Android Studio is the most popular software for developing Android applications. It allows developers to write code, test and debug their applications, and build and deploy them.
Android Studio, being feature-rich, requires a large amount of system resources to run. As a result, for those who do not have a powerful computer, Android Studio can be difficult to use and take a long time to build (create the final APK file).
If you’re one of them, read on for some helpful tips to optimize your Android Studio experience on a low-end computer.
1. Increase memory allocation for Android Studio
Memory allocation means allocating a specific amount of memory, or RAM, to Android Studio to improve its efficiency. By default, Android Studio can use up to 1.28 GB of RAM, but if your computer has more available RAM, you can increase this amount.
Follow these steps to increase the memory allocation for Android Studio:
- Open Android Studio and go to File > Settings.
- In the menu on the left side, select Appearance and Behavior > System Settings > Memory Settings.
- increase the IDE Max Heap Size to at least 2048MB either 4096MBdepending on whether your computer has 4GB or 6GB of RAM, respectively.
- Click Apply for and later OK to save the changes.
- Restart Android Studio for the changes to take effect.
How much RAM to allocate is a personal decision that depends on your computer’s specifications. If you’re not sure how much RAM your computer has, see How to determine your hardware specifications for help.
2. Update Android Studio
If you are using an older version of Android Studio, you should consider upgrading to take advantage of the latest features and bug fixes.
Follow the steps below to update Android Studio to the latest version:
- Launch Android Studio and navigate to the Help tab, then select Search for updates.
- A dialog box will appear asking you to do Update or ignore available updates.
- Choose Update > Update and restart.
You can also update Gradle and the SDK tools together with Android Studio for the best performance.
Gradle is a powerful build system for Android Studio that automates tasks like building, testing, and deploying your Android application. Your build processes will be faster, smoother, and more reliable if you use the latest version of Gradle.
3. Install Android Studio on an SSD
SSDs are ideal for use with Android Studio because they provide faster read and write speeds, allowing faster access to stored data. We have already explained in detail the benefits of using an SSD.
If you install Android Studio on an SSD instead of an HDD, you’ll benefit from shorter compile and load times, faster Gradle sync, and improved overall performance.
To install Android Studio on an SSD, you just need to change the installation location while setting up Android Studio on Windows for the first time. When prompted to select a location, choose your SSD using the Surf option in the configuration settings. If you have already installed Android Studio, you can move the installation folder (usually located in C:\Program Files\Android\Android Studio) to your SSD.
Installing Android Studio on an SSD will provide a noticeable performance boost, making it easier and faster to develop your apps.
4. Disable unnecessary plugins in Android Studio
Unnecessary plugins in Android Studio are those apps and features that you are not actively using but are still consuming resources on your system. By disabling such unnecessary plugins, you can significantly improve the performance of Android Studio.
Here’s how to disable unnecessary plugins in Android Studio:
- Open Android Studio and go to File > Settings or press Ctrl+Alt+S.
- select Accessories from the left side navigation panel.
- Uncheck the boxes next to the plugins you want to disable and click To disable and later OK.
- Click File > Restart IDE for the changes to take effect.
After completing these steps, the plugins you disabled will no longer work and will no longer appear in menus or be accessible within Android Studio.
5. Configure Lint in Android Studio
Lint is a static code analysis tool in Android Studio that helps detect potential bugs and performance issues in your code.
To ensure a smooth coding experience in Android Studio, you can configure Lint to identify any performance issues caused by inefficient code or bad coding practices.
Follow the steps below to configure Lint in Android Studio:
- Press Ctrl+Alt+S to open the Android Studio settings.
- Click Editor > Inspectionsand then check the box to android fluff either Lint. If you can’t find it, use the search box and type android fluff in that.
- Click on the Apply for button, and then OK to save the changes.
In addition to configuring Lint for all your projects, you can also enable or disable specific Lint checks, as well as set the severity level for each check. To view suggestions for your current project, go to the Project window and click Code > Inspect Code.
You can also configure the scope of lint’s checks, such as checking only the current file or the entire project. This can help reduce build time and generate your APK file much faster in Android Studio.
6. Update the GPU driver
In simple terms, a GPU driver is a software package that helps an operating system use a graphics card to render graphics.
If you run Android Studio with an updated GPU, you can enjoy a better and smoother development experience. This is because Android Studio will shift the heavy lifting of UI rendering to the GPU, while the CPU handles processes like compilation, project creation, etc.
Now that you know the importance of GPU, check out how to update GPU drivers in Windows for help.
If you want to go further, check out ways to increase Windows performance for more tricks.
7. Add Android Studio to the graphics performance preference
Graphics performance preferences is a feature in Windows that lets you choose which software you want to give permission to use a high-performance GPU or a GPU to save power and improve performance.
Follow the steps below to add Android Studio to the graphics performance preference:
- Open the settings application pressing win + meand then click System.
- Select the To show option, and then select the option graphics settings option on the right panel.
- Click on the Surf Navigate to the folder containing Android Studio, i.e. C:\Program Files\Android\Android Studio\binand double click on the studio-64.exe proceedings.
- select Android Studio > Options > High Performanceand then click Save to add it to the list of graphics performance preferences.
In addition, you can also enable Hardware accelerated GPU scheduling to improve the performance of Android Studio.
Want to go one step further in optimizing Android Studio? review the official optimization guide for android developers for more tips on how to improve Android Studio performance.
Experience lag-free coding in Android Studio
While the tips above will help you get the most out of Android Studio, you may need to consider upgrading your computer’s hardware if it doesn’t meet the minimum system requirements.
Since Android Studio is now free of lags and stutters, it’s time to check out some helpful resources to help you on your Android development journey.