Why does MATLAB R2021a crash when I try to open the documentation?

MATLAB R2021a might crash with the below stack trace on Windows systems when performing browser-related actions such as: 

1. Opening the Help browser to view the MATLAB documentation by:

• Pressing the "Help" button on the MATLAB Toolstrip.
• Executing the "doc", "help" or "demos" command in the MATLAB command window.
• Pressing F1.

2. Searching or navigating in the Help browser. 

3. Using the Finder for searching a Simulink model (Ctrl+F shortcut), and entering text in the "Find search string" field.

Stack Trace (from fault):
[ 0] 0x00007ff96e02a2a7 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+16622247 cef_string_map_size+15524711
[ 1] 0x00007ff96f5029f7 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+38480375 cef_string_utf16_to_upper+04106930
[ 2] 0x00007ff9705dc53c C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+56149308 VR_GetStringForHmdError+05223931
[ 3] 0x00007ff9705dc2f1 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+56148721 VR_GetStringForHmdError+05223344
[ 4] 0x00007ff9705dbeaa C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+56147626 VR_GetStringForHmdError+05222249
[ 5] 0x00007ff97163852e C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+73303342 VR_GetStringForHmdError+22377965
[ 6] 0x00007ff96d104b95 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+00740245 cef_zip_reader_create+00437869
[ 7] 0x00007ff96f203262 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+35336802 cef_string_utf16_to_upper+00963357
[ 8] 0x00007ff96fa26aa5 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+43870885 GetHandleVerifier+00248181
[ 9] 0x00007ff96f207463 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+35353699 cef_string_utf16_to_upper+00980254
[ 10] 0x00007ff96f20706b C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+35352683 cef_string_utf16_to_upper+00979238
[ 11] 0x00007ff96f201ca6 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+35331238 cef_string_utf16_to_upper+00957793
[ 12] 0x00007ff96f202547 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+35333447 cef_string_utf16_to_upper+00960002
[ 13] 0x00007ff96f211b68 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+35396456 cef_string_utf16_to_upper+01023011
[ 14] 0x00007ff96f175a71 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+34757233 cef_string_utf16_to_upper+00383788
[ 15] 0x00007ff96f9dfdd9 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+43580889 cef_time_delta+00266853
[ 16] 0x00007ff96f9dfb61 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+43580257 cef_time_delta+00266221
[ 17] 0x00007ff96f1b2764 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+35006308 cef_string_utf16_to_upper+00632863
[ 18] 0x00007ff96f1b1eee C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+35004142 cef_string_utf16_to_upper+00630697
[ 19] 0x00007ff96f9e05d8 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+43582936 cef_time_delta+00268900
[ 20] 0x00007ff96f160a4e C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+34671182 cef_string_utf16_to_upper+00297737
[ 21] 0x00007ff96f98dbdd C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+43244509 IsSandboxedProcess+03755176
[ 22] 0x00007ff96f1b7e6d C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+35028589 cef_string_utf16_to_upper+00655144
[ 23] 0x00007ff9f2477034          C:\WINDOWS\System32\KERNEL32.DLL+00094260 BaseThreadInitThunk+00000020
[ 24] 0x00007ff9f3e62651           C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\ntdll.dll+00337489 RtlUserThreadStart+00000033

Alternative stack trace:

Stack Trace (from fault):
[  0] 0x00007ffc93caa2a7 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+16622247 cef_string_map_size+15524711
[  1] 0x00007ffc991b2a88 C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2021a\bin\win64\libcef.dll+105785992 RelaunchChromeBrowserWithNewCommandLineIfNeeded+25466036
[  2] 0x0000000000000030                                   <unknown-module>+00000000

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

To avoid the crash when trying to use the documentation through MATLAB, try the following:

1) Install the latest Update of MATLAB R2021a by pressing Help > Check for Updates, as the issue is likely to be related to the following bug that has been addressed in R2021a Update 5:

https://www.mathworks.com/support/bugreports/details/2508122

2) Regenerate your MATLAB preferences as explained in the link below, and restart MATLAB:

https://www.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/99625-how-do-i-regenerate-my-matlab-preferences

3) Try changing the documentation to "Installed locally". To do so,

• Open the MATLAB preferences by selecting Home > Environment > Preferences in the MATLAB Toolstrip.
• In the left panel, click on "Help", then select "Installed locally" under "Documentation Location".
• Restart MATLAB, and check if the issue still persists.

4) Use the MATLAB R2021a Online Documentation at:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/releases/R2021a/index.html