Android Emulator Render Issue - After macOS Big Sur Update

Question

After the macOS Big Sur, 11.0.1 update, the Android emulator began to display image rendering issues.

Issue

The emulator display window is repeating the device image. An issue has been documented in Android's IssueTracker.

Conditions

1. Re-sizing: When the emulator window is resized, increased or decreased
2. Orientation change: Portrait to landscape, and vice-versa

Attempted Solutions

• Clear the emulator with Wipe Data from the Android Device Manager.
• Create a new emulator instance.

Configuration

Android Studio

• Android Studio 4.1.1
• Build #AI-201.8743.12.41.6953283, built on November 4, 2020
• Runtime version: 1.8.0_242-release-1644-b3-6915495 x86_64
• VM: OpenJDK 64-Bit Server VM by JetBrains s.r.o
• macOS 10.16
• GC: ParNew, ConcurrentMarkSweep
• Memory: 1979M
• Cores: 16
• Registry: ide.new.welcome.screen.force=true, external.system.auto.import.disabled=true Non-Bundled Plugins: com.android.tool.sizereduction.plugin, com.thoughtworks.gauge, org.jetbrains.kotlin, cn.wjdghd.unique.plugin.id, mobi.hsz.idea.gitignore, com.developerphil.adbidea

Emulator

• Name: Pixel_3a_API_29
• CPU/ABI: Google Play Intel Atom (x86)
• Path: /Users/adamhurwitz/.android/avd/Pixel_3a_API_29.avd
• Target: google_apis_playstore [Google Play] (API level 29)
• Skin: 1080x2220
• SD Card: 512M
• fastboot.chosenSnapshotFile:
• runtime.network.speed: full
• hw.accelerometer: yes
• hw.device.name: pixel_3a
• hw.lcd.width: 1080
• hw.initialOrientation: Portrait
• image.androidVersion.api: 29
• tag.id: google_apis_playstore
• hw.mainKeys: no
• hw.camera.front: emulated
• avd.ini.displayname: Pixel 3a API 29
• hw.gpu.mode: auto
• hw.ramSize: 1536
• PlayStore.enabled: true
• fastboot.forceColdBoot: no
• hw.cpu.ncore: 4
• hw.keyboard: yes
• hw.sensors.proximity: yes
• hw.dPad: no
• hw.lcd.height: 2220
• vm.heapSize: 256
• skin.dynamic: yes
• hw.device.manufacturer: Google
• hw.gps: yes
• skin.path.backup: _no_skin
• hw.audioInput: yes
• image.sysdir.1: system-images/android-29/google_apis_playstore/x86/
• showDeviceFrame: no
• hw.camera.back: virtualscene
• AvdId: Pixel_3a_API_29
• hw.lcd.density: 440
• hw.arc: false
• hw.device.hash2: MD5:0e6953ebf01bdc6b33a2f54746629c50
• fastboot.forceChosenSnapshotBoot: no
• fastboot.forceFastBoot: yes
• hw.trackBall: no
• hw.battery: yes
• hw.sdCard: yes
• tag.display: Google Play
• runtime.network.latency: none
• disk.dataPartition.size: 6442450944
• hw.sensors.orientation: yes
• avd.ini.encoding: UTF-8
• hw.gpu.enabled: yes

Answer 1

I am having the same problem, after upgrade for Big Sur.

I find out a workaround... after resize, click twice on magnifying glass.

On some emulators this don't work. In this cases try Settings/Show window frame around device - turn off/turn on. This works for me.

Answer 2

I think I have found a temporary solution. If you are using another monitor with your computer just move the emulator between displays after resizing it. It is adjusting itself in this way

Answer 3

It seems that upgrading android studio (4.1.2), the emulator, and SDK tools fixes the issue since 2021.

After updating Android Studio, go to the preferences for Android Studio > Appearance & Behavior > System Settings > Android SDK > SDK Tools (tab) and select Android Emulator (I used 30.3.5), Android SDK Tools (26.1.1), and maybe the Android SDK Build-tools.

Disclaimer: These steps solved it for me. It might well be that only updating the "Android Emulator" SDK tool would have been enough.

Answer 4

A simple workaroud is to just hide and show it again.