Developer IDEs

How to Completely Uninstall IntelliJ IDEA on Mac

To remove IntelliJ IDEA, either uninstall it via the JetBrains Toolbox app if you used it for installation, or drag the application icon to the Trash. Simply moving the app to the Trash does not remove its associated data folders, which typically occupy 2 GB – 30 GB.

Last updated: November 1, 20263 min read

Remove IntelliJ IDEA and everything it leaves behind

IntelliJ IDEA data usually takes 2 GB – 30 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.

Scan your Mac free

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

Application: IntelliJ IDEA
Typical data size: 2 GB – 30 GB
Category: Developer IDEs
File Location: ~/Library/Caches/JetBrains

IntelliJ IDEA has its own uninstaller

Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
If installed through JetBrains Toolbox, uninstall it there; otherwise drag the app to the Trash and delete only the IntelliJIdea version folders in Caches, Application Support and Logs, since other JetBrains IDEs share those parents.
Remove the folders IntelliJ IDEA left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything IntelliJ IDEA keeps on your Mac

6 locations. Tick each one as you remove it; back up anything marked as your data first.

~/Library/Caches/JetBrains Cache · indexes and caches of JetBrains IDEs, one subfolder per product and version Yes, rebuilt automatically~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains App data · settings and plugins for every JetBrains IDE, one folder per version Back up first: your data~/Library/Logs/JetBrains Logs · IDE logs for every JetBrains IDE, one folder per version Only if no other app uses it~/IdeaProjects Your files · default folder for new IntelliJ IDEA projects Back up first: your data~/Library/Preferences/com.jetbrains.intellij.plist Settings · app preferences Yes, settings reset~/Library/Saved Application State/com.jetbrains.intellij.savedState Window state · window positions from the last session Yes, rebuilt automatically

Locations are the standard macOS folders IntelliJ IDEA uses; some appear only after you use the matching feature.

What IntelliJ IDEA leaves behind

Specific to IntelliJ IDEA

Dragging the app to the Trash preserves your projects, settings, plugins, and licenses. It leaves versioned folders in Caches, Application Support, and Logs, meaning old releases continue to take up space. Because some parent directories are shared with other products from the same company, you should only delete the specific IntelliJIdea version folders.

Background items: JetBrains Toolbox, if used, keeps its own app and settings under ~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/Toolbox.
License: Paid features need a subscription tied to a JetBrains Account; older free Community edition installs use their own folder names starting with IdeaIC.
Account and sync: Paid JetBrains IDEs are activated with a JetBrains Account; settings can also be synced to that account with Backup and Sync.

Preparing to uninstall IntelliJ IDEA

Ensure all work is saved before quitting the app. Since paid features are tied to a JetBrains Account, the license remains with your account rather than the machine. If another person will use the Mac, sign out of your account within the app to secure your identity.

Export settings via File > Manage IDE Settings > Export SettingsEnable Backup and Sync using your JetBrains AccountLog out in Help > Register if others will use this MacCommit all projects or move them outside the IDE folders

0 of 4 done

By hand or with OptiClear

	By hand	With OptiClear
Places to check	6 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

Try it without risk

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Frequently asked questions

Not all of them. Folders marked “Back up first: your data” hold your own IntelliJ IDEA 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. Folders marked “Yes, settings reset” hold settings, which return to their defaults.

Where are my actual project files stored?

They are kept in the ~/IdeaProjects folder and remain there after the app is deleted.

Will removing the app delete my plugin configurations?

No, settings and plugins stay in the Library/Application Support/JetBrains folder until manually removed.