IntelliJ IDEA 2017.3 Help

Keep IntelliJ IDEA up to date

Basics

Out of the box, standalone IntelliJ IDEA installation is configured to check for updates automatically. It will notify you when a new version is available :

Platform and Plugin Updates

IntelliJ IDEA updates are usually patch-based: they are applied to the existing installation and only require you to restart the IDE. Note that these patches can only be applied sequentially, on top of one another. If an update is ignored or skipped, subsequent updates cannot be applied. Updating IntelliJ IDEA in this case will require either downloading and reinstalling it or using the Ignored updates list to apply updates one by one.

If you do not want to install the proposed update for some reason, you can ignore it by clicking the Ignore This Update button in the update dialog box. The ignored build's number will be added to the Ignored updates list, and you will not be prompted to install this particular build until you remove it from the list.

Manage updates manually

You can manage IntelliJ IDEA updates using the Updates page of the Settings / Preferences Dialog.

To manage updates, perform these general steps:

  1. Open the Settings / Preferences Dialog by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S or by choosing File | Settings for Windows and Linux or IntelliJ IDEA | Preferences for macOS. Expand the Appearance and Behavior node, and then click Updates under System Settings.
  2. Do the following according to your needs:

Checking for updates

To check for updates, do any of the following:

  • Click the Check Now button.
  • Choose Help | Check for Updates (for Windows or *NIX) or IntelliJ IDEA | Check for Updates (for macOS) on the main menu.

Enabling automatic updates

These settings allow you to enable automatic updates:

  • Select the Automatically check for updates for checkbox to enable automatic updates, and select the desired update channel from the list.
  • Use the Use secure connection checkbox (selected by default) to choose between using the secure connection protocol (HTTPS) and the HTTP protocol for downloading updates. Note that the HTTP protocol may be blocked due to security reasons.

Choosing the update channel

The channels list allow you to specify to which kind of releases you want IntelliJ IDEA updated. Note that this list is only available for the stable versions. For EAPs, it is enforced to Early Access Program.

  • Early Access Program: this channel receives updates that allow you to try pre-release IntelliJ IDEA versions and evaluate features that will be added in the next release.

    Please note the following:

    • IntelliJ IDEA can be updated only to a minor EAP version, but not to the major one. For example, you can update IntelliJ IDEA 2017.2.3 to 2017.2.4 EAP but not to 2017.3 EAP. The 2017.3 EAP version in this case will be installed in parallel with the existing stable installation.
    • EAP versions can be updated to both newer EAP and stable IntelliJ IDEA versions. If an EAP version is updated to a stable version at some point, the name of the original installation directory, i.e. %product*-EAP-x does not change.
  • Beta Releases or Public Previews: this channel includes release candidates (RC).
  • Stable Releases: this channel includes all IntelliJ IDEA releases, for example, IntelliJ IDEA X.Y.Z

Viewing and managing ignored updates

You can view the list of currently ignored updates and optionally make them available for download again.
  1. Click the View/edit ignored updates link. The Ignored Updates dialog box lists the build numbers that are currently ignored.
  2. To make a certain build available, delete it from the ignored updates list. Note that if you delete several updates, the most recent of them will be offered for download.

Applying patch-based updates

IntelliJ IDEA patches are applied sequentially. For example, if you are using IntelliJ IDEA 2017.1.1, you can patch it to 2017.1.2, but not to 2017.1.3. If you skip or ignore an update, you will lose the ability patch to your current IntelliJ IDEA installation. As a result, when a new version is released, you will be prompted to download and install it.

To restore the ability to apply patched-based updates to your current IntelliJ IDEA installation, you will need to apply skipped updates one by one by following these steps:

  1. Ignore the proposed update by clicking the Ignore This Update button in the update dialog box. The ignored build's number will be added to the Ignored updates list.
  2. Check for available updates manually by doing any of the following:
    • Choose Help | Check for Updates (for Windows or *NIX) or IntelliJ IDEA | Check for Updates (for macOS) on the main menu.
    • Perform these steps:
      • Open the Settings / Preferences Dialog by pressing Ctrl+Alt+S or by choosing File | Settings for Windows and Linux or IntelliJ IDEA | Preferences for macOS. Expand the Appearance and Behavior node, and then click Updates under System Settings.
      • Click the Check Now button.
  3. If you skipped a single update, the update dialog box will now prompt you to update and restart IntelliJ IDEA. Otherwise, repeat the steps 1-2 until a patch-based update is proposed.
  4. Update and restart IntelliJ IDEA.
  5. Delete the ignored build's number from the Ignored updates list as described in Viewing and managing ignored updates.
  6. Check for available updates once more. The unignored update can now be applied as a patch, as well. Note that if you have ignored several updates, you need to remove and apply them one by one, starting from the oldest update.
Last modified: 6 March 2018

See Also