Android Emulator 'Storing crashdata' Error on macOS

Problem Statement

When running Android Emulator commands (emulator -list-avds, emulator -help, etc.) on macOS, you encounter an error message as the first line of output:

INFO    | Storing crashdata in: /tmp/android-gregoire/emu-crash-34.1.18.db, detection is enabled for process: 4832

This occurs on systems with:

• macOS Sonoma 14.3.1+ (especially M1/M2 Macs)
• Android Emulator version 34.1.18.0
• Android Studio Iguana 2023.2.1+

Why this breaks your workflow:
Tools like React Native parse the first line of emulator -list-avds as an AVD name, attempting to launch a non-existent emulator called "INFO | Storing crashdata...". This breaks automated flows while manual emulator startup remains functional.

Verified Solutions

Solution 1: Downgrade Android Emulator (Most Effective)

The core issue stems from a bug in Emulator v34.1.18. Reverting to v33.1.24 resolves it:

1. Download the Android Emulator v33.1.24 (Stable) from:
   developer.android.com/studio/emulator_archive
   (Select the macOS package matching your chip architecture)

2. Locate your existing emulator installation:

   # Default location if using ANDROID_HOME
   echo $ANDROID_HOME/emulator
   
   # Default location without custom variables
   ~/Library/Android/sdk/emulator

3. Replace existing emulator files:

   rm -rf $ANDROID_HOME/emulator  # Back up first if needed
   unzip ~/Downloads/emulator-darwin*.zip -d $ANDROID_HOME

4. Grant execution permissions:

   chmod -R +x $ANDROID_HOME/emulator
   chmod +x $ANDROID_HOME/emulator/emulator

5. Restart your terminal/IDE and verify:

   emulator -list-avds

   (First macOS permission prompt may appear - accept it)

6. ⚠️ Disable auto-updates temporarily in Android Studio:
   Preferences → Appearance & Behavior → System Settings → Updates
   Uncheck "Automatically download Android emulator updates"

Solution 2: Reinstall Emulator via SDK Manager

If downgrading isn't feasible, reinstall current version:

1. In Android Studio:
   Tools → SDK Manager → SDK Tools
   Uncheck "Android Emulator" → Apply
   

2. Restart Android Studio

3. Re-install the emulator:
   Same path: Check "Android Emulator" → Apply

Solution 3: Permission Reset

Trigger macOS to re-request emulator permissions:

1. Move existing authorization files:

   mv ~/Library/Android ~/Library/Android_Backup

2. Run any emulator command:

   emulator -list-avds

3. Accept the macOS security prompt
4. Restore your original configuration:

   rm -rf ~/Library/Android
   mv ~/Library/Android_Backup ~/Library/Android

Explanation

Why this happens

The INFO message erroneously prints to stdout instead of stderr in v34.1.18. Since tools like React Native capture standard output, they receive the message instead of valid AVD names. This is confirmed fixed in later emulator versions.

Best practice recommendation: Downgrading to v33.1.24 (Solution 1) resolves the issue completely until Google releases a patched version. Avoid newer experimental releases marked "Canary" or "Preview" if stability is critical.

Verify Fix Success

The error should disappear from command outputs:

emulator -list-avds
# Pixel_3a_API_34	(Only AVD names appear)
# ... no "Storing crashdata" line

React Native flows should now start emulators correctly.

Troubleshooting

If solutions don't work:

1. Delete temporary crashdata folders:

   rm -rf /tmp/android-*

2. Reset environment variables to defaults temporarily
3. Ensure no stale emulator processes:

   pkill -9 qemu-system-*; pkill -9 emulator

Final Note: This appears to be a version-specific regression. Monitor the official issue tracker for permanent fixes in future releases. After a stable v34.1.20+ release, re-update through SDK Manager.