Android Studio makes it easy to create Android apps for various form factors,
such as phones, tablets, TVs, and Wear devices. This page explains how to start
a new Android app project or import an existing project.

If you don't have a project open, create a new project by clicking
**New Project** on the Android Studio Welcome screen.

If you have a project open, create a new project by selecting
**File \> New \> New Project** from the main menu.

> [!NOTE]
> **Note:** To use a generative AI agent to create a project, see [Create a project
> with AI](https://developer.android.com/studio/gemini/create-a-new-project-with-ai).


## Android CLI

[Download the Android CLI](https://developer.android.com/tools/agents)

### Try Android CLI to create a new project

Try [Android CLI](https://developer.android.com/tools/agents) if you're not using Android Studio or prefer to do things from the command line.  

For example, use the [`android create`](https://developer.android.com/tools/agents/android-cli/commands/create) command when you need to create a new project.

    android create empty-activity --name=MyApp

<br />

## Choose your project type

In the **New Project** screen that appears, you can select the type of project
you want to create from categories of device form factors, shown in the
**Templates** pane. For example, figure 1 shows the project templates for phone
and tablet.
![](https://developer.android.com/static/studio/images/new-project-templates.png) **Figure 1.** Choose the type of project you want to create on the **New Project** screen.

Selecting the type of project you want to create lets Android Studio include
sample code and resources in your project to help you get started.

For Compose projects, **Empty Activity** is the recommended starting point for
all new projects. It includes Compose dependencies and Material Design setup,
providing a modern, declarative foundation. Use the other templates only if
you're maintaining or migrating a legacy codebase.

After selecting your project type, click **Next**.

## Configure your project

The next step in creating your project is to configure some settings, as shown
in figure 2. If you're creating a **Native C++** project, see [Create a new
project with C/C++ support](https://developer.android.com/studio/projects/add-native-code#new-project) to learn more about the options you need to
configure.
![Configure your new project with a few settings.](https://developer.android.com/static/studio/images/projects/new-project-wizard-configure-2x.png) **Figure 2.** Configure your new project with a few settings.

1. Specify the **Name** of your project.
2. Specify the **Package name** . By default, this package name becomes your project's namespace (used to access your project resources) and your project's application ID (used as the ID for publishing). To learn more, see [Configure the app module](https://developer.android.com/studio/build/configure-app-module).
3. Specify the **Save location** where you want to locally store your project.

   > [!NOTE]
   > **Note:** On macOS, we recommend saving your project in the `/Users/user_name/AndroidStudioProjects` directory. Certain versions of macOS include a security feature called Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC) that protects specific folders, including `Documents`, `Desktop`, and `Downloads`. If you use these folders, the [project files](https://developer.android.com/studio/projects#ProjectFiles) might not show up correctly in Android Studio unless you give Android Studio special permission to access those folders.

4. Select the **Language** you want Android Studio to use when creating sample
   code for your new project. **Kotlin is the recommended language** and is
   required for modern frameworks like Jetpack Compose. Java is supported but
   not recommended for new projects.

5. Select the **Minimum API level** you want your app to support. When you
   select a lower API level, your app can't use as many modern Android APIs.
   However, a larger percentage of Android devices can run your app. The
   opposite is true when selecting a higher API level.

   If you want to see more data to help you decide, click **Help me choose**.
   This displays a dialog showing the cumulative distribution for the API
   level you have selected and lets you see the impact of using different
   minimum API levels.
   ![A helper that shows cumulative distribution of different API levels.](https://developer.android.com/static/studio/images/projects/new-project-wizard-choose-api-level_2x.png) **Figure 3.** A help screen that shows the cumulative distribution of different API levels.
6. Your project is configured to use AndroidX libraries by default, which
   replace the Android Support libraries. To use the legacy support libraries
   instead, select **Use legacy android.support libraries** . However, this is
   not recommended, as the legacy support libraries are no longer supported. To
   learn more, see the [AndroidX overview](https://developer.android.com/jetpack/androidx).

7. When you're ready to create your project, click **Finish**.

Android Studio creates your new project with some basic code and resources to
get you started. If you decide to add support for a different device form factor
later, you can [add a module](https://developer.android.com/studio/projects/add-app-module) to your project. And if you want to share code
and resources between modules, you can do so by creating an [Android
library](https://developer.android.com/studio/projects/android-library).

For more information about the Android project structure and module types, see
the [Projects overview](https://developer.android.com/studio/projects). If you're new to Android development altogether,
see [Get started with Android](https://developer.android.com/training).

## Import an existing project

To import an existing local project into Android Studio, proceed as follows:

1. Click **File** \> **New** \> **Import Project**.
2. In the window that appears, navigate to the root directory of the project you want to import.
3. Click **OK**.

Android Studio opens the project in a new IDE window and indexes its contents.

If you're importing a project from version control, select **File** \>
**New** \> **Project from Version Control** . For more information about
importing projects from version control, see IntelliJ's information about
[version control](https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/version-control-integration.html).

## Build and run your app

Now that you've created your project, the next step is to build it and run it on
a virtual or physical device. Android Studio sets up a default run configuration
to help you get started.

To learn more, see [Build and run your app](https://developer.android.com/studio/run) and the guides that cover
running on the [Android Emulator](https://developer.android.com/studio/run/emulator) and on [physical hardware devices](https://developer.android.com/studio/run/device).