Xcrun is of great use for developers as much as their powerful Mac devices. But it’s not very unusual to see xcrun missing or showing invalid status so it’s important for you to understand the causes and way to fix them.
Xcrun helps you to locate and use programming tools from the command line. Command line tools help developers to compile apps, debug them, and do several other tasks. Git is one of the tools that help keep track of all modifications you make to a file. If you are working in a team, it merges all changes into one source.
The programming and debugging environment in Mac is Xcode. For you to have a smooth development environment in Mac, you need to install Xcode before you start. An xcrun error happens when you try to execute a git command after an update. It could also happen because you haven’t yet installed Xcode.
What is the xcrun command error on Mac?
A missing xcrun can either come from the local computer or a remote server that you are connected to. The git might not specify where the error is coming from but you need to get a fix for it. Xcrun command is a program that helps you locate tools from your computer’s command line. You can use it to set your development environment to default.
The missing xcrun error affects all macOS versions and occurs when you try to execute commands after updating your operating system. You can fix the missing xcrun invalid path to command line tools error with simple solutions. One of them is to use the Xcode-select–install command and follow the prompts. You can follow the SetApp xcrun error fix guidelines to learn how to use other methods to solve the problem. Several reasons can cause the xcrun error.
You never installed the Xcode
Xcode was developed by Apple to provide an integrated programming environment in your macOS, iPad, Apple Watch, iPhone, and Apple TV. It helps you to create apps, test them, and distribute them across Apple platforms. The program is not inbuilt in macOs but you must install it. If you fail to install and want to develop applications, you will receive the xcrun error invalid active developer path warning.
You updated your macOS recently
Once you update your operating system, you will likely lose your Xcode settings. If you try to run a git command from the source after an update, you will receive the xcrun error active developer path warning. The reason is that your system cannot find an Xcode since its settings were removed.
You have not agreed to Xcode command-line tool license use
Once you install the command line tools, scroll down the license terms of use and click agree at the bottom. Once you agree, you automatically activate the program and it will not send broken communication.
Ways to fix macOS missing xcrun issue
The command-line developer tools are an important feature of your Mac system. Without it, you cannot perform different development tasks such as software debugging, file conversion, and program compilation. You need to fix the Mac missing xcrun issue as soon as it appears. Here are different methods you can use to fix the issue.
Clean and update your Mac
Junk files could cause the xcrun error and it might keep troubling you. Check your hard disk and RAM to see if they are full. You can use software for cleaning Mac to get rid of junk and remove unwanted files and apps. After cleaning, update all your applications including macOS. This should help fix the problem. If it fails, try the other methods.
Reboot the terminal window to fix the error
It is important you understand what xcrun is and its uses in your computer. Without xcrun, you cannot locate your developer tools or invoke them from the command line without the need for Makefiles modification. If your Mac system is missing xcrun at the terminal, it will display the xcrun missing error. If you had already installed them, your other option is to try and reboot the terminal window.
This is where your developer tools are located in macOS. All that you need to do is to close the terminal. Double-click it to launch and if a glitch caused the error, this will fix it in an instant. If it doesn’t, open the Terminal apps to check if you have granted it all the necessary permissions to execute commands. If it still cannot work, reboot Mac to see if the error will be resolved.
Install Xcode
Xcode was created to help experienced and new developers develop programs on their computers or remotely. If you have never installed it, you will get the xcrun error every time you try to install programs from the source. The solution is to install it on your computer. If you have created an Apple Developer account, you can download Xcode from the App Store.
- Open the App Store and sign in
- Search for Xcode and download the current version
- Right-click the software and follow the prompts to install it
- Once installed, launch it and it will be ready for use
Install or reinstall the command line tools
For Xcode to work properly, you need to download its command line tools. You need them to succeed in developing software in the macOS terminal. Open the terminal and type the command Xcode-select-install tools. The installation process will start and you will receive a prompt asking you whether you want to install the tools.
Select Install to download the tools and automatically install them. You will be asked to confirm the installation. Type the command xcode-select-p to verify. Once complete, open Xcode and select the tools from the location.
Conclusion
The xcrun error mainly occurs after an update to your macOS. The solutions suggested here should fix the error but if one of them fails to work try the next one until you get a solution. You can prevent the error from occurring by keeping your computer's hard disk clean and updating all applications.
