SecureAnyCloud
Deployment guide

Android Studio

Overview

Android Studio is the official integrated development environment for Google's Android operating system. It is built on JetBrains' IntelliJ IDEA software and is designed specifically for Android development.

The SecureAnyCloud Android Studio AMI gives you a fully preconfigured Windows Server instance on Amazon Web Services, with Android Studio installed and ready to use. You can run Android Studio in the cloud, which supports remote development, team collaboration, and scalable compute for building, testing and debugging Android applications. This guide covers launching the instance, connecting to it and managing it.

What you get:

  • A Windows Server instance with Android Studio preinstalled, so you can start Android development right after launch
  • A consistent development environment across team members
  • A way to centralise your development infrastructure on AWS

If you run into problems while following this guide, contact sales@secureanycloud.com.

Prerequisites

Before you launch the Android Studio AMI, make sure you have the following in place.

AWS Account: an active AWS account with permissions to launch EC2 instances, manage security groups and access the AWS Marketplace.

EC2 Key Pair: a new or existing EC2 key pair in the region where you plan to launch the instance. You need this key pair to decrypt the Windows Administrator password after launch.

Security Group: a security group that allows inbound RDP access. The required rule is below.

Protocol Type Port Description

RDP TCP 3389 Remote Desktop Access

Restrict the source IP range for RDP access to your known IP addresses or corporate CIDR blocks. Do not allow access from 0.0.0.0/0.

Remote Desktop Client: a Remote Desktop Protocol client on your local machine. Options include Microsoft Remote Desktop (for Windows and macOS), Remmina (Linux), or any other RDP-compatible client.

Minimum instance requirements

Minimum CPU Minimum RAM Required Disk Space

1 vCPU 1 GB 30 GB

The instance runs with these minimum requirements. For a comfortable development experience with Android Studio, use a t3.medium or larger instance type. Building and running Android emulators benefits from additional CPU and memory.

Step-by-step setup

Follow these steps to launch and connect to your Android Studio instance.

Step 1: Launch the instance

  • Log in to your AWS account and open the AWS Marketplace.
  • Search for the SecureAnyCloud Android Studio AMI.
  • Select your instance type (t3.medium or larger is recommended).
  • Choose your preferred region and VPC configuration.
  • Select the EC2 key pair you identified in the prerequisites.
  • Assign the security group with RDP access on port 3389.
  • Configure storage (30 GB minimum on the root volume).
  • Launch the instance.

Step 2: Wait for status checks

After you launch the instance, open the EC2 console and wait until it shows 2/2 status checks passing. This confirms that the instance has fully booted and Windows has completed its initial setup. This typically takes 3 to 10 minutes.

Step 3: Retrieve the Administrator password

  • Open the EC2 console in the AWS region where you launched the instance.
  • Select Instances in the left navigation panel.
  • Select your newly launched instance.
  • Choose Actions at the top of the page.
  • Choose Security, then choose Get Windows password.
  • Choose Browse and upload the private key file (.pem) from the key pair you selected during launch.
  • Choose Decrypt password.
  • Copy the decrypted password and store it securely. This is your Administrator password.

Step 4: Connect via Remote Desktop

  • Open your Remote Desktop client.
  • Create a new connection using the public IP address of your EC2 instance. Use the private IP if you connect through a VPN or from within the same VPC.
  • Enter these credentials when prompted:
    • Username: Administrator
    • Password: the decrypted value from Step 3
  • If a certificate warning appears, choose Continue. This warning is expected for new connections.
  • Wait for the Windows Server desktop to appear.

Step 5: Launch Android Studio

On the desktop, find the Android Studio shortcut icon and double-click it to launch the application. Android Studio is preinstalled and ready for immediate use.

Server components

These software components are preinstalled on this AMI.

Component Version

Android Studio Latest

The AMI is built on Windows Server. It includes the base operating system and Android Studio, preinstalled and configured. Android Studio includes the Android SDK, build tools and the integrated development environment.

Filesystem layout

The instance uses a single volume.

Drive Purpose Minimum Size

C:\ Operating system and application 30 GB

Key directory locations on the instance are:

Path Description

C:\Program Files\Android\Android Studio\ Android Studio installation directory

C:\Users\Administrator\Desktop\ Desktop with Android Studio shortcut

C:\Users\Administrator.android\ Android SDK and AVD configuration

C:\Users\Administrator\AndroidStudioProjects\ Default project workspace directory

If you need more storage for large projects, Android emulator images or compiled outputs, attach an additional EBS volume through the AWS console and mount it as a secondary drive.

Managing the application

Starting Android Studio

Double-click the Android Studio icon on the Windows desktop. The application launches and shows the Welcome screen. From there you can create new projects, open existing projects or configure SDK settings.

Updating Android Studio

Android Studio includes a built-in update mechanism. To check for updates, open Android Studio, choose Help, then choose Check for Updates. Follow the prompts to download and install any available updates.

