CircleCI Machine Executor Image Not Found

The machine executor boots a VM from a named image (e.g. ubuntu-2204:current). An invalid or retired image tag, or a momentary provisioning hiccup, prevents the VM from starting.

What this error means

The job fails before steps run, reporting that the specified machine image is not found or is no longer available.

circleci

The machine image "ubuntu-2004:202010-01" is not available or has been
deprecated. Choose a supported image tag for the machine executor.

Common causes

Deprecated or removed image tag

Older machine image tags are retired over time.

Typo in the image name

A misspelled image or tag does not resolve to a real machine image.

Transient provisioning failure

A momentary VM provisioning issue can surface as an image fetch failure.

How to fix it

Use a current supported image

Pin a supported machine image tag.

.circleci/config.yml

jobs:
  build:
    machine:
      image: ubuntu-2204:current
    steps:
      - checkout

Check the supported image list

Consult the CircleCI machine images list for current tags.
Replace deprecated tags with a supported one.
Re-run the job to confirm the VM boots.

How to prevent it

Track CircleCI machine image deprecations.
Pin supported, current image tags.
Avoid hardcoding very old dated image tags.