Loop variable not updated inside loop

Reports any variables and parameters that are used in a loop condition and are not updated inside the loop.

Such variables and parameters are usually used by mistake as they may cause an infinite loop if they are executed.

Example:

  void loopDoesNotLoop(boolean b) {
    while (b) {
      System.out.println();
      break;
    }
  }

Locating this inspection

By ID

Can be used to locate inspection in e.g. Qodana configuration files, where you can quickly enable or disable it, or adjust its settings.

LoopConditionNotUpdatedInsideLoop

Via Settings dialog

Path to the inspection settings via IntelliJ Platform IDE Settings dialog, when you need to adjust inspection settings directly from your IDE.

Settings or Preferences | Editor | Inspections | Java | Control flow issues

Configure the inspection:

Use the Ignore possible non-local changes option to disable this inspection if the condition can be updated indirectly (e.g. via the called method or concurrently from another thread).

Inspection ID: LoopConditionNotUpdatedInsideLoop

Inspection options

Here you can find the description of settings available for the Loop variable not updated inside loop inspection, and the reference of their default values.

Ignore possible non-local changes

Option ID:

ignorePossibleNonLocalChanges

Default value:

Selected

Suppressing Inspection

You can suppress this inspection by placing the following comment marker before the code fragment where you no longer want messages from this inspection to appear:

//noinspection LoopConditionNotUpdatedInsideLoop

More detailed instructions as well as other ways and options that you have can be found in the product documentation:

IntelliJ IDEA 2025.3

Inspection Details
By default bundled with:	IntelliJ IDEA 2025.3, Qodana for JVM 2025.3,

Last modified: 03 December 2025