# Android Studio Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 Official IDE for Android app development Category: Developer Tools · Free · Replaces IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate ($19.90/month) · [Official website](https://developer.android.com/studio) ## Install with Homebrew `brew install --cask android-studio` ## Quick take Quail 3 | 2026.1.3 is the Mac Android IDE to standardize on in August 2026: free, ARM-packaged, and capable enough for AGP 9.x work while still opening older 7.1-9.3 projects. Gemini, /plan, MCP Marketplace, and Labs/Journeys are optional power features, not requirements. Bring 16GB RAM, pin your SDK packages, and keep Quail 4 canary in a sandbox. Best for: Professional Android engineers on Mac, Teams that want official Google IDE support, Developers using Compose, profilers, and Device Manager, Groups evaluating Gemini agent workflows carefully, Hybrid Flutter developers who still need Android platform tools ## What is Android Studio? Android Studio is Google's official IDE for Android app development on Mac. In August 2026 the stable channel is Quail 3 | 2026.1.3. Quail 4 is available as a canary preview for teams that want earlier builds. The IDE still sits on the IntelliJ platform and targets Android Gradle Plugin ranges teams encounter from 7.1 through 9.3, with current projects typically on the 9.x line and Gradle 9.x with JDK 17. Recent Studio releases emphasize agentic help inside the IDE: Gemini integration, Planning Mode via /plan, an MCP Marketplace for tool connections, and Studio Labs / Journeys experiments. The Mac ARM build ships as android-studio-quail3-mac_arm.dmg. Plan on a 16GB RAM floor for comfortable Gradle sync and emulator use on Apple Silicon; 8GB machines crawl once the emulator joins the party. Android Studio remains free. Choose it when you need layout tools, profilers, Device Manager, and Gemini-assisted workflows in one surface. Pair it with Command-Line Tools on CI so agents do not need a GUI. If you only need adb, install Platform-Tools instead of the full IDE. For disk planning, remember Studio is only the editor shell; platforms, build-tools, and emulator images dominate space. Review the SDK Manager quarterly and delete unused system images, especially on 256GB laptops. Quail 3 | 2026.1.3 should be the default bookmark in internal wiki pages. If a blog still says Electric Eel or Hedgehog in 2026, close it. Agent features are optional layers on top of Gradle truth: if ./gradlew assembleDebug fails, Gemini will not save the release. MCP Marketplace connectors deserve the same caution as browser extensions on a work profile. Planning Mode with /plan helps when a change spans many modules; it is optional when you are fixing a one-line null check. Studio Labs and Journeys are evaluation surfaces. Keep them off on the machine that cuts Play uploads. RAM guidance stays blunt: 16GB floor with emulator, physical devices if you are stuck on 8GB. ## Features - **Quail 3 stable (2026.1.3).** Quail 3 | 2026.1.3 is the stable Mac release line in August 2026. Install the ARM DMG android-studio-quail3-mac_arm.dmg on Apple Silicon. Use the stable channel for production app work; keep canary on a separate install if you trial Quail 4. - **Quail 4 canary preview.** Quail 4 publishes on the canary channel for early access. Treat it as preview software: try new Gemini or build integrations there, but keep Quail 3 for release branches unless your team explicitly dogsfoods canary. - **Gemini agent in the IDE.** Gemini features assist with code explanation, suggested edits, and agent-style tasks inside Studio. Quality depends on project context and Google account entitlements. It is optional; you can still write Kotlin without enabling cloud assistance. - **Planning Mode (/plan).** Planning Mode, invoked with /plan in supported Gemini surfaces, helps structure multi-step implementation plans before code lands. Useful for larger refactors where you want a checklist instead of immediate patches. - **MCP Marketplace.** The MCP Marketplace exposes Model Context Protocol integrations so Studio agents can connect to external tools. Teams should review what each MCP server can access before enabling it on work machines. - **Studio Labs and Journeys.** Studio Labs / Journeys host experimental workflows that may graduate into stable channels later. Expect rough edges; keep Labs features off on release-critical machines unless you are evaluating them. - **AGP 7.1-9.3 project support.** Studio continues to open projects across a wide AGP span (7.1 through 9.3). Maintenance branches on older AGP still load, while new apps should target current 9.x docs. Always read the project's Gradle files before upgrading AGP inside the IDE assistant. - **Apple Silicon Mac packaging.