How To Fix “repositories.cfg could not be loaded” Error in Android SDK Installation

In the world of Android development, encountering errors during the installation or updating process of the Android SDK is not uncommon. One such error is the “repositories.cfg could not be loaded” error. This error typically arises when the Android SDK manager fails to locate the repositories.cfg file. This article will guide you through several solutions to resolve this issue.

Understanding the Error

Before we dive into the solutions, it’s important to understand what this error implies. The repositories.cfg file is a configuration file that the Android SDK manager uses to keep track of the repositories from which it can fetch updates. When this file is missing or incorrectly configured, the SDK manager cannot function properly, leading to the “repositories.cfg could not be loaded” error.

Solution 1: Creating an Empty repositories.cfg File

The simplest solution to this error is to create an empty repositories.cfg file in the correct directory. Here’s how you can do it:

On Ubuntu:

1. Open a terminal.
2. Run the command touch ~/.android/repositories.cfg. The touch command in Unix systems is used to create a new empty file. In this case, it creates a new file named repositories.cfg in the ~/.android/ directory.

On Windows:

1. Open PowerShell.
2. Run the command New-Item ~\.android\repositories.cfg -Force. The New-Item command in PowerShell is used to create a new item, which can be a file, folder, or symbolic link. In this case, it creates a new file named repositories.cfg in the ~\.android\ directory.

After creating the file, retry the update command: tools/bin/sdkmanager --update.

Solution 2: Creating a Configured repositories.cfg File

If the first solution doesn’t work, you can create a repositories.cfg file with a basic configuration. Here’s how:

1. Open a text editor.
2. Create a new file named repositories.cfg in the ~/.android/ directory (on Ubuntu) or %USERPROFILE%\.android\ directory (on Windows).
3. Add the following lines of text to the file:

### User Sources for Android SDK Manager
#Fri Nov 03 10:11:27 CET 2017 count=0

4. Save the file.
5. Retry the update command: tools/bin/sdkmanager --update.

Solution 3: Accepting Android Licenses (For Flutter Users)

If you’re a Flutter user, you might encounter this error while trying to accept the Android licenses. Here’s how to resolve it:

1. Open a terminal or command prompt.
2. Run the command flutter doctor --android-licenses. This command checks for any Android licenses that haven’t been accepted.
3. When prompted, type ‘y’ to view the licenses.
4. Accept all the licenses by typing ‘y’ for each one.
5. Retry the update command: tools/bin/sdkmanager --update.

Conclusion

The “repositories.cfg could not be loaded” error can be a stumbling block in your Android development journey. However, with the solutions provided in this article, you should be able to resolve this issue and continue with your SDK installation or update. If none of the solutions work, it’s recommended to seek further assistance from Android’s official documentation or community forums.