IntelliJ IDEA 2020.2 Help

User interface themes

The interface theme defines the appearance of windows, dialogs, buttons, and all visual elements of the user interface. By default, IntelliJ IDEA uses the Darcula theme, unless you changed it during the first run.

Change the UI theme

  1. In the Settings/Preferences dialog Ctrl+Alt+S, select Appearance & Behavior | Appearance.

  2. Select the UI theme from the Theme list:

    • IntelliJ Light: Traditional light theme for IntelliJ-based IDEs

    • macOS Light or Windows 10 Light: OS-specific light theme available as a bundled plugin

    • Darcula: Default dark theme

    • High contrast: Theme designed for users with color vision deficiency

You can install a custom theme from the JetBrains Plugin Repository as described in Managing plugins.

It is also possible to create your own UI themes for IntelliJ IDEA and customize the built-in themes. For more information, see IntelliJ Platform SDK Documentation.

Productivity tips

Use the quick switcher

  1. Press Ctrl+` to execute the View | Quick Switch Scheme action.

  2. In the Switch popup, select Theme, and then select the required interface theme.

Create shortcuts

Last modified: 30 September 2020