** The Quail 3 ARM DMG is the correct default on M-series Macs under macOS Tahoe 26.x. Allocate enough RAM (16GB floor recommended) and prefer ARM system images for the emulator. ## How to Install Android Studio Quail 3 on Mac On Apple Silicon, download the Quail 3 ARM DMG, drag Studio to Applications, then complete the first-run SDK wizard. Budget disk for platforms and system images, and treat 16GB RAM as the practical floor. 1. **Download the ARM DMG.** Get android-studio-quail3-mac_arm.dmg for Quail 3 | 2026.1.3 from Google's Android Studio download page. Intel Macs need the corresponding Intel build if you still have one. 2. **Install and launch.** Open the DMG and drag Android Studio to Applications. On first launch, grant the permissions macOS requests and complete the setup wizard so SDK components install into your chosen SDK root. 3. **Align JDK and SDK.** Confirm JDK 17 for AGP 9.x / Gradle 9.x projects. Point Studio at a single ANDROID_SDK_ROOT if you also use cmdline-tools. Accept licenses when prompted. 4. **Optional canary side-by-side.** If you want Quail 4 canary, install it as a separate application name/path so stable Quail 3 remains untouched for release work. ## Pros - Official Google IDE with Quail 3 | 2026.1.3 stable on Mac - ARM DMG tailored for Apple Silicon - Gemini agent, /plan Planning Mode, MCP Marketplace, and Labs/Journeys for teams that want them - Supports a wide AGP compatibility window (7.1-9.3) - Free to download and use for app development - Deep integration with Device Manager, profilers, and Layout Inspector - Can share an SDK root with headless CI tooling - Canary Quail 4 available for early evaluation ## Cons - Heavy disk and RAM use; 16GB RAM is a realistic floor with emulator - Canary Quail 4 is preview-quality and can break workflows - Agent and MCP features need policy review on corporate Macs - Slower cold starts than a text editor plus cmdline-tools setup - SDK updates can surprise teams that do not pin package versions ## Closer look: Quail-era Android Studio on Mac How Quail 3 stable versus Quail 4 canary should be staged on developer Macs, and how agent features fit beside classic IDE tools. Channel discipline (stable Quail 3 versus canary Quail 4) prevents most self-inflicted IDE outages. ## FAQ ### What is the current stable Android Studio on Mac? Quail 3 | 2026.1.3 is the stable line in August 2026. ### What is Quail 4? Quail 4 is the canary preview channel. Use it for early testing, not as your only install for release work. ### Is Android Studio free? Yes. The IDE is free. Some cloud-assisted features may require Google account entitlements. ### Which DMG should Apple Silicon users download? android-studio-quail3-mac_arm.dmg for Quail 3 on ARM Macs. ### How much RAM do I need? 16GB is the practical floor for IDE plus emulator. More is better for large Gradle projects. ### What AGP versions work? Studio continues to support projects across AGP 7.1-9.3, with new work typically on 9.x. ### What is Planning Mode? A Gemini-oriented planning flow invoked with /plan to structure multi-step work before applying code changes. ### What is the MCP Marketplace? A catalog of Model Context Protocol integrations Studio can use to connect agents to external tools. ### Do I still need cmdline-tools on CI? Usually yes. CI images should install headless SDK packages rather than a full GUI Studio. ### Does Studio run on macOS Tahoe? Yes. Quail 3 is used on Apple Silicon Macs running macOS Tahoe 26.x. ### Can I disable Gemini? Yes. Treat Gemini, Labs, and MCP connectors as optional and leave them off if policy requires. ### Studio Labs versus stable features? Labs/Journeys are experimental. Leave them off on release machines until your team finishes an evaluation. ## Sources - [Android Studio intro](https://developer.android.com/studio/intro) - [Android Studio download](https://developer.android.com/studio) - [Command-line tools](https://developer.android.com/studio/command-line) - [sdkmanager](https://developer.android.com/tools/sdkmanager) - [Platform-Tools releases](https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools) - [adb documentation](https://developer.android.com/tools/adb) - [Jetpack Compose tooling](https://developer.android.com/jetpack/compose/tooling) - [Homebrew android-commandlinetools](https://formulae.brew.sh/cask/android-commandlinetools) - [Ars Technica Kotlin coverage](https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2017/05/google-makes-kotlin-a-first-class-language-for-writing-android-apps/) ## Related - [Cursor](https://bundl.run/apps/cursor) - [Claude Code](https://bundl.run/apps/claude-code) - [ChatGPT](https://bundl.run/apps/chatgpt) - [Claude](https://bundl.run/apps/claude) - [Codex](https://bundl.run/apps/codex) - [Windsurf](https://bundl.run/apps/windsurf) - [Free alternative to IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate](https://developer.android.com) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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