# Update IntelliJ IDEA

By default, IntelliJ IDEA is configured to check for updates automatically and notify you when a new version is available. Updates are usually patch-based: they are applied to the existing installation and only require you to restart the IDE. However, sometimes patch updates are not available, and a new version of IntelliJ IDEA must be installed.

When IntelliJ IDEA updates to a new major release , it opens the What's New in IntelliJ IDEA tab in the editor with information about the changes, improvements, and fixes. To open this tab manually, select `Help | What's New in IntelliJ IDEA`.

If IntelliJ IDEA does not have HTTP access outside your local network, it will not be able to check for updates and apply patches. In this case, you have to download new versions of the IDE and install them manually as described in [Standalone installation](installation-guide.html#standalone).

## Toolbox App

If you [installed IntelliJ IDEA using the Toolbox App](installation-guide.html#toolbox), it will suggest that you update the IDE when a new version is available.

Procedure: Automatically update all managed tools

1. Open the Toolbox App, click the Toolbox App menu icon in the top right corner, and select Settings.

![Toolbox App menu icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/toolbox_app_menu.png)

2. In the Toolbox App Settings dialog, expand Tools and select Update all tools automatically.

If you disable this option, you will need to click Update next to any instance when a newer version comes out.

You can also configure the update policy for every managed IDE instance separately.

Procedure: Configure the update policy for a specific instance

1. Open the Toolbox App, click ![The three dots icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/toolbox-ide-settings-icon.png) next to the relevant IDE instance, and select Settings.

2. In the instance settings dialog, select the update channel to use for this IDE instance:

* Release: Update only to stable releases that are recommended for production.

* Early Access Program: Includes updates to release candidates , beta releases, and [EAP](https://www.jetbrains.com/community/eap/) builds, which are not recommended for production and include feature previews.

## Standalone instance

If you [installed IntelliJ IDEA manually](installation-guide.html#standalone), the standalone IDE instance will manage its own updates. It will notify you when a new version is available. You can choose to update the current instance, download and install the new version as a separate instance, postpone the notification, or ignore the update entirely.

![Platform and Plugin Updates](https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2026.2/ij_update_restart.png)

### Configure the update policy

To manage the IntelliJ IDEA update policy, open Settings `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)) and select `Appearance & Behavior | System Settings | Updates`.

> **Note:**
> If the IDE instance is managed by the [Toolbox App](#toolbox), these settings will affect only plugin updates.

The Updates page contains the following settings:

| Item | Description |
| --- | --- |
|  Check IDE updates for |    Select whether you want IntelliJ IDEA to check for updates automatically and choose an update channel.                                 * Early Access Program: Provides all updates, including major version [EAP](https://www.jetbrains.com/community/eap/) builds and minor version Preview builds. This channel is not recommended for production development. IntelliJ IDEA can be updated only to a minor Preview version, but not to a major EAP build. For example, you can update IntelliJ IDEA `2024.1.1` to `2024.1.2`, but not to `2024.2 EAP`. The `2024.2 EAP` version in this case will be installed as an additional instance. 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 does not change.    * Beta Releases or Public Previews: Includes stable releases, release candidates, and beta releases. Some updates in this channel may contain minor bugs and feature previews.    * Stable Releases: Includes only stable releases that are recommended for production.                              > **Note:** > You can choose the update channel only if you are using a stable version. For EAP builds, the channel is always set to Early Access Program.    |
|  Check for plugin updates  |    Select whether you want IntelliJ IDEA to check for new versions of plugins automatically.    |
|  Update plugins automatically  |  Select to automatically download plugin updates when they become available apply them on the next IDE restart.  |
| Check for Updates |    Manually check for updates immediately. If there are updates available, you will see [the same                                 dialog](#standalone) as when the IDE checks for updates automatically.                              > **Tip:** > Alternatively, go to `Help \| Check for Updates` on Windows or Linux, or `IntelliJ IDEA \| Check for Updates` on macOS.    |
| Manage ignored updates… |     Show the list of updates that were ignored. These updates will not be suggested until you remove them from the list of ignored updates.                               > **Note:** > If you remove several updates from the ignored list, only the most recent will be offered for download when you check for updates.    |
| Show What's New in the editor after an IDE update | Open a tab with information about new features and improvements after a major IDE update. |
| Check for JDK updates | Select whether you want IntelliJ IDEA to check for new versions of JDK automatically. |

If you want to install a newer version of IntelliJ IDEA as a separate instance and transfer your settings from the older version, use the [Backup and
Sync](sharing-your-ide-settings.html) plugin.

## Snap package

If you [installed IntelliJ IDEA as a snap
package](installation-guide.html#snap) , it will receive automatic background updates along with other snaps every day.

To update only the IntelliJ IDEA snap manually at any time, run the following command:

```SHELL
sudo snap refresh intellij-idea
```

To disable automatic updates of the IntelliJ IDEA snap:

```SHELL
snap refresh --hold intellij-idea
```

For more information about managing snap updates, refer to the [Snapcraft documentation](https://snapcraft.io/docs/managing-updates)