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

saiteja_ · ‎2026-05-20

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:

Whether my installation is incomplete?
How to restore the “STM32 Project” wizard?
Whether I installed the wrong version of STM32CubeIDE?

Thank you.

mfgkw · ‎2026-05-20

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