Fix Android Emulator Crash in Kotlin Projects

If you’re developing Android apps using Kotlin in Android Studio and your emulator keeps crashing, you’re not alone. Emulator crashes can be caused by many issues, including misconfigurations, incompatible dependencies, and corrupted AVD setups. This guide provides Kotlin-specific fixes, full example codes, and proven solutions that work in 2025.

Common Causes of Emulator Crashes in Kotlin Projects:

1. Incompatible Kotlin or Gradle versions
2. Corrupted AVD configuration
3. Wrong MainActivity setup or manifest issues
4. Lifecycle conflicts in onCreate()
5. Hardware acceleration (HAXM/Hypervisor) conflicts

Fix 1: Use Compatible Kotlin & Gradle Versions

Make sure your Kotlin and Gradle versions are compatible. Use the following in your build.gradle(:project):

// build.gradle (Project level)
buildscript {
    ext.kotlin_version = '1.9.10'
    dependencies {
        classpath "org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-gradle-plugin:$kotlin_version"
    }
}

Also update the gradle-wrapper.properties:

distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.4-all.zip

Fix 2: Clean and Rebuild AVD Configuration

Sometimes, AVD (Android Virtual Device) gets corrupted. Try deleting and recreating it:

1. Go to Tools > Device Manager
2. Delete the existing emulator
3. Create a new one with API level 31+
4. Use x86_64 architecture

Fix 3: Review Kotlin MainActivity Setup

Ensure your MainActivity.kt is correct and extends ComponentActivity or AppCompatActivity. Example:

// MainActivity.kt
package com.example.myapp

import android.os.Bundle
import androidx.activity.ComponentActivity
import androidx.activity.compose.setContent
import androidx.compose.material3.Text

class MainActivity : ComponentActivity() {
    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContent {
            Text("Hello Android!")
        }
    }
}

Make sure your AndroidManifest.xml includes:

<activity android:name=".MainActivity">
    <intent-filter>
        <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN"/>
        <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER"/>
    </intent-filter>
</activity>

Fix 4: Disable Hardware Acceleration (if needed)

Some systems have trouble with hardware acceleration. Disable it for the AVD:

1. Open AVD Manager
2. Click Edit (Pencil icon) on your emulator
3. Under Emulated Performance > Graphics, select Software

Fix 5: Use Logcat to Trace Kotlin-Specific Crashes

Open Logcat in Android Studio and filter with tag:AndroidRuntime or E/AndroidRuntime. Pay attention to:

• NullPointerException
• ActivityNotFoundException
• IllegalStateException

Full Example Project Structure (Kotlin)

1. MainActivity.kt

package com.example.emulatordemo

import android.os.Bundle
import androidx.activity.ComponentActivity
import androidx.activity.compose.setContent
import androidx.compose.material3.Text

class MainActivity : ComponentActivity() {
    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContent {
            Text("Kotlin Emulator Crash Fix Demo")
        }
    }
}

2. AndroidManifest.xml

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    package="com.example.emulatordemo">

    <application
        android:label="EmulatorFixDemo"
        android:theme="@style/Theme.AppCompat.Light.NoActionBar">
        <activity android:name=".MainActivity">
            <intent-filter>
                <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
                <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
            </intent-filter>
        </activity>
    </application>
</manifest>

External Reference:

For emulator setup best practices, visit the official Android Emulator documentation.