Configuring the Android SDK

On first launch, Android Studio may prompt you to download additional SDK components. Use the SDK Manager to install the Android SDK versions and build tools that your development targets require. Open it from the Welcome screen, or from Tools, then SDK Manager, within an open project.

Setting up the Android emulator

To test applications on virtual devices, use the AVD Manager. Open it from Tools, then AVD Manager. Create a new virtual device, select a device profile and system image, then launch the emulator.

The Android emulator requires hardware virtualization support. Choose an instance type that supports it, such as a metal instance or an instance with nested virtualization.

Managing multiple projects

The default workspace directory is C:\Users\Administrator\AndroidStudioProjects. You can organise your projects within this directory, or configure Android Studio to use a custom project directory.

Scripts and logs

Android Studio logs

Android Studio generates log files that help you diagnose issues with the IDE itself.

Log Location Description

C:\Users\Administrator.AndroidStudio\system\log\idea.log Main Android Studio IDE log

C:\Users\Administrator.android\avd\ AVD (emulator) configuration

Windows event logs

For system-level diagnostics, use the Windows Event Viewer. Press the Windows key, search for Event Viewer, and open it to review application and system logs.

Build output

When you build Android projects, the build output and logs are stored in each project's directory, under the build folder. You can view Gradle build logs in the Build output window within Android Studio.

Troubleshooting

Cannot connect via RDP

  • Verify that the instance has passed 2/2 status checks in the EC2 console.
  • Confirm that your security group allows inbound TCP traffic on port 3389 from your IP address.
  • Make sure you are using the correct public IP address. If the instance was stopped and started, the public IP may have changed, unless you use an Elastic IP.
  • Check that your local firewall or corporate network is not blocking outbound RDP connections.

Password decryption fails

  • Make sure you upload the .pem file that matches the key pair selected during instance launch.
  • The password can take up to 15 minutes to become available after the first launch. If the option is greyed out, wait and try again.

Android Studio runs slowly

  • Move to a larger instance type with more CPU and RAM. A t3.large or t3.xlarge gives a significantly better experience.
  • Close unnecessary applications on the instance to free up resources.
  • Increase the heap size allocated to Android Studio by editing the VM options. Choose Help, then Edit Custom VM Options.

Android emulator does not start

  • The Android emulator requires hardware virtualization. Make sure your instance type supports nested virtualization, or use a bare-metal instance type.
  • Alternatively, test on a physical Android device connected through ADB over the network.

Insufficient disk space

  • Android SDK components, emulator images and build caches can use significant disk space. Monitor your C: drive usage regularly.
  • Attach an additional EBS volume for project files and build outputs, to keep the system drive from filling up.
  • Clear the Gradle build cache. Go to C:\Users\Administrator.gradle\caches\ and delete old cache files.

RDP session disconnects frequently

  • Check that your network connection is stable.
  • Adjust the RDP client settings to reduce bandwidth requirements, by lowering the display quality or disabling visual effects.
  • Make sure the instance is not running out of memory, which can cause Windows to become unresponsive.

Security recommendations

Change the Administrator password

After your first login, change the Administrator password to a strong, unique password. Open the Windows command prompt or PowerShell and run:

net user Administrator YourNewStrongPassword

Once you change the password, the original decrypted password from the AWS console is no longer valid.

Restrict RDP access

Limit the security group rule for port 3389 to your specific IP addresses or a trusted CIDR range. Avoid 0.0.0.0/0, which exposes the instance to RDP brute-force attacks from the entire internet.

Configure Windows Firewall rules

Review and configure Windows Firewall to restrict inbound and outbound traffic to what your development workflow needs.

Keep software updated

Update Android Studio, the Android SDK and Windows Server regularly, so that you have the latest security patches and bug fixes.

Use an Elastic IP

Assign an Elastic IP to your instance to keep a consistent IP address across stop and start cycles. This also lets you keep consistent firewall rules.

Enable CloudWatch monitoring

Configure Amazon CloudWatch to monitor instance metrics such as CPU utilisation, memory usage and disk space. Set up alarms that notify you when resources run low.

Back up your projects

Use AWS services such as EBS snapshots or S3 to back up your project files and configurations regularly. Consider integrating your projects with a version control system such as Git.

Use IAM roles

If your development workflow accesses other AWS services (such as S3 or DynamoDB), attach an IAM role to the instance instead of storing AWS access keys on the server.

Support

If you hit an issue that this guide does not cover, the SecureAnyCloud support team can help.

  • Email: sales@secureanycloud.com
  • Phone: (+44) 02045382725
  • Website: secureanycloud.com
  • Address: 3rd Floor, 86 90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE

Support covers any issue related to the AMI, including connectivity problems, software configuration and general guidance on using the preconfigured environment.

When you contact support, include your EC2 instance ID, the AWS region, and a description of the issue with any relevant error messages or screenshots.

Deploy on AWS

Launch Android Studio with 24/7 support from SecureAnyCloud.

View on Marketplace

Need Help?

Our support team is available 24/7.

sales@secureanycloud.com