PyCharm 2021.1 Help

Directories Used by PyCharm

By default, PyCharm stores user-specific files (configuration, caches, plugins, logs, and so on) in the user's home directory. However, you can change the location for storing those files, if necessary.

Configuration directory

The PyCharm configuration directory contains user-defined IDE settings, such as keymaps, color schemes, custom VM options, platform properties, and so on.

Syntax
%APPDATA%\JetBrains\<product><version>
Example
C:\Users\JohnS\AppData\Roaming\JetBrains\PyCharm2021.1
Syntax
~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/<product><version>
Example
~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/PyCharm2021.1
Syntax
~/.config/JetBrains/<product><version>
Example
~/.config/JetBrains/PyCharm2021.1

You can change the location of the PyCharm configuration directory using the idea.config.path property.

To share your personal IDE settings, copy the files from the configuration directory to the corresponding folders on another PyCharm installation. Make sure that PyCharm is not running to avoid erasing the copied files when you shut down the IDE.

System directory

The PyCharm system directory contains caches and local history files.

Syntax
%LOCALAPPDATA%\JetBrains\<product><version>
Example
C:\Users\JohnS\AppData\Local\JetBrains\PyCharm2021.1
Syntax
~/Library/Caches/JetBrains/<product><version>
Example
~/Library/Caches/JetBrains/PyCharm2021.1
Syntax
~/.cache/JetBrains/<product><version>
Example
~/.cache/JetBrains/PyCharm2021.1

You can change the location of the PyCharm system directory using the idea.system.path property.

Plugins directory

The PyCharm plugins directory contains user-installed plugins.

Syntax
%APPDATA%\JetBrains\<product><version>\plugins
Example
C:\Users\JohnS\AppData\Roaming\JetBrains\PyCharm2021.1\plugins
Syntax
~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/<product><version>/plugins
Example
~/Library/Application Support/JetBrains/PyCharm2021.1/plugins
Syntax
~/.local/share/JetBrains/<product><version>
Example
~/.local/share/JetBrains/PyCharm2021.1

You can change the location of the PyCharm plugins directory using the idea.plugins.path property.

Logs directory

The PyCharm logs directory contains product logs and thread dumps.

Syntax
%LOCALAPPDATA%\JetBrains\<product><version>\log
Example
C:\Users\JohnS\AppData\Local\JetBrains\PyCharm2021.1\log
Syntax
~/Library/Logs/JetBrains/<product><version>
Example
~/Library/Logs/JetBrains/PyCharm2021.1
Syntax
~/.cache/JetBrains/<product><version>/log
Example
~/.cache/JetBrains/PyCharm2021.1/log

You can change the location of the PyCharm logs directory using the idea.log.path property.

Last modified: 08 March 2021