# X-Ray mode

> **TL;DR**
> Required plugin: Scala: [how to install](get-started-with-scala.html#scala_plugin)

X-Ray Mode helps you keep your editor uncluttered without losing access to valuable code insights. You can temporarily reveal all inlay hints and additional information: press `Ctrl` (Windows), `Ctrl` (macOS), `Ctrl` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `Ctrl` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl` (XWin), `Ctrl` (GNOME), `Ctrl` (KDE), `Ctrl` (Emacs), `Ctrl` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl` (NetBeans), `Ctrl` (Visual Studio), `Ctrl` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl` (Eclipse), `Ctrl` (Eclipse (macOS)) twice and keep holding it.

Configure inlay hints and other supplementary information to the level you're comfortable with. When you need more context, press `Ctrl` (Windows), `Ctrl` (macOS), `Ctrl` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `Ctrl` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl` (XWin), `Ctrl` (GNOME), `Ctrl` (KDE), `Ctrl` (Emacs), `Ctrl` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl` (NetBeans), `Ctrl` (Visual Studio), `Ctrl` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl` (Eclipse), `Ctrl` (Eclipse (macOS)) twice and keep holding it. X-Ray Mode will display hints and additional information for as long as the key remains pressed, then hide them again when you release it.

[Video](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/xray_overview_white.mp4)

Procedure: Configure X-Ray mode hints

1. Press `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)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Comma` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Eclipse), `⌘ Comma` (Eclipse (macOS)) to open settings and then select `Languages & Frameworks | Scala | X-Ray Mode`.

2. Toggle each type of hint on or off as needed.

![X-Ray settings](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/scala_xray_settings.png)

If you want to see hints in the editor all the time regardless of X-Ray Mode, you can configure them separately:

* Go to `Settings | Editor | Inlay Hints` to configure [inlay hints](inlay-hints.html).

* Go to `Settings | Editor | General | Appearance` to configure [method separators and indent guides](customize-editor.html#editor-structural-aids).

The X-Ray mode is also an alternative to two other actions:

* `View | Show Implicit Hints` (`Ctrl+Alt+Shift+=`). Learn more from [Implicit hints](scala-code-insight.html#scala_hints).

* `View | Type Info` (`Ctrl+Shift+P` (Windows), `⌃ ⇧ P` (macOS), `⌃ ⇧ P` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌃ ⇧ P` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (XWin), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (KDE), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (Sublime Text), `⌃ ⇧ P` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (Visual Studio), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (Eclipse), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (Eclipse (macOS))). Learn more from [Type Info](viewing-reference-information.html#type-info).

In both cases, instead of memorizing the shortcuts for each action, you can press `Ctrl` (Windows), `Ctrl` (macOS), `Ctrl` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `Ctrl` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl` (XWin), `Ctrl` (GNOME), `Ctrl` (KDE), `Ctrl` (Emacs), `Ctrl` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl` (NetBeans), `Ctrl` (Visual Studio), `Ctrl` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl` (Eclipse), `Ctrl` (Eclipse (macOS)). On top of that, types displayed in hints are navigable: while pressing `Ctrl` (Windows), `Ctrl` (macOS), `Ctrl` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `Ctrl` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl` (XWin), `Ctrl` (GNOME), `Ctrl` (KDE), `Ctrl` (Emacs), `Ctrl` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl` (NetBeans), `Ctrl` (Visual Studio), `Ctrl` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl` (Eclipse), `Ctrl` (Eclipse (macOS)), hover over them and navigate to the type declaration.