D:\PortableDev\ ├── AndroidStudio\ │ ├── bin\ (with custom idea.properties) │ ├── jbr\ (JetBrains Runtime) │ └── plugins\ ├── AndroidSDK\ │ ├── platforms\ │ ├── build-tools\ │ └── platform-tools\ ├── Projects\ │ └── MyApp\ └── launcher.bat
@echo off REM Set drive letter to current directory's drive set DRIVE=%~d0 REM Set environment variables set ANDROID_HOME=%DRIVE%\PortableDev\AndroidSDK set ANDROID_SDK_ROOT=%DRIVE%\PortableDev\AndroidSDK set GRADLE_USER_HOME=%DRIVE%\PortableDev\.gradle REM Launch Studio with custom configs start "" "%DRIVE%\PortableDev\AndroidStudio\bin\studio64.exe" Only for the disciplined masochist.
However, if you are willing to write a batch script, understand environment variables, and accept that the emulator is off-limits, you can achieve it. You won't be running the AVD on a stranger's laptop. But you will be able to commit a hotfix to production from a hotel business center. android studio portable
# Use relative paths instead of absolute ones idea.config.path=./config idea.system.path=./system idea.plugins.path=./plugins idea.log.path=./logs If you place this file next to the studio64.exe launcher, the IDE will keep all its settings inside the USB drive folder instead of writing to C:\Users\[You]\AppData . Even with portable configs, the Android SDK is a problem. The SDK Manager stores absolute paths to emulator binaries and build tools.
To solve this, you must use a . Within your project’s gradle.properties file, add: But you will be able to commit a
At first glance, the answer seems to be a hard "no." Google’s official IDE is a beast—a sprawling 3GB+ behemoth that touches your registry, scatters configuration files across your user folder, and relies on hidden SDK paths. It is, by design, a resident application.
For years, the phrase "Android Studio Portable" has haunted the forums of Stack Overflow and Reddit. Developers stuck behind strict corporate firewalls, freelancers hopping between co-working spaces, and students flitting between university lab PCs all ask the same question: Why can’t I just run Android Studio from a USB stick? The SDK Manager stores absolute paths to emulator
org.gradle.offline=true Then, copy the entire .gradle/caches folder from your main machine to the USB drive. When you move to a new PC, you must manually copy that cache folder to the target PC's user directory—or use a symlink to point it back to the USB drive. If you are determined to create a portable Android Studio environment, here is the battle-tested folder structure for your USB drive (let’s call it D:\ ):