How to uninstall WebStorm on Windows
Save projects and back up WebStorm's configuration, plugins and any Local History you still need before removing the IDE. Local History lives with the IDE's system data, so it is not replaceable by rebuilding an index. This guide covers the standalone machine-wide winget installation; a Toolbox-managed copy should be removed through Toolbox's own menu.
Quit and uninstall
Close WebStorm and finish builds or debug sessions. Go to Settings › Apps › Installed apps › WebStorm › Uninstall, or run:
winget uninstall --id JetBrains.WebStorm --exact
JetBrains documents the standalone and Toolbox removal flows. The standalone uninstaller is under bin in the installation directory; let it finish before removing that directory. Other installations of the same IDE can still use the same settings.
Review IDE data
JetBrains documents configuration and system directories separately. The following 2026.2 folders were observed in the test; other major versions and custom paths can differ.
| Location | What to do |
|---|---|
%APPDATA%\JetBrains\WebStorm2026.2 |
Back up settings, plugins and scratch files; keep for a reinstall |
%LOCALAPPDATA%\JetBrains\WebStorm2026.2 |
Review caches, logs and Local History before deleting the whole folder |
%LOCALAPPDATA%\JetBrains\Daemon |
Shared by JetBrains products; keep while another product needs it |
| Your project directories | Keep source, .idea configuration and project files |
Do not delete the JetBrains parent folders or Toolbox's data to remove one IDE. Uninstalling WebStorm does not cancel a JetBrains subscription or delete your account.
Check the result
Get-Process webstorm64, jetbrainsd -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
winget list --id JetBrains.WebStorm --exact
Test-Path "$env:APPDATA\JetBrains\WebStorm2026.2"
Test-Path "$env:LOCALAPPDATA\JetBrains\WebStorm2026.2"
No process output means those executable names are not running; jetbrainsd can belong to another JetBrains product, so identify its owner before stopping it. No winget match means the matching installation record is gone. True means the specific data folder still exists and False means it does not; keeping these folders for a reinstall is expected. A command error is an unresolved check.
What Mole lists
The program folder, matching shortcuts, usage records and registrations still pointing at WebStorm are selected by default. The two versioned WebStorm data folders are listed but not selected, and are kept out of the review when another installation uses that same IDE version. The JetBrains Daemon folder is selected only when no other installed JetBrains product claims it. Other products' directories and Toolbox logs are not WebStorm-only data.
Both versioned Local and Roaming directories are personal data, unchecked by default and excluded from bulk selection. Removing either requires selecting its row individually; Local History and scratch files do not regenerate with caches. Another installed copy of the same IDE version keeps both directories.
What this test covered
Retested on October 3, 2026 with WebStorm 2026.2.3, winget machine-wide installation, on an ARM64 VM. Every review row was selected; after closing the selected helper, the remaining data folders, Daemon and protocol were removed, while the vendor uninstaller had already removed the program and shortcut. Real projects, saved Local History, account sync, Toolbox coexistence and a separate vendor-only removal were not verified.
The October 4, 2026 review added a product-specific positive test for both personal-data directories, another installed copy and bulk-selection exclusion. Real history and scratch-file retention was retested in IntelliJ IDEA; this product was not separately retested with real history. Earlier explicitly selected data-removal runs do not prove data retention. The released download was not verified.