IDE hangs on startup: "Failed to initialize the CLI configuration"

Development Tools IDE 2.x
1 
Arduino IDE 2.3.2 Checking for frontend application configuration customizations. Module path: C:\Users\help\AppData\Local\Programs\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\electron-main.js, destination 'package.json': C:\Users\help\AppData\Local\Programs\Arduino IDE\resources\app\package.json Setting 'theia.frontend.config.appVersion' application configuration value to: "2.3.2" (type of string) Setting 'theia.frontend.config.cliVersion' application configuration value to: "0.35.3" (type of string) Setting 'theia.frontend.config.buildDate' application configuration value to: "2024-02-20T10:04:35.814Z" (type of string) Frontend application configuration after modifications: {"applicationName":"Arduino IDE","defaultTheme":{"light":"arduino-theme","dark":"arduino-theme-dark"},"defaultIconTheme":"none","electron":{"windowOptions":{}},"defaultLocale":"","validatePreferencesSchema":false,"preferences":{"window.title":"${rootName}${activeEditorShort}${appName}","files.autoSave":"afterDelay","editor.minimap.enabled":false,"editor.tabSize":2,"editor.scrollBeyondLastLine":false,"editor.quickSuggestions":{"other":false,"comments":false,"strings":false},"editor.maxTokenizationLineLength":500,"editor.bracketPairColorization.enabled":false,"breadcrumbs.enabled":false,"workbench.tree.renderIndentGuides":"none","explorer.compactFolders":false},"appVersion":"2.3.2","cliVersion":"0.35.3","buildDate":"2024-02-20T10:04:35.814Z"} Starting backend process. PID: 780 Using browser-only version of superagent in non-browser environment Configuration directory URI: 'file:///c%3A/Users/help/.arduinoIDE' Configuring to accept webviews on '^.+\.webview\..+$' hostname. 2025-05-23T06:01:51.035Z root INFO Backend Object.initialize: 5.7 ms [Finished 0.643 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.036Z root INFO Backend Object.configure: 4.7 ms [Finished 0.643 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.036Z root INFO Backend s.onStart: 2.6 ms [Finished 0.643 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.037Z root INFO Backend s.configure: 0.4 ms [Finished 0.671 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.038Z root INFO Backend d.onStart: 0.3 ms [Finished 0.672 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.040Z root INFO Backend d.configure: 0.1 ms [Finished 0.672 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.042Z root INFO Backend d.initialize: 28.7 ms [Finished 0.672 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.042Z root INFO Backend c.onStart: 0.3 ms [Finished 0.672 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.043Z root INFO Backend a.configure: 1.4 ms [Finished 0.674 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.045Z config INFO >>> Initializing CLI configuration... 2025-05-23T06:01:51.046Z root INFO Backend c.initialize: 0.9 ms [Finished 0.674 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.046Z root INFO Backend R.onStart: 1.3 ms [Finished 0.675 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.047Z config INFO Loading CLI configuration from c:\Users\help\.arduinoIDE\arduino-cli.yaml... 2025-05-23T06:01:51.048Z daemon INFO Starting daemon from C:\Users\help\AppData\Local\Programs\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\resources\arduino-cli.exe... 2025-05-23T06:01:51.048Z root INFO Backend a.initialize: 0.8 ms [Finished 0.677 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.048Z root INFO Backend w.onStart: 2.4 ms [Finished 0.679 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.048Z root INFO Backend r.configure: 3.8 ms [Finished 0.679 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.048Z discovery-log INFO start 2025-05-23T06:01:51.048Z discovery-log INFO start new deferred 2025-05-23T06:01:51.048Z root INFO Backend d.initialize: 0.7 ms [Finished 0.680 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.048Z root INFO Backend y.onStart: 3.1 ms [Finished 0.682 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.048Z root INFO Backend r.configure: 2.9 ms [Finished 0.683 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.049Z root INFO Backend a.onStart: 0.8 ms [Finished 0.685 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.049Z root INFO Backend h.configure: 0.8 ms [Finished 0.685 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.049Z root INFO Backend s.configure: 0.3 ms [Finished 0.685 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.049Z root INFO Backend l.configure: 0.1 ms [Finished 0.685 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.053Z root INFO Theia app listening on http://127.0.0.1:50076. 2025-05-23T06:01:51.053Z root INFO Finished starting backend application: 4.3 ms [Finished 0.689 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.054Z root WARN The local plugin referenced by local-dir:/c%3A/Users/help/.arduinoIDE/plugins does not exist. 2025-05-23T06:01:51.054Z root WARN The local plugin referenced by local-dir:/c%3A/Users/help/.arduinoIDE/extensions does not exist. 2025-05-23T06:01:51.055Z root WARN The local plugin referenced by local-dir:C:\Users\help\.arduinoIDE\plugins does not exist. Restoring workspace roots: c:\Users\help\Downloads\lightSeed_lvgl\lightSeed_lvgl\lightSeed_lvgl.ino isTempSketch: false. Input was c:\Users\help\Downloads\lightSeed_lvgl\lightSeed_lvgl\lightSeed_lvgl.ino 2025-05-23T06:01:51.076Z config INFO Loaded CLI configuration: {"board_manager":{"additional_urls":[]}} 2025-05-23T06:01:51.076Z config ERROR Failed to initialize the CLI configuration. TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading 'data') at R.loadCliConfig (C:\Users\help\AppData\Local\Programs\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:614605) at async R.initConfig (C:\Users\help\AppData\Local\Programs\Arduino IDE\resources\app\lib\backend\main.js:2:613378) 2025-05-23T06:01:51.333Z daemon INFO time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Using config file: c:\\Users\\help\\.arduinoIDE\\arduino-cli.yaml" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="arduino-cli.exe version 0.35.3" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Executing `arduino-cli daemon`" 2025-05-23T06:01:51.351Z daemon INFO Daemon is now listening on 127.0.0.1:50077 {"IP":"127.0.0.1","Port":"50077"} 2025-05-23T06:01:51.351Z daemon INFO Daemon is running. 