# User interface

When you open a project in CLion, the default user interface looks as follows:

![The Main window](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/ij_mainWindow_default.png)

1.  [Navigation bar](#navigation-bar)

2.  Project [tool window](#tool-windows)

3.  [Editor](#editor)

4.  [Popup menu](#popup-menus)

5.  [Context menu](#context-menus)

6.  [Status bar](#status-bar)

7.  [Tool window bar](#tool_window_bar)

8.  [Toolbar](#toolbar)

9.  [Gutter](#gutter)

Depending on the set of [plugins](managing-plugins.html)  and configuration settings, your IDE may look and behave differently.

## Navigation bar

Focus: `Alt+Home` (Windows), `⌘ ↑` (macOS), `⌥ Home` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ ⌃ ↑` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Home` (XWin), `Alt+Home` (GNOME), `Alt+Home` (KDE), `Alt+Home` (Emacs), `Alt+Home` (Sublime Text), `⌥ Home` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌃ 4` (Xcode), `Ctrl+F2` (Visual Studio), `⌘ F2` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Home` (ReSharper), `⌃ ⌥ ←` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+Home` (QtCreator), `⌘ ↑` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+Home` (NetBeans), `Alt+Home` (Eclipse), `⌘ ⌥ B` (Eclipse (macOS))

Show/hide: `View | Appearance | Navigation Bar`

The navigation bar is a quick alternative to the Project view, where you can go through the structure of your project, open specific files, and jump to specific code elements in the current file.

It is located in the status bar at the bottom of the main window. You can change its location: in the main menu, go to `View | Appearance | Navigation Bar` and select Top to display the navigation bar in the top part of the IDE window or Don't show to disable it.

> **Note:**
> The main toolbar with buttons for opening and saving files, undo and redo actions is hidden by default. To show it, select `View | Appearance | Toolbar` .

## Editor

Focus: `Escape` (Windows), `⎋` (macOS), `⎋` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⎋` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Escape` (XWin), `Escape` (GNOME), `Escape` (KDE), `Escape, Escape` (Emacs), `Escape` (Sublime Text), `⎋` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⎋` (Xcode), `Escape` (Visual Studio), `⎋` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Escape` (ReSharper), `⎋` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Escape` (QtCreator), `⎋` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Escape` (NetBeans), `Escape` (Eclipse), `⎋` (Eclipse (macOS))

Use the  [editor](using-code-editor.html)  to read, write, and explore your source code .

## Action indicators and action list

Open the list of available actions: `Alt+Enter` (Windows), `⌥ ⏎` (macOS), `⌥ ⏎` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌥ ⏎` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Enter` (XWin), `Alt+Enter` (GNOME), `Alt+Enter` (KDE), `Alt+Enter` (Emacs), `Alt+Enter` (Sublime Text), `⌥ ⏎` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌥ ⏎` (Xcode), `Alt+Enter` (Visual Studio), `⌥ ⏎` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (ReSharper), `⌥ ⏎` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (QtCreator), `⌥ ⏎` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+1` (Eclipse), `⌘ 1` (Eclipse (macOS))

Various icons that appear in the [gutter](#gutter), for example, ![the Yellow bulb icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.codeInsight.intentionBulb.png), help you notice [quick-fixes](null) and other actions. Clicking such [action indicator](null) or pressing `Alt+Enter` (Windows), `⌥ ⏎` (macOS), `⌥ ⏎` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌥ ⏎` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Enter` (XWin), `Alt+Enter` (GNOME), `Alt+Enter` (KDE), `Alt+Enter` (Emacs), `Alt+Enter` (Sublime Text), `⌥ ⏎` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌥ ⏎` (Xcode), `Alt+Enter` (Visual Studio), `⌥ ⏎` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (ReSharper), `⌥ ⏎` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (QtCreator), `⌥ ⏎` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+Enter` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+1` (Eclipse), `⌘ 1` (Eclipse (macOS)) opens an [action list](null) with all other actions that are available at the current caret position.

## Status bar

Show/hide: `View | Appearance | Status Bar`

If you do not use the left part of the status bar as the [navigation bar](#navigation-bar), it shows the most recent event messages. Click a message in the status bar to open it in the Notifications tool window. Right-click the message in the status bar and select Copy to paste the message text when you are searching for a solution to a problem or need to add it to a support ticket or to the CLion issue tracker.

