Android Studio Freeze During "Processing Classes for Emulated Method Breakpoints"

Problem

When debugging in Android Studio (specifically version 2023.2.1 "Iguana"), a popup labeled "processing classes for emulated method breakpoints" appears and causes the IDE to freeze. This prevents normal debugging activities and halts workflow. The issue typically manifests when:

• The popup appears during debug sessions
• The IDE becomes unresponsive instead of completing initialization
• Debug session fails to start properly

Key Solutions

1. Remove Method Breakpoints

Preferred Solution

The most effective fix, as confirmed by JetBrains, is removing method breakpoints and replacing them with line breakpoints.

Method breakpoints often cause performance issues because they monitor all invocations of a method rather than a specific line.

Steps to remove:

1. Open breakpoints manager:
   Windows/Linux: Ctrl + Shift + F8
   macOS: ⌘ + ⇧ + F8
2. Navigate to Java Method Breakpoints section
3. Select all method breakpoints
4. Click - icon to remove them
5. Replace with line breakpoints by clicking the gutter where you need them

Official JetBrains Recommendation

2. Clear All Breakpoints

If removing only method breakpoints doesn't help:

# Alternative command-line approach
1. Find breakpoints XML: ~/Library/Preferences/AndroidStudio[Version]/options/breakpoints.xml 
2. Rename or delete this file
3. Restart Android Studio

Through UI:

1. Open Breakpoints Manager (Ctrl+Shift+F8)
2. Click gear icon → "Remove All Breakpoints"
3. Restart Android Studio

3. Verify Runtime Permissions

If issue persists, check runtime permission configuration:

AndroidManifest.xml must include:

<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
<!-- Enable if using file storage -->
<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />

Device Settings Check:

1. Go to device Settings → Apps → Your App
2. Verify permissions are enabled (especially storage/internet)
3. Reinstall app if permissions show as revoked

4. Check Room Database Entities

For projects using Room Database:

// Incorrect camelCase example causing conflicts
@Entity
data class User(
    @PrimaryKey val userId: Int,
    val firstName: String, // Might conflict with SQLite's snake_case
    val lastName: String
)

Resolution:

1. Ensure field names match SQLite's snake_case convention
2. Add @ColumnInfo annotations when needed:

   @ColumnInfo(name = "first_name") 
   val firstName: String

3. Check Logcat for schema mismatch errors during normal app run

Additional Resolutions

• Update Android Studio: Install latest patches via Help → Check for Updates
• Downgrade Temporarily: If issue persists, revert to stable 2022.3.1 "Hedgehog" version
• Check Storage Permissions: Essential if using network libraries like Retrofit with caching

Critical Note

Method breakpoints are expensive operations in JVM debugging and should be avoided. Always prefer line breakpoints which have lower overhead.

Verification Steps

1. Run app normally without debugging (check Logcat for errors)
2. Start debug session after applying fixes
3. Confirm breakpoints work as expected
4. Monitor IDE responsiveness during debug session init

These solutions address the root causes while maintaining optimal debugging configuration. Start with method breakpoint removal as the primary fix before progressing to other solutions.