dotnet/maui · error · ArgumentNullException

renderer

Error message

renderer

What it means

ApplyNativeImageAsync is an extension method on IVisualElementRenderer used by renderers (e.g. SearchHandler, image buttons) to load a NativeImage for a BindableProperty. It dereferences renderer.NativeView and renderer.Element (lines 314-316), so a null renderer is rejected immediately. This overload delegates element resolution to 'bindable ?? renderer.Element'.

Source

Thrown at src/Compatibility/Core/src/iOS/Renderers/ImageElementManager.cs:305

			{
				Forms.MauiContext?.CreateLogger<ImageRenderer>()?.LogWarning("Image load cancelled");
			}
			catch (Exception ex)
			{
				Forms.MauiContext?.CreateLogger<ImageRenderer>()?.LogWarning(ex, "Image load failed");
			}

			return null;
		}

		internal static Task ApplyNativeImageAsync(this IVisualElementRenderer renderer, BindableProperty imageSourceProperty, Action<NativeImage> onSet, Action<bool> onLoading = null, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default(CancellationToken))
		{
			return renderer.ApplyNativeImageAsync(null, imageSourceProperty, onSet, onLoading, cancellationToken);
		}

		internal static async Task ApplyNativeImageAsync(this IVisualElementRenderer renderer, BindableObject bindable, BindableProperty imageSourceProperty, Action<NativeImage> onSet, Action<bool> onLoading = null, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default(CancellationToken))
		{
			_ = renderer ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(renderer));
			_ = imageSourceProperty ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(imageSourceProperty));
			_ = onSet ?? throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(onSet));

			// TODO: it might be good to make sure the renderer has not been disposed

			// makse sure things are good before we start
			var element = bindable ?? renderer.Element;

			var nativeRenderer = renderer as IVisualNativeElementRenderer;

			if (element == null || renderer.NativeView == null || (nativeRenderer != null && nativeRenderer.Control == null))
				return;

			onLoading?.Invoke(true);
			if (element.GetValue(imageSourceProperty) is ImageSource initialSource && !initialSource.IsEmpty)
			{
				try
				{

View on GitHub (pinned to f377ff1c5e)

Solutions

1. Resolve the renderer via Platform.GetRenderer and null-check before calling the extension.
2. Ensure the element has a live renderer (attached to platform) before initiating image loads.
3. Prefer the BindableObject overload (error 247) when you only have the element, not a renderer.

Example fix

// before
renderer.ApplyNativeImageAsync(MyImageSourceProperty, img => Control.Image = img);

// after
if (renderer?.NativeView != null)
    renderer.ApplyNativeImageAsync(MyImageSourceProperty, img => Control.Image = img);

var r = Platform.GetRenderer(element) as IVisualElementRenderer;
if (r?.NativeView == null) return;
r.ApplyNativeImageAsync(prop, onSet);

When it happens

Trigger: Calling renderer.ApplyNativeImageAsync(...) where the renderer expression evaluates to null (e.g. Platform.GetRenderer(el) returned null), or calling the extension on a null receiver via the static-call syntax.

Common situations: Renderer lookup returns null because the element has no registered renderer yet; calling ApplyNativeImageAsync during an unload event.

Related errors

• ImageElementManager.SetImage renderer cannot be null
• imageSourceProperty
• bindable
• oldElement
• view

AI-assisted analysis of dotnet/maui@f377ff1c5e (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/9990feddda31650f. Report an issue: GitHub.