The status bar also shows the progress of processes. You can click ![Processes](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.process.big.step_1.svg) to show the [Processes](working-with-processes.html) manager.

The right part of the status bar contains widgets that indicate the overall project and IDE status and provide access to various settings. Depending on the set of [plugins](managing-plugins.html) and configuration settings, the set of widgets can change. Right-click the status bar to select the widgets that you want to show or hide.

![Customize the icons on the Status bar](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_statusbar_customization.png)

| Widget | Description |
| --- | --- |
|  Line:Column Number  |     Shows the line and column number of the current caret position in the editor. Click the numbers to move the caret to a specific line and column. If you select a code fragment in the editor, CLion also shows the number of characters and line breaks in the selected fragment.     |
|   Line Separator  |  Shows the [line endings](configuring-line-endings-and-line-separators.html) used to break lines in the current file. Click this widget to change the line separators.  |
|     File Encoding    |  Shows the [encoding](encoding.html) used to view the current file. Click the widget to use another encoding.  |
|  .clang-tidy  |  Shows the [clang-tidy](clang-tidy-checks-support.html) menu.  |
|   Column  |  Indicates that the [column selection mode](multicursor.html#column_selection) is enabled for the current editor tab. You can press `Alt+Shift+Insert` (Windows), `⌘ ⇧ 8` (macOS), `⌘ ⇧ 8` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ ⇧ 8` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Shift+Insert` (XWin), `Alt+Shift+Insert` (GNOME), `Alt+Shift+Insert` (KDE), `Alt+Shift+Insert` (Emacs), `Alt+Shift+Insert` (Sublime Text), `⌘ ⇧ 8` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ ⇧ 8` (Xcode), `Alt+Shift+Insert` (Visual Studio), `⌘ ⇧ 8` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Shift+Insert` (ReSharper), `⌘ ⇧ 8` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+Shift+Insert` (QtCreator), `⌘ ⇧ 8` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+Shift+Insert` (NetBeans), `Alt+Shift+Insert` (Eclipse), `⌘ ⇧ 8` (Eclipse (macOS)) to toggle it.  |
|     Read-Only Attribute    | Click to lock the file from editing (set it to read-only) or unlock it if you want to edit the file. |
|   Git Branch  |  If [version control integration](version-control-integration.html) is enabled, this widget shows the current VCS branch. Click it to [manage VCS branches](manage-branches.html).  |
|    Indentation    |  Shows the indent style used in the current file. Click to configure the tab and indent settings for the current file type or disable indent detection in the current project.  |
|  Clangd Memory Usage  |  Shows the [clangd memory indicator](performance-tuning-tips.html#memory-indicator).  |
|   Memory Indicator  |  Shows the amount of memory that CLion consumes out of the total amount of heap memory.  For more information, refer to [Increase the memory heap of the IDE](increasing-memory-heap.html).     |
| ![Error notification status icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.status.errorOutline.svg)  | Indicates that an internal IDE error has occurred. Click to view the error descriptions and submit reports. |

## Tool windows

Show/hide: `View | Tool Windows`

[Tool windows](tool-windows.html) provide functionality that supplements editing code. For example, the [Project tool window](project-tool-window.html)  shows you the structure of your project , and the [Run](run-tool-window.html)  tool window displays the output of your application when you run it.

By default, tool windows are docked to the sides and bottom of the main window. You can [arrange them as necessary](manipulating-the-tool-windows.html), undock, resize, hide, and so on. Right-click the title of the tool window or click ![the Options button](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app-client.expui.general.moreVertical.svg) in the title for its arrangement options.

