Flutter's target macOS is broken: no such module 'FlutterMacOS'

[diegum]

Steps to reproduce

1. On a macOS Intel terminal, create a new project:

$ flutter create pijarolata_hervida

Confirm it ends successfully.

2. Move into its directory and try to run it:

$ cd pijarolata_hervida
$ flutter run

Expected results

It builds the app on macOS and launches it.

Actual results

$  flutter run
Connected devices:
macOS (desktop) • macos • darwin-x64 • macOS 15.5 24F74 darwin-x64

No wireless devices were found.

[1]: macOS (macos)
Please choose one (or "q" to quit): 1
Launching lib/main.dart on macOS in debug mode...
Failed frontend command:
/opt/xcode/16.3/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/bin/swift-frontend -frontend -c /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/macos/Runner/MainFlutterWindow.swift /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/macos/Runner/AppDelegate.swift -primary-file /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/macos/Flutter/GeneratedPluginRegistrant.swift /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/DerivedSources/GeneratedAssetSymbols.swift -emit-dependencies-path /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/Objects-normal/x86_64/GeneratedPluginRegistrant.d -emit-const-values-path /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/Objects-normal/x86_64/GeneratedPluginRegistrant.swiftconstvalues -emit-reference-dependencies-path /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/Objects-normal/x86_64/GeneratedPluginRegistrant.swiftdeps -serialize-diagnostics-path /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/Objects-normal/x86_64/GeneratedPluginRegistrant.dia -target x86_64-apple-macos10.14 -enable-objc-interop -sdk /opt/xcode/16.3/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/SDKs/MacOSX15.4.sdk -I /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Products/Debug -F /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Products/Debug -no-color-diagnostics -enable-testing -g -debug-info-format\=dwarf -dwarf-version\=4 -module-cache-path /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/ModuleCache.noindex -swift-version 5 -enforce-exclusivity\=checked -Onone -D DEBUG -serialize-debugging-options -const-gather-protocols-file /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/Objects-normal/x86_64/Runner_const_extract_protocols.json -enable-experimental-feature DebugDescriptionMacro -enable-bare-slash-regex -empty-abi-descriptor -validate-clang-modules-once -clang-build-session-file /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/ModuleCache.noindex/Session.modulevalidation -Xcc -working-directory -Xcc /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/macos -resource-dir /opt/xcode/16.3/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/lib/swift -enable-anonymous-context-mangled-names -file-compilation-dir /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/macos -Xcc -ivfsstatcache -Xcc /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/SDKStatCaches.noindex/macosx15.4-24E241-7a3cbc9e111fa6e1d7263766a9fa98d8.sdkstatcache -Xcc -I/Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/swift-overrides.hmap -Xcc -iquote -Xcc /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/pijarolata_hervida-generated-files.hmap -Xcc -I/Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/pijarolata_hervida-own-target-headers.hmap -Xcc -I/Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/pijarolata_hervida-all-target-headers.hmap -Xcc -iquote -Xcc /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/pijarolata_hervida-project-headers.hmap -Xcc -I/Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Products/Debug/include -Xcc -I/Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/DerivedSources-normal/x86_64 -Xcc -I/Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/DerivedSources/x86_64 -Xcc -I/Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/DerivedSources -Xcc -DDEBUG\=1 -module-name pijarolata_hervida -frontend-parseable-output -disable-clang-spi -target-sdk-version 15.4 -target-sdk-name macosx15.4 -external-plugin-path /opt/xcode/16.3/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/usr/lib/swift/host/plugins\#/opt/xcode/16.3/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/usr/bin/swift-plugin-server -external-plugin-path /opt/xcode/16.3/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/usr/local/lib/swift/host/plugins\#/opt/xcode/16.3/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Platforms/MacOSX.platform/Developer/usr/bin/swift-plugin-server -in-process-plugin-server-path /opt/xcode/16.3/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/lib/swift/host/libSwiftInProcPluginServer.dylib -plugin-path /opt/xcode/16.3/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/lib/swift/host/plugins -plugin-path /opt/xcode/16.3/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer/Toolchains/XcodeDefault.xctoolchain/usr/local/lib/swift/host/plugins -o /Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/build/macos/Build/Intermediates.noindex/Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/Objects-normal/x86_64/GeneratedPluginRegistrant.o -index-unit-output-path /Runner.build/Debug/Runner.build/Objects-normal/x86_64/GeneratedPluginRegistrant.o
/Users/zatanna/Development/pijarolata_hervida/macos/Runner/MainFlutterWindow.swift:2:8: error: no such module 'FlutterMacOS'
import FlutterMacOS
       ^
warning: Run script build phase 'Run Script' will be run during every build because it does not specify any outputs. To address this issue, either add output dependencies to the script phase, or configure it to run in every build by unchecking "Based on dependency analysis" in the script phase. (in target 'Flutter Assemble' from project 'Runner')
** BUILD FAILED **

