Developer IDEs

How to Completely Uninstall Android Studio on Mac

To remove Android Studio, quit the app and drag it to the Trash. However, this action only removes the application binary and leaves behind data ranging from 10 GB – 80 GB.

Last updated: October 31, 20264 min read

Remove Android Studio and everything it leaves behind

Android Studio data usually takes 10 GB – 80 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

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Free scan · No account · Nothing is deleted without your OK · Moves to the Trash first · macOS 14+

Application: Android Studio
Typical data size: 10 GB – 80 GB
Category: Developer IDEs
File Location: ~/Library/Android/sdk

Manual cleanup steps

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
Move Android Studio from the Applications folder to the Trash.
Remove the folders Android Studio left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

What Android Studio leaves behind

Specific to Android Studio

Dragging the app to the Trash does not delete the SDK, emulator images, or Gradle caches. These components, along with the debug signing key, remain in your library and home folders. Settings, logs, and caches are stored in folders shared with other Google apps, so keep them if you use other software from the same company.

Background items: The emulator and adb come from the SDK folder; IDE settings, caches and logs use AndroidStudio version folders inside the Google folders of Application Support, Caches and Logs, which Chrome and other Google apps share.
License: Android Studio is free.
Account and sync: A Google account is optional and only used for sign-in features such as Firebase or AI assistance inside the IDE.

Preparing to uninstall Android Studio

Before removal, manage your environment to reclaim space and secure your work. Removing unused virtual devices and SDK platforms ensures these heavy files are gone. Ensure you locate any release keystores since they are not kept in the SDK folder. Finally, move your projects out of the default directory to avoid accidental loss.

Delete unused virtual devices in Device ManagerRemove old SDK platforms and system images in SDK ManagerBack up any release keystores used for Play Store buildsCommit or copy projects out of ~/AndroidStudioProjects

0 of 4 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	9 folders, one by one	One scan
File sizes	You look them up yourself	Shown for every item
Removing the wrong thing	Easy to delete the wrong folder	Goes to the Trash first, so it can be restored
Cost	Free	Scan is free; cleaning needs Pro (yearly plan has a 7-day free trial)

See it working

OptiClear — Scan overview — every category on one screen — Scan overview — every category on one screen

OptiClear — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach — Privacy audit: what each app has been allowed to reach

OptiClear — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you — Large and aging files, ranked by what they cost you

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Frequently asked questions

Not all of them. Folders marked “Back up first: your data” hold your own Android Studio data: back them up before removing them. Items marked “Only if no other app uses it” are also used by other apps from the same company; keep them while any of those apps is installed. Folders marked “Yes, rebuilt automatically” are rebuilt automatically; removing them only makes the next start slower. Items marked “Yes, once the app is gone” only matter while Android Studio is installed, so remove them after the app.

Does using 'Invalidate Caches' remove the SDK or Gradle files?

No, that feature only clears internal IDE caches and does not remove SDK packages or the Gradle cache.

Will my Google account be deleted when I remove the app?

No, the account is only used for sign-in features like Firebase and remains active independently.