You can [assign shortcuts](configuring-keyboard-and-mouse-shortcuts.html) to quickly access the tool windows that you frequently use. Some of them have shortcuts by default. For example, to open the [Project](project-tool-window.html) tool window , press `Alt+1` (Windows), `⌘ 1` (macOS), `⌘ 1` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ 1` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+1` (XWin), `Alt+1` (GNOME), `Alt+1` (KDE), `Alt+1` (Emacs), `Alt+1` (Sublime Text), `⌘ 1` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ 1` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+L` (Visual Studio), `⌘ ⌥ L` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+1` (ReSharper), `⌘ 1` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+X` (QtCreator), `⌃ X` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+1` (NetBeans), `Alt+1` (Eclipse), `Alt+1` (Eclipse (macOS)), and to open the [Terminal](terminal-emulator.html)   tool window, press `Alt+F12` (Windows), `⌥ F12` (macOS), `⌥ F12` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ ⌃ T` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+F12` (XWin), `Alt+F12` (GNOME), `Alt+F12` (KDE), `Alt+F12` (Emacs), `Alt+F12` (Sublime Text), `⌥ F12` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌥ F12` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+1` (Visual Studio), `⌘ ⌃ 1` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+1` (ReSharper), `⌘ ⌃ 1` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+F12` (QtCreator), `⌥ F12` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+F12` (NetBeans), `Alt+F12` (Eclipse), `⌥ F12` (Eclipse (macOS)). To jump from the editor to the last active tool window, press `F12` (Windows), `F12` (macOS), `F12` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `F12` (macOS System Shortcuts), `F12` (XWin), `F12` (GNOME), `F12` (KDE), `F12` (Emacs), `F12` (Sublime Text), `F12` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `F12` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+Backspace` (Visual Studio), `⌥ ⇧ F6` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+Backspace` (ReSharper), `⌥ ⇧ F6` (ReSharper (macOS)), `F12` (QtCreator), `F12` (QtCreator (macOS)), `F12` (NetBeans), `F12` (Eclipse), `F12` (Eclipse (macOS)).

## Context menus

You can right-click various elements of the interface to see the actions available in the current context of this element. For example, right-click a file  in the [Project](project-tool-window.html) tool window  for actions related to that file , or right-click in the editor  to see actions that apply to the current code fragment.

Most of these actions can also be performed from the main menu at the top of the screen or the main window. Actions with shortcuts show the shortcut next to the action name.

## Popup menus

Popup menus provide quick access for actions related to the current IDE and project context. Here are some useful popup menus and their shortcuts:

* `Alt+Insert` (Windows), `⌘ N` (macOS), `⌃ N` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ N` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Insert` (XWin), `Alt+Insert` (GNOME), `Alt+Insert` (KDE), `Alt+Insert` (Emacs), `Alt+Insert` (Sublime Text), `⌘ N` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ N` (Xcode), `Alt+Insert` (Visual Studio), `⌘ ⌃ N` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Insert` (ReSharper), `⌘ ⌃ N` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+Insert` (QtCreator), `Alt+Insert` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+Insert` (NetBeans), `Alt+Insert` (Eclipse), `⌘ N` (Eclipse (macOS)) opens the Generate popup for [generating boilerplate code](null) based on the context.

* `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T` (Windows), `⌃ T` (macOS), `⌘ ⌥ ⇧ T` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌃ S` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T` (Sublime Text), `⌃ T` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ ⌃ ⌥ T` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Shift+R` (Visual Studio), `⌘ ⇧ R` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Shift+R` (ReSharper), `⌘ ⇧ R` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T` (QtCreator), `⌃ T` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+Shift+T` (Eclipse), `⌃ T` (Eclipse (macOS)) opens the Refactor This popup with a list of contextually available [refactorings](refactoring-source-code.html) .

* `Alt+Insert` (Windows), `⌘ N` (macOS), `⌃ N` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ N` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+Insert` (XWin), `Alt+Insert` (GNOME), `Alt+Insert` (KDE), `Alt+Insert` (Emacs), `Ctrl+N` (Sublime Text), `⌘ N` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ N` (Xcode), `Ctrl+N` (Visual Studio), `⌘ N` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Insert` (ReSharper), `⌥ Insert` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+Insert` (QtCreator), `Alt+Insert` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+Insert` (NetBeans), `Alt+Insert` (Eclipse), `⌘ N` (Eclipse (macOS)) in the [Project](project-tool-window.html) tool window opens the New popup for adding new files and directories to your project.

