Developer IDEs

How to Completely Uninstall WebStorm on Mac

To remove WebStorm, either uninstall it via the JetBrains Toolbox if you used it for installation, or drag the app icon to the Trash. Simply moving the application to the Trash does not remove associated data folders.

Last updated: November 1, 20263 min read

Remove WebStorm and everything it leaves behind

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

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

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

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

What WebStorm leaves behind

Specific to WebStorm

Dragging the app to the Trash preserves settings, plugins, and indices across various Library folders. Because each release creates its own versioned directory, old installations often leave several gigabytes of data behind, typically totaling 1 GB – 20 GB. These include cached indexes, preference plists, and saved window states. Since some parent directories are shared with other developer IDEs from the same company, you should manually delete only the specific versioned folders related to this app.

Background items: JetBrains Toolbox, if used, keeps its own app and settings under ~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/Toolbox.
License: WebStorm is free for non-commercial use; commercial use needs a subscription tied to a JetBrains Account.
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 WebStorm

Before removal, ensure all work is committed or moved outside the default projects folder. You should handle your activation and configuration within the app interface. Your license remains tied to your JetBrains Account rather than the local machine. Quit the app fully before attempting to delete any remaining system files from the hidden Library folder.

Export settings via File > Manage IDE Settings > Export SettingsEnable Backup and Sync using your JetBrains AccountLog out of your account in Help > RegisterConfirm all projects are stored 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

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Frequently asked questions

Not all of them. Folders marked “Back up first: your data” hold your own WebStorm 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 project source code?

No, your projects remain in their own folders and are not deleted when you move the app to the Trash.

Why are there multiple folders for different versions in my Library?

The app creates separate versioned folders for caches, logs, and settings for every release, meaning updates leave previous version data behind.