Should JAVA_HOME include \bin?

No. Point it at the JDK's root folder. Tools add bin themselves.

Why does the build work in Android Studio but not in the terminal?

Android Studio can run Gradle with its own JDK (the Gradle JDK setting), while the terminal uses JAVA_HOME. Make them match.

User variable or system variable on Windows?

A user variable needs no admin rights and wins over the system one for your account, so it's the simplest fix.

Do I need to restart my computer?

No. Open a new terminal and restart your IDE: they read environment variables only when they start.

All guides

Developer guide · Windows and Mac

Fix "JAVA_HOME is set to an invalid directory" on Mac and Windows

By Aqib Javed · Updated Oct 22, 2026

The error means JAVA_HOME names a folder that has no JDK in it, usually one that was removed or updated. On a Mac, set export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 17) in ~/.zprofile. On Windows, set the JAVA_HOME user variable to the JDK's root folder, such as C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-17, not its bin folder. Then open a new terminal, because programs only read environment variables when they start.

Check what JAVA_HOME points to

If the java file isn't there, JAVA_HOME is pointing at a folder that no longer holds a JDK.

# Mac
echo $JAVA_HOME
ls "$JAVA_HOME/bin/java"

# Windows (Command Prompt)
echo %JAVA_HOME%
dir "%JAVA_HOME%\bin\java.exe"

Find the JDKs you have

Mac: /usr/libexec/java_home -V lists every installed JDK and its path. They usually live in /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines.
Windows: look in C:\Program Files\Java, C:\Program Files\Eclipse Adoptium and similar folders.
Both: Android Studio ships its own JDK in its jbr folder, which you can point JAVA_HOME at too.

Fix it on a Mac

Add one line to ~/.zprofile (or ~/.zshrc), with the version you need, then run source ~/.zprofile or open a new terminal:

export JAVA_HOME=$(/usr/libexec/java_home -v 17)

Fix it on Windows

Open the Start menu, search for "environment variables" and choose Edit environment variables for your account.
Select JAVA_HOME and click Edit, or click New if it doesn't exist.
Set it to the JDK's root folder, for example C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-17, without \bin at the end. Click OK.
Close and reopen your terminal and IDE.

# the same in PowerShell, for your user account
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('JAVA_HOME', 'C:\Program Files\Java\jdk-17', 'User')

Pick the Java version your project needs

For Android builds, Android Gradle Plugin 8 and later need Java 17 or newer, and every Gradle version has a newest Java it supports (Gradle's compatibility matrix lists them). Android Studio can also use its own JDK for Gradle, set under Settings > Build, Execution, Deployment > Build Tools > Gradle > Gradle JDK, which is why a build can work in Studio but fail in the terminal.

Doing it with Stackyard

On Windows, Stackyard's doctor spots a JAVA_HOME that points to a missing folder and offers to point it at an installed JDK in one click. On both Windows and Mac it lists every JDK it finds, installs a new one from its marketplace and sets JAVA_HOME for you, and warns when the Java a Flutter app builds with doesn't fit that project's Gradle and Android Gradle Plugin. It's free and open source.

Questions

Should JAVA_HOME include \bin?: No. Point it at the JDK's root folder. Tools add bin themselves.
Why does the build work in Android Studio but not in the terminal?: Android Studio can run Gradle with its own JDK (the Gradle JDK setting), while the terminal uses JAVA_HOME. Make them match.
User variable or system variable on Windows?: A user variable needs no admin rights and wins over the system one for your account, so it's the simplest fix.
Do I need to restart my computer?: No. Open a new terminal and restart your IDE: they read environment variables only when they start.