Rider MSBuild Errors (Wrong Version / Build Fails in Rider but Not CLI)

How to fix it

Try these in order — the most common fix is first.

1. 1. Choose the MSBuild version

   Copy steps
   1. Open Settings | Build, Execution, Deployment | Toolset and Build
   2. Select the MSBuild version or a custom path
   3. Rebuild the solution
   Did this fix it? Yes No

2. 2. Compare with the CLI

   Copy steps
   1. Run dotnet build in a terminal
   2. Fix any difference in SDK version via global.json
   Did this fix it? Yes No

3. 3. Clean outputs

   Copy steps
   1. Delete bin and obj folders
   2. Run Build | Rebuild Solution
   Did this fix it? Yes No

Symptoms

Build errors in Rider that do not appear with dotnet build, or "MSBuild not found" and version mismatch messages.

Why it happens

• Rider using a different MSBuild version than the CLI
• global.json pins an SDK that is not installed
• Legacy .NET Framework projects needing Visual Studio MSBuild on Windows
• Stale obj and bin output

This guide also covers

• rider msbuild error
• rider build failed
• rider msbuild not found

Other JetBrains Rider errors

• Rider .NET SDK Not Found / Project Cannot Load
• Rider Unity Integration Not Working
• Rider NuGet Restore Failed
• Rider Indexing Takes Forever / Stuck on Indexing
• Rider Out of Memory: How to Increase Heap Size
• Why Is Rider So Slow / Freezing?
• Rider License Activation Error / License Not Found
• Rider Plugin Incompatible After Update