facebook/react · warning

Could not find element with id "${id}"

Error message

Could not find element with id "${id}"

What it means

In updateSelectedElement() of the legacy DevTools backend, the internal instance was found in idToInternalInstanceMap, but its _currentElement is null. In the legacy reconciler _currentElement is cleared while the instance is between elements (mid re-render or during unmount), so DevTools cannot read props/type to build $r and warns instead. It means the instance exists but is not currently holding an element.

Source

Thrown at packages/react-devtools-shared/src/backend/legacy/renderer.js:702

      style,
    };
  }

  function updateSelectedElement(id: number): void {
    const internalInstance = idToInternalInstanceMap.get(id);
    if (internalInstance == null) {
      console.warn(`Could not find instance with id "${id}"`);
      return;
    }

    switch (getElementType(internalInstance)) {
      case ElementTypeClass:
        global.$r = internalInstance._instance;
        break;
      case ElementTypeFunction:
        const element = internalInstance._currentElement;
        if (element == null) {
          console.warn(`Could not find element with id "${id}"`);
          return;
        }

        global.$r = {
          props: element.props,
          type: element.type,
        };
        break;
      default:
        global.$r = null;
        break;
    }
  }

  function storeAsGlobal(
    id: number,
    path: Array<string | number>,
    count: number,

View on GitHub (pinned to eafeac097b)

Solutions

1. Retry the selection after the current update finishes (re-click the element in the Components tree).
2. Disable the update source (pause the network/timer, use 'pause on exceptions') while inspecting.
3. Move the app to a modern React version so DevTools uses the Fiber backend, which reads props/type from the current Fiber instead.

When it happens

Trigger: Selecting a function component instance that is mid-update or being unmounted when DevTools evaluates updateSelectedElement; calling 'store as global variable' during a re-render triggered by setState in render or a sync layout effect.

Common situations: Fast-updating legacy (React < 16) trees where the selection lands during a commit; HMR swapping elements; components that unmount right after being clicked in the tree.

Related errors

• Could not find instance with id "${id}"
• Cannot not suspend ID '${suspendedSet[i]}'.
• Invalid renderer id "${rendererID}" for element "${id}"
• Invalid renderer id "${match.rendererID}" for element "${mat
• Profiling data cannot be updated while profiling is in progr

AI-assisted analysis of facebook/react@eafeac097b (2026-08-21). Data as JSON: /api/errors/cc37b413ac092f4d. Report an issue: GitHub.