Developer IDEs

How to Completely Uninstall PyCharm on Mac

To remove PyCharm completely, you must delete both the application and its associated data folders manually. Dragging the app to the Trash alone leaves behind configuration files, indexes, and user data ranging from 1 GB – 20 GB.

Last updated: November 1, 20263 min read

Remove PyCharm and everything it leaves behind

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

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

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

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

What PyCharm leaves behind

Specific to PyCharm

Dragging the app to the Trash does not remove versioned folders in Application Support, Caches, or Logs. These directories store your personal settings, plugins, and large indexes that accumulate with every release. Your project files and Python virtual environments remain untouched in their own folders. Only the app binary is removed, leaving several gigabytes of data across the system.

Background items: JetBrains Toolbox, if used, keeps its own app and settings under ~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/Toolbox.
License: Paid features are a subscription tied to a JetBrains Account; PyCharm can also be used free with a reduced feature set.
Account and sync: Paid JetBrains IDEs are activated with a JetBrains Account; settings can also be synced to that account with Backup and Sync.

Uninstalling PyCharm correctly

If you used JetBrains Toolbox, perform the uninstallation within that tool. Otherwise, move the app to the Trash and navigate to the hidden Library via Finder > Go > Go to Folder. Delete only the specific versioned folders for this IDE to avoid affecting other tools from the same company. Remember to empty the Trash to finalize the removal.

Export settings via File > Manage IDE Settings > Export SettingsEnable Backup and Sync using your JetBrains AccountLog out in Help > Register if others will use the MacEnsure all projects are committed or 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

Try it without risk

Download and scan for freeSee every PyCharm file and its size. No account needed.
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After the free trial, Pro costs $39.99 per year in your country's App Store; cancel any time.

Frequently asked questions

Not all of them. Folders marked “Back up first: your data” hold your own PyCharm 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 my license be deleted?

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

Does removing the app delete my Python virtual environments?

No, virtual environments created inside projects are not removed when the IDE is deleted.