2025-05-23T06:01:51.382Z root INFO Resolve plugins list: 335.8 ms [Finished 1.019 s after backend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:51.434Z daemon INFO time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Checking signature" index="C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\package_index.json" signatureFile="C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\package_index.json.sig" trusted=true 2025-05-23T06:01:51.437Z daemon INFO time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loading hardware from: C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages" 2025-05-23T06:01:51.441Z daemon INFO time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loading package arduino from: C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware" 2025-05-23T06:01:51.571Z daemon INFO time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Missing signature file" index="C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\installed.json" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Adding monitor tool" protocol=serial tool="builtin:serial-monitor" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded platform" platform="arduino:avr@1.8.6" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Missing signature file" index="C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\esp32\\2.0.18-arduino.5\\installed.json" 2025-05-23T06:01:51.581Z daemon INFO time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Adding monitor tool" protocol=serial tool="builtin:serial-monitor" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded platform" platform="arduino:esp32@2.0.18-arduino.5" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Checking existence of 'tools' path: C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\tools" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loading tools from dir: C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\tools" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="arduino:arduinoOTA@1.3.0" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="arduino:avr-gcc@7.3.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino7" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="arduino:avrdude@6.3.0-arduino17" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="arduino:dfu-util@0.11.0-arduino5" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loading package builtin from: C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\builtin" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Checking existence of 'tools' path: C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\builtin\\tools" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loading tools from dir: C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\builtin\\tools" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="builtin:ctags@5.8-arduino11" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="builtin:dfu-discovery@0.1.2" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="builtin:mdns-discovery@1.0.9" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="builtin:serial-discovery@1.4.1" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="builtin:serial-monitor@0.15.0" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loading package esp32 from: C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\esp32\\hardware" 2025-05-23T06:01:51.615Z daemon INFO time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Missing signature file" index="C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\esp32\\hardware\\esp32\\2.0.17\\installed.json" 2025-05-23T06:01:51.716Z daemon INFO time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Adding monitor tool" protocol=serial tool="builtin:serial-monitor" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded platform" platform="esp32:esp32@2.0.17" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Checking existence of 'tools' path: C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\esp32\\tools" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loading tools from dir: C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\esp32\\tools" 2025-05-23T06:01:51.742Z daemon INFO time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="esp32:esptool_py@4.5.1" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="esp32:mklittlefs@3.0.0-gnu12-dc7f933" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="esp32:mkspiffs@0.2.3" 2025-05-23T06:01:51.824Z daemon INFO time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="esp32:openocd-esp32@v0.12.0-esp32-20230921" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="esp32:riscv32-esp-elf-gcc@esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="esp32:riscv32-esp-elf-gdb@11.2_20220823" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="esp32:s3-gcc@2021r2-p5" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="esp32:xtensa-esp-elf-gdb@11.2_20220823" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="esp32:xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc@esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="esp32:xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc@esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loaded tool" tool="esp32:xtensa-esp32s3-elf-gcc@esp-2021r2-patch5-8.4.0" time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Adding libraries dir" dir="C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\esp32\\hardware\\esp32\\2.0.17\\libraries" location=platform time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Adding libraries dir" dir="C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\avr\\1.8.6\\libraries" location=platform time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Adding libraries dir" dir="C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\packages\\arduino\\hardware\\esp32\\2.0.18-arduino.5\\libraries" location=platform time="2025-05-23T02:01:51-04:00" level=info msg="Loading libraries index file" index="C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\library_index.json" 2025-05-23T06:01:52.475Z daemon INFO time="2025-05-23T02:01:52-04:00" level=info msg="Adding libraries dir" dir="C:\\Users\\help\\AppData\\Local\\Arduino15\\libraries" location=ide time="2025-05-23T02:01:52-04:00" level=info msg="Adding libraries dir" dir="C:\\Users\\help\\Documents\\Arduino\\libraries" location=user Opening channel for service path '/services/electron-window'. 2025-05-23T06:01:53.480Z root INFO Deploy plugins list: 335.8 ms [Finished 3.117 s after backend start] Opening channel for service path '/services/ide-updater'. 2025-05-23T06:01:53.904Z root WARN Frontend a.configure took longer than the expected maximum 100 milliseconds: 306.6 ms [Finished 2.700 s after frontend start] 2025-05-23T06:01:53.904Z root WARN A command editor.action.toggleStickyScroll is already registered.
2

Hi @mubamistry2520.

Arduino IDE stores some configuration information in a data file that is stored on your hard drive. It seems that file was somehow corrupted. This is causing the hang on startup.

Arduino IDE will automatically generate a new valid file on startup if the configuration file is missing, so the most simple solution for this problem is to just delete the corrupted file and then restart Arduino IDE. I can see from the logs you shared that the file doesn't contain any valuable configuration information so regenerating it won't cause any harm. I'll provide instructions you can follow to do that:

  1. Select File > Quit from the Arduino IDE menus if it is running.
    All Arduino IDE windows will close.
  2. Delete the file at the following path:
    C:\Users\help\.arduinoIDE\arduino-cli.yaml
    :warning: Please be careful when deleting things from your computer. When in doubt, back up!
  3. Start Arduino IDE.

Arduino IDE should now start up fully and be functional as usual.