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saiteja_
Visitor II
May 21, 2026
Question

STM32CubeIDE missing “STM32 Project” option and .ioc file generation

  • May 21, 2026
  • 2 replies
  • 72 views

 

Hello everyone,

I am learning STM32 embedded development using an STM32 Blue Pill (STM32F103C8T6).

I installed STM32CubeIDE, but when I go to File -> New, I only see:

  • STM32CubeIDE Empty Project

  • C Project

  • C++ Project

  • STM32 CMake Project

I do not see the normal “STM32 Project” option.

Because of this:

  • .ioc file is not being generated

  • CubeMX integration appears to be missing

Additional details:

  • STM32CubeIDE version: 2.1.1

  • Windows 11

  • STM32 Blue Pill board

  • ST-Link is detected successfully in Device Manager

I already tried:

  • reinstalling packs

  • refreshing package descriptions

  • restarting the IDE

  • reinstalling STM32 packages

But the issue still exists.

Could someone please guide me on:

  1. Whether my installation is incomplete?

  2. How to restore the “STM32 Project” wizard?

  3. Whether I installed the wrong version of STM32CubeIDE?

Thank you.

2 replies

M
mfgkw
Associate II
May 21, 2026

Hi,

Welcome to the forum and welcome to the club of surprised users of CubeIDE 2.x.

The workflow you expect was valid until CubeIDE 1.19: CubeIDE and CubeMX are closely tightened.

Starting with CubeIDE 2.0 this changed. CubeIDE and CubeMX are divorced. To start a project with IOC file you now run CubeMX in the first place, configure everything and save it along with the IOC file. Then run CubeIDE, open the IOC and continue working.

You may return to CubeMX to change configuration any time, but you have to swith the applications manually.

 

There is already some discussion about this topic. Here is one of them: https://community.st.com/t5/stm32cubeide-mcus/ide-version-2-0-0-why-remove-mx/m-p/862721#M39896

 

BR
Klaus

 

 

    Andrew Neil
    Andrew Neil
    Super User
    May 21, 2026

    As @mfgkw said, this is intended behaviour with STM32CubeIDE from v 2.0.0 - see:

    STM32CubeIDE 2.0.0 New workflow tutorial

     

    Edit: Alternatively, the latest version with the old workflow is 1.19.0 - it is still available for download from the STM32CubeIDE page.

     

    @saiteja_ wrote:

    I am learning STM32 embedded development using an STM32 Blue Pill (STM32F103C8T6)..

    Beware that the Blue Pill is not an ST product and most likely contains a fake STM32.

    This is likely to cause you a great many problems and frustrations, as ST tools are not guaranteed to work properly - or even at all - with these fake chips.

     

    For the best learning experience, you should get a genuine ST board, such as the Nucleo-F103RB.

    This is fully supported by ST, fully compatible with ST tools - and even includes a genuine ST-Link.

    A complex system that works is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked.A complex system designed from scratch never works and cannot be patched up to make it work.
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