How to uninstall Android Studio on Mac completely
Android Studio itself is one app in Applications, but the Android SDK and the emulators it downloads live in your home folder and often take more space than the app. Other tools may use the same SDK, so they are worth a decision, not a blind delete. Here is how to remove Android Studio and what to check.
- Open MacWashing and choose Uninstaller in the sidebar.
- Click Show Apps and check Android Studio in the list.
- Click Remove and confirm. Files that may be yours are listed as Possible and stay unchecked.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Before you start
- Your projects stay in the folders where you created them: removing Android Studio doesn’t touch them.
- Other tools for Android development, for example Flutter or React Native builds, can use the same Android SDK and emulators. If you still use them, keep the SDK.
- Your release signing key is the keystore file you created and saved yourself. Keep a copy of it somewhere safe.
Delete Android Studio in Finder
- Quit Android Studio and close any running emulator.
- Open Finder › Applications and drag Android Studio to the Trash.
- Enter your administrator password if macOS asks for it.
What Android Studio leaves behind
After deleting the app, check these places in the Library folder inside your home folder:
~/Library/Preferences/com.google.android.studio.plist— settings.~/Library/Saved Application State/com.google.android.studio.savedState— the saved window state.
The big folders are your development data, not leftovers. ~/Library/Android/sdk is the Android SDK: platforms, build tools, the emulator and system images. ~/.android/avd holds your virtual devices with their disk images and data. ~/.android also holds the debug signing key and emulator settings. Delete them only if no other tool uses them. If you delete the debug key, a new one is created and services set up with the old one need the new fingerprint.
Remove the leftovers by hand
- In Finder, choose Go › Go to Folder (Shift-Command-G), type a path from the list above and press Return.
- Move the folder or file to the Trash. Folders whose names start with a dot, like
~/.android, are hidden in Finder, but Go to Folder opens them. - Repeat for the other paths.
- Restart your Mac, then empty the Trash.
Android Studio isn’t the only app that leaves files behind: see how to uninstall apps on Mac completely.
With MacWashing, it’s one click
The Uninstaller in MacWashing knows the files Android Studio creates in your Library and home folders and removes them together with the app. Folders that may hold your own data, like the Android SDK and your virtual devices, are listed as Possible and stay unchecked until you check them yourself.
Free trial · macOS 14 or later
Questions and answers
Will MacWashing delete my own files when it removes Android Studio?
No. The Uninstaller checks only what belongs to the app: its settings, caches, logs and background items. Folders that may hold your own files are listed as Possible and stay unchecked until you check them yourself, and apps go to the Trash by default, so you can put them back.
What if Android Studio is still running?
MacWashing waits for it to quit, or quits it at your request, and only then removes its files.
Is it free to uninstall Android Studio with MacWashing?
Yes, within the free trial: System Junk and the Uninstaller free up to 25 GB in total, with no account or card needed.
Does uninstalling Android Studio delete my projects?
No. Projects stay in the folders where you created them. Only the app, and the SDK and emulators if you delete them yourself, are removed.
Can I keep the Android SDK for other tools?
Yes. Leave the SDK folder in place and delete only the app and its settings. Tools that use the SDK keep working.
Can I reinstall Android Studio later?
Yes. Download it from developer.android.com. If you kept the SDK, Android Studio can use it again. If not, it downloads the SDK during setup.