Has anyone come across this while updating to canary 5? Missing essential plugin:   org.jetbrains.android Please reinstall Android Studio from scratch.

I didnt face this issue myself but I heard about it from other people. My guess is: Canary 5 is bundled with JDK 11 while 4 is bundled with JDK 8. That might be the reason for this issue.

Yes ! There was a flaw early on, with a failing kotlin 1.4.30 update from IntelliJ/JetBrains (IJ based which errnous was available for AS which it shouldn't be), which caused this error. If you installed that IJ based plugin you got this error. To remedy the situation you could install Canary4 and then update the kotlin update via

Tools->Kotlin->Configure Kotlin Plugin Updates

, since Canary 4 desn't recognize that IJ based plugin (it belongs to another version level) and falls back to the 1.4.21 native one. Reinstalling as suggested from the error-message doesn't help, since the update is installed into "common ground" for the AS2020.3.1.x versions. The kotlin plugin (

1.4.30-RC-AS6628.9

) has been fixed now, and it is safe to install it as it is shown in pop-message or via the kotlin plugin tool.

I installed canary 4 and tried to update Kotlin but my Kotlin is already up to date. When I update to Canary 5 same error

Did you check via "Tools->Kotlin->Configure Kotlin Plugin Updates" ? Remember to set correct update channel, choose "Early Access Preview 1.4.x". My current plugin is now "203-1.4.30-RC-AS6682.9". Alternatively (if you managed to install 2020.3.1.4 (aka canary 4)) download the kotlin "AS" plugin zip in "file->settings->plugins" select "installed" and scroll to kotlin, goto plugin homepage pugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6954-kotlin select versions select correct "compatibility with android studio" select more (three dots) select "EAP", then select "203-1.4.30-RC-AS6682.9" and click download in the dialog box. When downloaded, remember to unblock the file. In AS on your plugins page beside of installed there is a settings gear, click that, and click "install plugin from disk", drill down and select the zip file you downloaded, and it will be installed. Restart AS 2020.3.1.4, select a project to confirm it has been installed. Close AS 2020.3.1.4. Now you should be able to start AS 2020.3.1.5.

When I try installing Kotlin plugin from disk I get this error: Plugin 'Kotlin' version 203-1.4.30-RC-AS6682.9 is incompatible with this installation: since build 203.6682 > AI-202.7319.50

Did you try upgrade via tools->kotlin ?

I downloaded the plugin zip and installed from disk

Please check your version level, Help->About Mine shows for AS2020.3.1.5: Build #AI-203.6682.168.2031.7101492 Mine shows for AS2020.3.1.4: Build #AI-202.7319.50.2031.7049475My suggestion is to go low to this version of kotlin update manually in AS2020.3.1.4: 202-1.4.30-RC-AS8194.7 from here: plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6954-kotlin/versions/eap