.
By the way, on any other OS, you can find your file just by searching disabled_plugins.txt.

Answer 10

Library -> Application support -> Google -> AndroidStudio4.2 -> disabled_plugins.txt
For MAC Mojave

Answer 11

For MacOS BigSur
Root/Users/{your_user}/Library/Application Support/Google/AndroidStudio{version}/disabled_plugins.txt
Searching for the file won't work.
Gain access to root through Shift+cmd+g
Show hidden files using Shift+cmd+. (Library will most likely be hidden inside your user folder)

Answer 12

Got to C:Drive and delete disabled_plugins.txt file
C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Roaming\Google\AndroidStudioVersion\disabled_plugins.txt
If you don't find watch this video
https://youtu.be/sMzAw6xaiZU that I made.

Answer 13

On Mac OS
in terminal helped to find bad files find ~/Library -name disabled_plugins.txt
in terminal run rm '/Users/xxxx/Library/Application Support/Google/AndroidStudio2021.2/disabled_plugins.txt'
Delete File
restart Android Studio

Answer 14

For Windows users
C:\Users\Admin[if you have username].AndroidStudio4.0\config
There you can find disabled _plugins.txt
delete it and restart android studio

Answer 15

It seems you disabled your plugins before, so find and edit
disabled_plugins.txt
and delete the plugin you want to enable it.
In windows, the location of file is :
C:\Users\<UserName>\AppData\Roaming\Google\AndroidStudio...

Answer 16

Removing these from disabled_plugins.txt fixes the issue if you have disabled some of the plugins. Instead of adding back all the plugins, specify the plugins to enable:
groovy, smali, kotlin, junit // (i.e: Enable these)

Answer 17

C:\Users\Dell\AppData\Roaming\Google\AndroidStudio4.1
and then delete >>>> disabled_plugin.txt
At the place of Dell, you can place your user name or device name(Example - Dell, Lenovo etc).

Answer 18

I'm using Android Studio 4.0 from homebrew.
And delete this
/Users/[your_name]/Library/Preferences/AndroidStudio4.0/disabled_plugin.txt

Answer 19

in macOS Catalina 10.15, this file can be found at
/Users/{your_user_name}/Library/Application Support/Google/AndroidStudio4.1/plugins

Answer 20

Delete disabled_plugins.txt this contains all disabled plugins

Answer 21

This issue happens because of two reasons.
You disabled some plugins from Android Studio and Restarted.
Some Plugins disabled by any thread and you starts getting missing essential plugin org.jetbrains.android this error message.
Solution is simple.
C:\Users\Numan\AppData\Roaming\Google\AndroidStudio4.1
Just go to the latest Android Studio Version, and find the text document file named as disabled_plugins. Now open it, and delete the lines which you think has been disabled, or otherwise delete the complete disabled_plugins file and open the Android Studio. You can also search disabled_plugins in your C Drive, and one text file will appear in case you're unable to locate it from AppData.
It Works - Cheers !!!

Answer 22

Error Reason: This issue occurs after disabling one or more plugin (example: Kotlin) from Android Studio 4.x settings (Android Studio -> Preferences —> Plugins —> Uncheck the Kotlin plugin -> Apply -> Ok —> Restart the Android Studio ==> ERROR prompt
Solution (Mac Specific): Remove the “disabled_plugins.txt” file
find ~/Library -name disabled_plugins.txt
Ideally, the path would be: /Users//Library/Preferences/AndroidStudio4.x/disabled_plugins.txt
rm disabled_plugins.txt
Restart the Android Studio

Answer 23

for Android Studio AndroidStudio2020.3 just remove this file:
disabled_plugins.txt
from this path:
C:\Users\YOUR_USERNAME\AppData\Roaming\Google\AndroidStudio2020.3

Answer 24

All answers related with disabled_plugins.txt is right, but it is enough to just delete the line (it is not necessary to delete this file. Thus, previously disabled plugins will remain disabled.)

Answer 25

only windows user
try this
it works for me
I am Deleting this file disabled_plugins.txt
C:\Users\ashif.AndroidStudio4.0\config

Answer 26

Solution is to delete disabled_plugins.txt.
On Linux, Android Studio 4.1 path is:
~/.config/JetBrains/AndroidStudio4.1

Answer 27

In mac os use Cmd+Shift+. to show hidden files and when find disabled_plugins.txt

Answer 28

For Android Studio 4.2+ this happens when you disable the Properties Pluggin or Groovy Plugin, you can remove these entries from the disabled_pluggins.txt. For Windows users the file is located at:
C:\Users\{username}\AppData\Roaming\Google\AndroidStudioPreview4.X\disabled_plugins.txt
Provide your username in the {username} field in the above address,
alternatively, you could just delete this file as the other answers mention!

Answer 29

If you are using JetBrains Tool Box to install just find the disabled_plugins.txt file on the path below: C:\Users[YOUR USERNAME]\AppData\Roaming\Google\AndroidStudio2021.1

Answer 30

On Linux with Android Studio 4.1
it was another path for me, maybe this is the new format now?
~/.config/Google/AndroidStudio4.1