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VSCode with MAUI extension on Mac not loading Solution file

Tony Pitman 100 Reputation points
2025-11-19T15:02:22.1166667+00:00

I have been using VSCode for MAUI mobile dev for a while now on a Mac.

Up until a couple days ago when I opened the folder with my solution in it it would also load the solution file and show the solution explorer.

Now when I open the folder, even using the Open Recent option, it loads the folder and then tries to load all of the projects that it finds, but then just creates a temporary solution. I know this because it shows the wrong project files and the solution name has the words (Temporary Solution File - Not Saved in Workspace).

I also can see at the bottom of VSCode a small text that says: "No solution file opened".

If I choose the Cmd+Shift+P and .NET: Open Solution, it loads the correct solution and everything works from there.

If I close VSCode and open it again, it forgets that solution and does the same issue again.

I have Copilot and have tried a whole bunch of suggestions such as creating a settings file with the solution name there and many other things.

One of the things was to change the VSCode settings to load the same solution each time. That works for this project, but then when I open a different project folder it fails to load THAT project's solution because it obviously has a different name, so setting a global solution to load is not an answer either.

This used to work just a few days ago.

I don't know what changed.

Developer technologies | .NET | .NET MAUI
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  1. Q&A Assist
    2025-11-19T15:02:48.47+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    It sounds like you're experiencing issues with Visual Studio Code not properly loading your MAUI solution file. Here are a few suggestions that might help resolve this issue:

    1. Check for Updates: Ensure that both Visual Studio Code and the MAUI extension are up to date. Sometimes, bugs are fixed in newer versions.
    2. Open Solution Manually: As you've mentioned, using the command Cmd+Shift+P and selecting .NET: Open Solution loads the correct solution. This should be a temporary workaround until the issue is resolved.
    3. Workspace Settings: You might want to check your workspace settings. If you have a workspace file (.code-workspace), ensure that it is correctly configured to include your solution file.
    4. Clear Cache: Sometimes, clearing the cache or resetting the settings for VSCode can help. You can try deleting the .vscode folder in your project directory and restarting VSCode.
    5. Check for Conflicting Extensions: If you have other extensions installed, they might be conflicting with the MAUI extension. Try disabling them temporarily to see if that resolves the issue.
    6. Reinstall the Extension: If none of the above works, consider uninstalling and then reinstalling the MAUI extension to see if that fixes the loading issue.

    If the problem persists, it may be worth checking the official documentation or forums for any known issues or additional troubleshooting steps specific to the MAUI extension in VSCode.

    References:

  2. Jack Dang (WICLOUD CORPORATION) 3,965 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator
    2025-11-20T06:17:54.6966667+00:00

    Hi @Tony Pitman ,

    Thanks for reaching out.

    I understand how frustrating it must be that VS Code stopped automatically loading your MAUI solution, especially when it worked fine before. Based on community reports, the “Temporary Solution File - Not Saved in Workspace” can happen when the .NET / MAUI extensions fail to detect the .sln file automatically. For more context, see: Temporary solution auto-creation and SDK detection issues on macOS.

    Here are a couple of methods that might help restore automatic solution loading:

    • Use a workspace file (.code-workspace): Create a workspace that explicitly includes your .sln. This allows VS Code to remember the correct solution for each project, even if multiple or stray .sln files exist.
    • Verify the .NET SDK: Make sure the SDK is installed and recognized (which dotnet or dotnet --list-sdks), as detection issues on macOS can prevent automatic solution loading.

    Using a workspace file is often the most effective way to have VS Code load your solution automatically. If the issue persists, reporting it on the GitHub repo for VS Code .NET tools with your setup details can help the maintainers track it.

    Hope this helps! If my answer was helpful - kindly follow the instructions here so others with the same problem can benefit as well.

  3. Bruce (SqlWork.com) 81,726 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2025-11-20T22:26:52.5566667+00:00

    I believe for best results you should have root folder (workspace) that only contains the solution and launch files. The projects should be subfolders. then just open the workspace folder

    note: delete all other solution files. In workspace folder use dotnet cli to create to create the solution.

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