Android Studio design tab blank except for white dot in top left, won't work, but when running app works fine

Question

That little white dot that I circled is the textview (I have to zoom in to 1000% just to click it accurately). This is what my android studio shows on the preview screen when I load up the default "empty activity". I can drag other objects in but they just disappear. The Design view shows the app view but empty. When I actually run the app it appears normal, but it makes it really difficult to make the app without use of this feature. I've tried like 5 new projects but it's all the same.

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 19 '18 at 15:44

1

i experience this problem too, try this answer :

My design view on Android Studio is blank. It doesn't change. I have tried syncing with gradle build too. What to do?

it works for me after downgrading the appcompat to alpha1

answered Jun 19 '18 at 15:44

AAzizH

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karthik prasad · Answer 2 · 2018-06-12T13:55:27.807

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On the Select Design Surface option, Click Force Refresh Layout. That should work.

Edit: Source

Edit 2:

In the Project View, try deleting the ".idea" folder. Then, Change a small thing in any "build.gradle" file, and it will give you the option to "Sync project". Try this.

If not, try File -> Invalidate Caches/Restart -> Invalidate and Restart

edited Jun 12 '18 at 13:55

answered Jun 11 '18 at 20:42

karthik prasad

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Updated answer with next steps. – karthik prasad Jun 12 '18 at 13:55
Still doesn't work. I'm going to try to completely uninstalling Android Studio and reinstalling. – WillN210 Jun 12 '18 at 20:21

Android Studio design tab blank except for white dot in top left, won't work, but when running app works fine

2 Answers2