Fixing “Flutter/Flutter.h file not found” on iOS

When running a Flutter app on iOS, you might see this error:

error: 'Flutter/Flutter.h' file not found

This usually means Xcode can’t find the Flutter engine headers during build.
It often happens after upgrading Flutter, cleaning the project, or changing Xcode versions.

Approaches

Approach A: Clean and rebuild the iOS project

Start by cleaning and regenerating build files.

flutter clean
flutter pub get
cd ios
pod deintegrate
pod install
cd ..
flutter run

This resets CocoaPods and rebuilds the Flutter engine integration.

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Approach B: Ensure Flutter.framework is included

Sometimes Xcode loses the Flutter engine reference.
Open the iOS project in Xcode and verify the framework path.

1. Open ios/Runner.xcworkspace.
2. Select Runner > Build Phases > Link Binary With Libraries.
3. Ensure Flutter.framework is listed.
4. If missing, re-add it:
   • Navigate to Flutter/engine/Flutter.framework in your ios directory.
   • Add it manually.

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Approach C: Re-run pod install with the correct repo

If CocoaPods can’t fetch Flutter dependencies, try updating it.

sudo gem install cocoapods
pod repo update
pod install

Then re-run:

flutter run

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Approach D: Verify Podfile uses use_frameworks!

Open ios/Podfile and ensure the following is present:

use_frameworks!
use_modular_headers!

Then reinstall pods:

pod install

This ensures Flutter and plugin frameworks are properly integrated with Xcode.

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Approach E: Check your Flutter SDK path

If Flutter was moved or reinstalled, Xcode may be using stale build settings.
Run this to regenerate the iOS project’s settings:

flutter create .

This recreates missing iOS configuration files without touching your Dart code.

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Decision Guide

• Project upgraded or moved: Run flutter clean and pod install.
• Missing framework in Xcode: Re-add Flutter.framework.
• Outdated CocoaPods: Run pod repo update.
• Build config mismatch: Regenerate iOS setup using flutter create ..

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Recommendation

Always run flutter clean and pod install after major Flutter or plugin upgrades.
Avoid manual file changes in ios/Flutter — let Flutter manage it.
If issues persist, delete ios/Pods and ios/Podfile.lock, then reinstall.

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References

• Flutter iOS Build Support
• CocoaPods Troubleshooting Guide
• Stack Overflow Thread on Flutter.h Missing