Developer IDEs

How to Completely Uninstall PhpStorm on Mac

To remove PhpStorm, either uninstall it via JetBrains Toolbox if you used that tool, or drag the app icon to the Trash. Deleting the application alone does not remove associated data folders or your projects.

Last updated: November 1, 20263 min read

Remove PhpStorm and everything it leaves behind

PhpStorm data usually takes 1 GB – 20 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: PhpStorm
Typical data size: 1 GB – 20 GB
Category: Developer IDEs
File Location: ~/Library/Caches/JetBrains

PhpStorm 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 PhpStorm version folders in Caches, Application Support and Logs, since other JetBrains IDEs share those parents.
Remove the folders PhpStorm left behind, listed in the table below.
Empty the Trash to free up the space.

Everything PhpStorm 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~/PhpstormProjects Your files · default folder for new PhpStorm projects Back up first: your data~/Library/Preferences/com.jetbrains.PhpStorm.plist Settings · app preferences Yes, settings reset~/Library/Saved Application State/com.jetbrains.PhpStorm.savedState Window state · window positions from the last session Yes, rebuilt automatically

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

What happens when you uninstall PhpStorm

Specific to PhpStorm

Dragging the app to the Trash leaves behind settings, plugins, and indexes that occupy between 1 GB – 20 GB. Because each release creates its own versioned folder in Caches, Application Support, and Logs, old versions accumulate over time. These directories, along with preference plists and saved states, remain on your disk until manually deleted from the hidden ~/Library folder. Project files stay in their own dedicated directory and are not affected.

Background items: JetBrains Toolbox, if used, keeps its own app and settings under ~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/Toolbox.
License: Commercial use needs a subscription tied to a JetBrains Account; after a year of an annual subscription a perpetual fallback license may apply.
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 remove PhpStorm

Before quitting the app, ensure all work is committed or moved outside the IDE folders. You should back up your configuration using internal tools or cloud synchronization. If another person will use the Mac, sign out of your account to protect your subscription. Since licenses are tied to your JetBrains Account, they remain active even after the software is gone.

Export settings via File > Manage IDE Settings > Export SettingsEnable Backup and Sync to save configurations to your accountLog out of your account in Help > RegisterVerify all projects are stored outside the app 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

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Frequently asked questions

Not all of them. Folders marked “Back up first: your data” hold your own PhpStorm 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.

Will deleting the app remove my license?

No, because the license is tied to your JetBrains Account rather than the local installation.

Why are there multiple folders in the Library after removal?

The app creates separate versioned folders for every release, leaving old data behind during upgrades.