How to update Android Studio to the latest version on Windows
Updating Android Studio to the latest version on Windows is important to access new features for application development. In this post, we will go over the steps that are needed for updating Android Studio within the IDE or through the browser. You will learn how to check for updates, handle installations, manage plugin updates, and work around potential installation conflicts.
Updating via Android Studio
Updating through Android Studio can be done in two ways: either from the starting screen or within a project.
1. Starting screen
When you are not working on a project, you will see a small cog symbol in the lower left corner. If you click on this symbol, you will find an option to "Check for updates". Click on it.
Once you click on "Look for Updates," you might notice a yellow symbol appearing in the lower right corner. This depends on whether there is an update available. If you see this symbol, click on it.
After clicking the symbol, a small box will pop up. It will show you the new available version and give you the choice to update. Click on update, and you will be taken to the initial screen highlighted in the Downloading and Installing section of this post.
2. Project screen
When you are working on a project, you can go to "Help" and select "Check for Updates" or click on the yellow icon at the top right of the screen.
Clicking it will show you the new available version and give you the choice to update.
Simply click on the update choice, to open the update screen.
Downloading and installing
After clicking the popup, a new screen will appear, showcasing the new features and options that the latest Android Studio version will introduce. If you wish to proceed with the update, select "UPDATE AND RESTART."
Now another window will pop up, asking you to update your installed plugins. It is highly recommended to update them, as avoiding updates could break the plugins. Click on "UPDATE."
Now Android Studio will take some time to download all the necessary components. Once the download is finished, a popup will prompt you to restart Android Studio. Click "Restart."
When Android Studio closes, you will see the installer starting.
Once the installation is done, you might not see the following screen, although I did in my last two updates. This screen shows conflicts and tells you to get the update from the Android Studio website.
If you do not get this screen, your installation was successful, and you can start using the new Android version. But if this is not the case, continue with the Updating via the browser section.
Updating via the browser
To get the latest Android Studio update via your web browser, you can click this link to open their website or go to https://developer.android.com/studio. At the top of their site, there is a big green button. Clicking it will start the download of the newest version.
Once you have clicked the green button, you will need to agree to the terms and conditions. Click the green button again to start the download.
After the download is finished you will see the following .exe file in your download folder. Double-click on it to start the installer.
On the first screen of the installer, remember to tick the box that says "Uninstall the previous version." If you do not, the installation might not work, as we saw in the earlier methods. After that, click "Next."
Moving on to the next screen, the Android Studio installer advises us to close all other programs, this will avoid possible issues. Close the programs and click "Next." (Leaving your browser open should not be a problem).
If you are using the Android Virtual Device (emulators) tick its box and click "Next".
Now you can select the path where you want to install Android Studio. I always like to stick with the default path to avoid confusion and potential problems. Click "Next".
In this screen, you can choose if you want to create shortcuts. If you do not want to create them tick the box "Do not create shortcuts" and click "Install".
The installation process will begin. Click "Next" when the progress bar is complete.
Once the installation is done, tick the "Start Android Studio" box and click "Finish."
Android Studio will greet you with the new loading screen of your Android Studio version.
To double-check that you have the latest version, just take a look at the top left side of the starting screen.
On last thing, if you happen to run into this error ("The supplied javaHome seems to be invalid. I cannot find the java executable.") after the update, check out my related post to solve it:
Tijn van den Eijnde
Conclusion
Staying up to date with the latest version of Android Studio on Windows is essential for using new features in Android development. This post provided clear instructions for updating via both the IDE and web browser, ensuring a smooth process for checking updates, handling installations, and managing plugins.