Building macOS application...                                           
Error: Build process failed

Code sample

N/A

Screenshots or Video

N/A

Logs

N/A

Flutter Doctor output

Doctor output

 flutter doctor --verbose
[✓] Flutter (Channel stable, 3.32.0, on macOS 15.5 24F74 darwin-x64, locale en-US) [924ms]
    • Flutter version 3.32.0 on channel stable at /opt/flutter/3.32.0/flutter
    • Upstream repository https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
    • Framework revision be698c48a6 (8 days ago), 2025-05-19 12:59:14 -0700
    • Engine revision 1881800949
    • Dart version 3.8.0
    • DevTools version 2.45.1

[✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 36.0.0) [3.4s]
    • Android SDK at /opt/android-clt/13114758
    • Platform android-36, build-tools 36.0.0
    • Java binary at: /opt/android-studio/2024.3.2.14/Android Studio.app/Contents/jbr/Contents/Home/bin/java
      This is the JDK bundled with the latest Android Studio installation on this machine.
      To manually set the JDK path, use: `flutter config --jdk-dir="path/to/jdk"`.
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.6+-13368085-b895.109)
    • All Android licenses accepted.

[✓] Xcode - develop for iOS and macOS (Xcode 16.3) [2.9s]
    • Xcode at /opt/xcode/16.3/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
    • Build 16E140
    • CocoaPods version 1.16.2

[✗] Chrome - develop for the web (Cannot find Chrome executable at /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google
    Chrome) [23ms]
    ! Cannot find Chrome. Try setting CHROME_EXECUTABLE to a Chrome executable.

[✓] Android Studio (version 2024.3) [22ms]
    • Android Studio at /opt/android-studio/2024.3.2.14/Android Studio.app/Contents
    • Flutter plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9212-flutter
    • Dart plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6351-dart
    • android-studio-dir = /opt/android-studio/2024.3.2.14/Android Studio.app
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.6+-13368085-b895.109)

[✓] Connected device (1 available) [6.4s]
    • macOS (desktop) • macos • darwin-x64 • macOS 15.5 24F74 darwin-x64

[✓] Network resources [599ms]
    • All expected network resources are available.

! Doctor found issues in 1 category.

[darshankawar]

@diegum
I have intel Mac and didn't see the reported error after creating new flutter app with latest stable version.

dhs@Dhss-MacBook-Pro ncflutter % cd pijarolata_hervida
dhs@Dhss-MacBook-Pro pijarolata_hervida % flutter run
Could not load custom device from config index 0: Expected enabled to be a
boolean.
Connected devices:
macOS (desktop) • macos  • darwin-x64     • macOS 15.2 24C101 darwin-x64
Chrome (web)    • chrome • web-javascript • Google Chrome 137.0.7151.55

Checking for wireless devices...

[1]: macOS (macos)
[2]: Chrome (chrome)
Please choose one (or "q" to quit): 1
Launching lib/main.dart on macOS in debug mode...
warning: Run script build phase 'Run Script' will be run during every build because it does not specify any outputs. To address this issue, either add output dependencies to the script phase, or configure it to run in every build by unchecking "Based on dependency analysis" in the script phase. (in target 'Flutter Assemble' from project 'Runner')
Building macOS application...                                           
✓ Built build/storybook/macos/Build/Products/Debug/pijarolata_hervida.app
2025-05-28 16:37:06.869 pijarolata_hervida[22741:334709] +[IMKClient subclass]: chose IMKClient_Modern
2025-05-28 16:37:06.869 pijarolata_hervida[22741:334709] +[IMKInputSession subclass]: chose IMKInputSession_Modern
Syncing files to device macOS...                                    97ms

I see that you are on Xcode 16.3 and I am on 16.2m so not sure if that's the factor or not.
I created the app from terminal outside of IDE.
Can you provide more details around this issue ? Is it started occuring in latest stable or occured in previous versions as well ?

