UWP: How do you fix the missing Assembly References error?

This error showed up as soon as I tried to create a Blank UWP app in Microsoft Visual Studio 2017 Community. Of course you cannot create an application with missing references.

Problem.png

You first go and see what references are missing. This was my solution explorer when this happened.

Problem2

Well, it says references are missing but does not point to which one. However, the suggestion is to build the NuGet cache.

I opened up an app which had worked in another instance of VS 2017. I could see that the reference, Microsoft.NETCore.UniversalWindowsPlatform was missing.

In order to build the NuGet Cache right-click the Solution Explorer and invoke the Restore NuGet Packages menu-item as shown.

Problem3

Click on Restore NuGet Packages to open the NuGet window as shown.

Problem5

Click or search for Microsoft.NETCore.UniversalWindowsPlatform. Highlight the project from which the file is missing (in the right pane). Click Install.

You may get messages such as these, deal with them.

Problem 6

Problem 7

You should get a message that it has been restored as shown.

Problem4

Now you can verify that the reference has come back to the project.

Problem8