Matlab doesn't open (it's installed and activated)

I'm on a Windows 10 machine. I had a well functioning Matlab 2018a installed and then suddenly it stopped working. When I try to open Matlab, it shows up in my Task Manager but the software just doesn't open.

I uninstalled 2018a, downloaded and installed 2018b and activated it, but it still shows the same behavior.

Can someone please help me? I've wasted hours of effort on this and can't make it work.

Thanks

[Areesha Siddiqui]

I have the same problem not able to uderstand it

[Areesha Siddiqui]

It is on taskbar and just showing transfer,storage,...

[Nouf AlShareedah]

I have the same problem!

[paulo sigauque]

I had the same problem and your comment solve my problem.. Thank you for it...

[venkat reddy]

Thank you very Much

[Harry]

I am having the same issue, but none of the solutions above help... What else can I try?

[KODJOVI SENAM BORIS AHIANDIPE]

I'm also having the same issue

Answer 1

[Kojiro Saito]

It might be because MATLAB's prefdir is corrupted.

Please delete the following folders (previous prefdir)

• C:\Users\YOUR_USER_NAME\AppData\Roaming\MathWorks\MATLAB\R2018a
• C:\Users\YOUR_USER_NAME\AppData\Roaming\MathWorks\MATLAB\R2018a_licenses
• C:\Users\YOUR_USER_NAME\AppData\Roaming\MathWorks\MATLAB\R2018b
• C:\Users\YOUR_USER_NAME\AppData\Roaming\MathWorks\MATLAB\R2018b_licenses

and launch MATLAB R2018b again.

[Abhimanyu Talwar]

Thank you, this solved the issue!

[Mohith Kankanala]

Thank you!!

[Arthur Warlop Piers de Raveschoot]

thank you very much!!!

[syed huzaifa]

thank you

[Moin Diwan]

Thanks man...!!!!

[mmf mds]

It's still not opening after deleting these. What should I do ?

[Irtaza Waheed]

Worked for me too. Thanks. Just had to reactivate license. :)

[Alexander Ursolov]

It works! Thank you very much!

[Mai Nguyen]

Worked for me! Thanks

[brij tiwari]

Thanks a lot. it work fine.

[koushmitha suri]

It works! Thanks a lot

[Hualin Ren]

It works well! Thanks!

[MOKHLIS MOHCINE]

It works, thank you a lot

[Marwa Tarawneh]

Thank you. It works, once deleted I just had to activate Matlab

[Ramila Wijesuriya]

Thanks. It works !!

[Pavan Boragunde]

Thanks,It working

[ABD. HAYYI JUSOO]

Thank youu. You saved my life!

[Richa Dubey]

I always have to do this before I open matlab 2021. Could you please suggest a permanent solution for this.

Thanks.

[Sai Rohith Jagarlapudi]

thank you soo much

[ARPITA HUGGI]

thank you this helped

[Sakshi chawla]

thanks..it worked

[chayanon summueang]

It's work for me in 2021a. Thank !!

[Ravi Gangani]

thanks , yaa Its works

[Ahmed Mahdy]

Thanks man for your help!

[Emmanuella]

God bless you 😭😭😭😭 thanks really

[Alexandre]

i have the same problem... but in macbook air... can u help me?

[Kojiro Saito]

@Alexandre

The default prefdir of MacOS is

/Users/$USER/Library/Application Support/MathWorks/MATLAB/<MATLAB Version>

[Rohit Singh]

what is the default prefdir for windows? i reactivated my matlab license but still can't open a matlab file. it still shows error

[Massimo Del Guasta]

thank You! your suggested solution worked also for my MATLAB 2023b!

Answer 2

[Ashenafi Tesfaye]

These are some of the methods.

1. Restart your computer and launch MATLAB again.
2. Go to task manager and end the process if it is running without opening and displaying on the screen.
3. Delete the temporary files
4. Delete the AppData/Roaming/Mathworks/R20xxx.

All above listed ways could work but the 4th method is so effective.

That is it.

[Sen]

Method 4 works, but simply delete the 'AppData/Roaming/Mathworks/R20xxx.' does not work for me.

In my laptop,

• First, rename this folder e.g R2024a to R2024a_old. (not delete)
• Then, it works.

[Jack]

This worked for 2024b thank you!

Answer 3

[NN]

I am facing teh same problem, but i couldnt find the APP data folder

[Ravi Gangani]

'APP data folder ' is hidden forlder . you have enable 'show hidden folder' from folder option.

Answer 4

[Suryansh]

Hi, it is not helping

[Steven Lord]

Please contact Customer Service directly using this link and work with them to determine why MATLAB will not open on your machine.