[diegum]

Cheers, Darshan. Thanks for replying!

I've been having this issue since late last year, and it was enough to drop Flutter as a candidate technology for a cross-platform project (Tauri won on that occasion). There's a new project coming and I was reopening the candidate research.

If you check my repro steps, I'm also creating the project from the terminal. In fact, I have Xcode installed, but I didn't open it for this project in particular.

When it happened last year, it happened on Xcode 16.2. Here's the ticket that I opened (they closed it without a solution, but I didn't complain because I had already discarded Flutter).
flutter/website#11516

[darshankawar]

Ok, thanks for the update. Can you provide the affected file: MainFlutterWindow.swift ? Below are the contents when it generated for me:

import Cocoa
import FlutterMacOS

class MainFlutterWindow: NSWindow {
  override func awakeFromNib() {
    let flutterViewController = FlutterViewController()
    let windowFrame = self.frame
    self.contentViewController = flutterViewController
    self.setFrame(windowFrame, display: true)

    RegisterGeneratedPlugins(registry: flutterViewController)

    super.awakeFromNib()
  }
}

[diegum]

Thanks again for being there, Darshan.

Here's mine:

$ find . -name MainFlutterWindow.swift -exec cat {} \;
import Cocoa
import FlutterMacOS

class MainFlutterWindow: NSWindow {
  override func awakeFromNib() {
    let flutterViewController = FlutterViewController()
    let windowFrame = self.frame
    self.contentViewController = flutterViewController
    self.setFrame(windowFrame, display: true)

    RegisterGeneratedPlugins(registry: flutterViewController)

    super.awakeFromNib()
  }
}

I'm starting to think that my project metada is missing "Framework Search Path" so it can find FlutterMacOS.framework when a source file imports it. I see that the framework exists. It's just not referred:

$ find /opt/flutter -name FlutterMacOS.framework
/opt/flutter/3.32.0/flutter/bin/cache/artifacts/engine/darwin-x64-profile/FlutterMacOS.xcframework/macos-arm64_x86_64/FlutterMacOS.framework
/opt/flutter/3.32.0/flutter/bin/cache/artifacts/engine/darwin-x64/FlutterMacOS.xcframework/macos-arm64_x86_64/FlutterMacOS.framework
/opt/flutter/3.32.0/flutter/bin/cache/artifacts/engine/darwin-x64-release/FlutterMacOS.xcframework/macos-arm64_x86_64/FlutterMacOS.framework

Maybe I need to set some environment variable?

[darshankawar]

Maybe I need to set some environment variable?

@diegum Looks like it. Please go through the installation guide and check if you have everything setup as mentioned.

[diegum]

I swear I checked my setup multiple times. But following your advice, I checked it one more time. I found something curious, that I want you to tell me how's in your case: there isn't any Podfile in my created project. How's that? Cocoapods is one of the requirements for macOS and iOS. Then, how's possible that there's no Podfile? I assume that, in such case, Cocoapods becomes irrelevant. But it's still a prerequisite (and my setup meets it).
Could it be that the lack of a Podfile is causing FlutterMacOS not to be around? Just guessing because I'm trying not to look too much under the Flutter hood just yet.

A separated question I have for you, Darshan, is whether you see red squiggles at the failing import line when you open that file MainFlutterWindow.swift in Xcode.
The previous time that I opened this ticket, one of the guys admitted that there were red squiggles on Xcode at the failing line (despite passing fine in his case as much as in yours).

I have some feeling that there is something wrong with the macOS target, but perhaps it affects flutterists that install Flutter these days and not those who got it before a potential regression was merged. In brief words: is there any chance that you try to repro this issue in a brand new Mac that doesn't have flutter installed beforehand?

Thanks and happy weekend!

[darshankawar]

Then, how's possible that there's no Podfile?

@diegum I believe podfile is only generated if you have plugins in your app, so if you add some plugins, then you'll see the podfile generated.

is whether you see red squiggles at the failing import line when you open that file MainFlutterWindow.swift in Xcode.

No.

is there any chance that you try to repro this issue in a brand new Mac that doesn't have flutter installed beforehand?

I dont have brand new Mac, but can you try following to see if it helps further ?

• flutter create new_project
• cd/new_project
• flutter pub add image_picker
• Check if podfile created.
• Try to run the app