IntelliJ IDEA Gradle Sync Failed

How to fix it

Try these in order — the most common fix is first.

1. 1. Set the Gradle JVM

   Copy steps
   1. Open Settings | Build, Execution, Deployment | Build Tools | Gradle
   2. Choose a JDK in the Gradle JVM field that your Gradle version supports
   3. Click Apply and Reload All Gradle Projects
   Did this fix it? Yes No

2. 2. Check how the JVM is chosen

   1. IntelliJ checks org.gradle.java.home in gradle.properties first, then JAVA_HOME, then a suitable JDK; remove conflicting values
   Did this fix it? Yes No

3. 3. Use the wrapper

   1. Run ./gradlew build in a terminal to confirm the build works outside the IDE
   Did this fix it? Yes No

4. 4. Clear caches

   1. Use File | Invalidate Caches, then reload Gradle; if needed delete the project .gradle folder
   Did this fix it? Yes No

Symptoms

Build output shows 'Gradle sync failed', unsupported class file major version, or the project model is empty.

Why it happens

• Gradle JVM too new or too old for the project's Gradle version
• JAVA_HOME or org.gradle.java.home pointing somewhere unexpected
• Network or proxy blocking Gradle downloads
• Corrupted Gradle caches
• Wrapper version incompatible with the plugin

This guide also covers

• intellij gradle sync failed
• intellij gradle jvm
• unsupported class file major version intellij
• intellij gradle build failed

The same problem in other apps

All sync failures guides →

• VS Code Settings Sync Not Working (VS Code)

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• IntelliJ IDEA High Memory Usage
• IntelliJ IDEA Slow or Freezing
• IntelliJ IDEA Cannot Resolve Symbol
• IntelliJ IDEA Maven Import Failed
• IntelliJ IDEA JDK Not Found or Invalid
• IntelliJ IDEA License or Activation Error
• JetBrains AI Quota Exceeded in IntelliJ IDEA