# RViz: Fixed Frame does not exist, or nothing is shown

> Fix RViz messages about a missing fixed frame: choose a frame that exists in the TF tree, publish transforms and check the timestamps.

Canonical: https://roboticsengineering.in/fix/rviz-fixed-frame-does-not-exist/ | Published: 2026-11-03 | Updated: 2026-11-03

**Set the Fixed Frame in RViz to a frame that is really being published, such as map, odom or base_link.**

## What the message means

RViz draws everything relative to the Fixed Frame. If no transform links a displayed item to it, the display shows an error or stays empty.

## Fix it in this order

1. Open the Global Options in RViz and pick a Fixed Frame from the list of frames it knows.
2. Run ros2 run tf2_tools view_frames to see the transform tree.
3. Check that the node publishing the transforms is running.
4. If you run a simulation, set the use_sim_time parameter the same way for all nodes.
5. Add the display for the topic and check its frame name matches a frame in the tree.

## If you see this, do this

| You see | Do this |
| --- | --- |
| Frame does not exist | No transform published for it. |
| Display shows but is empty | Check the topic and frame. |

## Related

[topics not visible](https://roboticsengineering.in/fix/ros2-topic-list-empty-domain-id/), [Gazebo and ROS 2](https://roboticsengineering.in/gazebo-ros2-simulation-tutorial/).

Last reviewed: November 2026. These are the usual causes and the order that finds them fastest. Test on your own board; clones and cables differ.