* `Alt+`` (Windows), `⌃ V` (macOS), `⌃ V` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌃ C` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+`` (XWin), `Alt+`` (GNOME), `Alt+`` (KDE), `Alt+`` (Emacs), `Alt+`` (Sublime Text), `Alt+`` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌃ S` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+Q` (Visual Studio), `⌃ V` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+`` (ReSharper), `⌃ V` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Alt+`` (QtCreator), `⌃ V` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Alt+`` (NetBeans), `Alt+`` (Eclipse), `⌃ V` (Eclipse (macOS)) opens the VCS Operations popup with contextually available actions for your [version control system](version-control-integration.html).

You can create custom popup menus using [quick lists](customize-actions-menus-and-toolbars.html#configure_quick_lists) of actions that you often use.

## Tool window bars

The bars on the sides of the main window contain icons of tool windows.   Click an icon to show or hide the tool window. A right-click on an icon will open the context menu, where you can hide or move the tool window. You can also drag tool window icons to rearrange tool windows.

Tool window icons in the upper parts of the left and right bars open vertical tool windows on the left and right sides of the IDE window.

The icons in the bottom parts of the bars open horizontal tool windows at the bottom of the IDE window.

Learn more from [Tool window bars and buttons](tool-windows.html#bars_and_buttons).

## Toolbar

Several widgets are located in the toolbar in the window header. From left to right:

![Window header](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/cl_new_ui_window_header.png)

1. Project widget

The widget shows the name of the current project, allows switching between recent projects, creating new projects, and opening existing ones.

2. VCS widget

The widget shows the current branch, allows switching branches, and provides the most popular [VCS actions](version-control-integration.html) like update project, commit and push changes.

It has replaced the branch widget previously located in the status bar at the bottom of the main window, and VCS actions icons previously located in the navigation bar in the upper right corner.

3. Run widget

The widget allows you to start [run/debug configurations](run-debug-configuration.html), select other configurations to run, and change the mode for the current configuration (run or debug). You can edit, pin, or delete configurations using this widget.

When a process is running, you can restart or stop it using the widget.

> **Tip:**
> The toolbar in the window header is [customizable](customize-actions-menus-and-toolbars.html#customize-main-toolbar). You can add and remove widgets and buttons, change the toolbar color and project icon, or hide the toolbar.

## Gutter

The gutter is the panel located in the editor on the left. It contains [action icons](#action-indicators-and-action-list) that allow you to fix code issues, run or debug your code, and use other framework-specific features. [Line numbers](null), [breakpoints](using-breakpoints.html), and [bookmarks](bookmarks.html) are also shown in the gutter.

Learn more about gutter icons from [Gutter Icons](settings-gutter-icons.html).

## Main window

The main window lets you work with a single CLion project. You can open multiple projects in multiple windows .  By default, the window header displays the name of the project and  the name of the currently open file.  If there are multiple  projects, it will also show the name of the relevant  project.

To show the full path to the project and to the current file , select Always show full paths in window header on  the Appearance & Behavior | Appearance settings page `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Windows), `⌘ Comma` (macOS), `⌘ Comma` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Sublime Text), `⌘ Comma` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Comma` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (ReSharper), `⌘ Comma` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (QtCreator), `⌘ Comma` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Eclipse), `⌘ Comma` (Eclipse (macOS)) .

## Settings window

The Settings window lets you configure CLion behavior, appearance, and tools. Open it with `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Windows), `⌘ Comma` (macOS), `⌘ Comma` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Sublime Text), `⌘ Comma` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (Xcode), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Comma` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (ReSharper), `⌘ Comma` (ReSharper (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (QtCreator), `⌘ Comma` (QtCreator (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Eclipse), `⌘ Comma` (Eclipse (macOS)) or from the main menu.

By default, the window is non-modal: you can interact with the IDE while it remains open. To make the window modal and block IDE interaction until it is closed, go to `Settings | Advanced Settings` and clear the Show settings in a non-modal dialog option.

When the Settings window is non-modal, it stays on top of the project window you opened it from by default, even when focus returns to the IDE. To allow the window to move to the background when you focus the IDE, click ![Pin](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/app-client.expui.general.pin.svg) Pin Window in the top-right corner.

![Settings window in CLion with the Pin Window button highlighted in the top-right corner and the project name in the window title.](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/ij-settings-window.png)

The Settings window is project-specific. If you open settings in one project and then switch to another project, you need to open settings again in the new project. The Settings window title shows the name of the current project.

## See also

### Procedures

### External Links