How to Turn off automatic saving on web storm

Question

I am developing with meteor and Webstorm, being that meteor automatically updates the browser and Webstorm saves after you stop typing. It gets annoying. I checked my preferences and I can see that I have 'save automatically' unchecked. How do I completely stop the auto save feature in web storm ?

Do you use any file watcher in this project? When immediate synchronization is enabled for a file watcher, files will be saved automatically. — CrazyCoder, Mar 24 '13 at 22:51
I don't think i am using any file watcher at all. I know that meteor just updates the browser on any file changes and that my webstorm files get saved after i stop typing — Warz, Mar 24 '13 at 23:05
Can you confirm that [these 2 options](http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/7817/20130325031539.png) are disabled? — CrazyCoder, Mar 24 '13 at 23:16
Ah, i had the first one enabled. I think its working now. I feel a little lagging as i am typing but that might be something else. Post it as an answer so i can accept. Thanks — Warz, Mar 24 '13 at 23:30

CrazyCoder · Accepted Answer · 2020-06-04T22:04:38.140

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Automatic save can be disabled using the following options:

File | Settings | Appearance & Behavior | System Settings > Uncheck these boxes below:

Save files on frame deactivation

Save files automatically if application is idle for...

Be aware that File Watchers feature may override this behavior for the specific file types (if enabled).

Save will also occur automatically on certain actions (running a configuration, IDE quit, project close, etc).

You may want to enable the option to mark modified files with *.

edited Jun 04 '20 at 22:04

answered Mar 24 '13 at 23:38

CrazyCoder

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Its really weird, on stopping and starting meteor locally, if the files in webstorm have not been saved. It removes all changes made to the actively open file – Warz Mar 24 '13 at 23:44
Only happens on my javascript files – Warz Mar 24 '13 at 23:45
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That is weird because WebStorm should show you a file conflict notification when you have unsaved changes in the editor. You can verify it by editing a file in WebStorm, without saving edit it in some other editor and save there. Go back to WebStorm, it will warn you about the conflict. – CrazyCoder Mar 24 '13 at 23:48
Okay. I will give that shot, i had to close it down and try it again. Its not really happening anymore. Thanks again – Warz Mar 24 '13 at 23:51
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FYI, to disable this behaviour for file watchers, uncheck the `Immediate file synchronization` checkbox. – orlade Apr 04 '14 at 09:06
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There's certainly something odd about filewatchers. I enabled a coffeescript filewatcher and now get the "constant restart" problem despite unchecking all I can see... there's even a checkbox to turn watchers off which seems to have no effect. Yep, autosave is evil for meteor. – dcsan Nov 02 '14 at 21:34
refer to anchal20's answer for the current correct answer – Jeff Wilkerson Jun 04 '20 at 20:12
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@JeffWilkerson thanks for the feedback, I've updated my answer from 2013 to reflect the new settings path in 2020. – CrazyCoder Jun 04 '20 at 22:09
what is the meaning of "frame deactivation" – NullByte08 Jul 21 '20 at 11:27
@NullByte08 when you switch from the IDE to some other app (using Alt+Tab or any other way), in other words, when the application window loses focus. – CrazyCoder Jul 21 '20 at 17:16

steph643 · Answer 2 · 2015-01-02T23:09:48.333

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It seems there is no way to make Webstorm 9 behaving like a standard text editor.

The closer you can get is:

Settings / Appearance & Behavior / System Settings / Save file on frame deactivation: unchecked
Settings / Appearance & Behavior / System Settings / Save files automatically if...: unchecked
Settings / Editor / General / Editor tabs / Mark modified tabs with asterisk : checked

The resulting behavior is:

Changes are not automatically saved in the file
If you close a changed file, no warning is displayed
If you close a changed file then reopen it, changes have not been lost

See also this discussion: http://www.dotmana.com/weblog/2012/07/disable-auto-save-in-phpstorm/

edited Jan 02 '15 at 23:09

answered Dec 17 '14 at 10:26

steph643

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Right answer :) – MD Ashik Nov 29 '16 at 06:35
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This is really stupid and annoying. It should be up to the user if they want to autosave. – Trevor de Koekkoek Jun 28 '18 at 16:56
When everything is turned off, it even shows the asterisk when reopening it, but when closing and opening the project it is suddenly saved. What a joke. (Version 2019.2) – Binarian Sep 11 '19 at 11:50

anchal20 · Answer 3 · 2018-07-26T06:11:15.417

For Webstorm version 2018.2 Build #WS-182.3684.70, built on July 20, 2018

GOTO => Settings -> Appearance & Behavior -> System Settings -> Uncheck 'Save files on frame deactivation' and also Uncheck the next option

This will stop automatic save

If you want some kind of distinguishing factor to know if the file has been modified then do the following :

GOTO => Settings -> Editor -> General -> Editor Tabs -> Check 'Mark modified (*)

score 12 · Answer 4 · answered Mar 06 '16 at 09:03

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In WebStorm 10, autosave settings are here: File | Settings | Appearance and Behavior | System Settings

answered Mar 06 '16 at 09:03

Luckylooke

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In WebStorm 2016.2.3 Build #WS-162.1812.21, from september 2016 the path is the same as in WebStorm 10 --> File | Settings | Appearance and Behavior | System Settings and then see Options under Synchronisation – surfmuggle Oct 17 '16 at 21:06

score 9 · Answer 5 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

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MacOS WebStorm 2016.2: menu> Webstorm> Preferences> Apppearance&Behavior> SystemSettings> Right panel: Synchronization> And uncheck:

Save files on frame deactivation

Save files automatically if application is idle for...

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

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answered Nov 04 '16 at 16:07

Kamil Kiełczewski

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For clarity, it is better to "Mark modified tabs with asterisk". You can turn on this option by: File > Settings > Editor > General > Editor Tabs – asanga15 Mar 03 '17 at 02:11

score 3 · Answer 6 · answered Jul 19 '18 at 14:53

Disable Auto Save

File > Settings > Appearance & Behavior > System Settings > Synchronization > then uncheck both Save files on frame deactivation and Save files automatically if application is idle > OK

_{Now, you may want to do this too.}

Mark Changed But Unsaved File

File > Settings > Editor > General > Editor Tabs > then check Mark modified tabs with asterisk > OK

Save One File with Ctrl+S

File > Settings > Keymap > search with save document > right click Save Document > Add Keyboard Shortcut > press Ctrl+S> OK > Remove > OK

Lance · Answer 7 · 2022-03-02T09:20:09.697

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Only works prior to 2022.

I am running Node.js so I had to uncheck Update Node.js application on changes. There is also a Update application in Chrome on changes.

Got to "Build, Execution, Deployment" > Debugger > Live Edit

edited Mar 02 '22 at 09:20

answered Aug 04 '20 at 06:30

Lance

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2022 This is not valid anymore. THe options doesn't work. – user1034912 Mar 01 '22 at 23:25
Then what does? – Ken Jun 01 '22 at 07:10
then it stops auto updating? – Lance Jun 17 '22 at 11:46

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Feb 17 '18 at 10:02

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In web storm 2017.3.4 File->Setting->System Setting->Syncronization unchecked all check boxes then apply and ok .

screen shot on setting

answered Feb 17 '18 at 10:02

Chinthaka Dilan F

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score 0 · Answer 9 · answered Feb 20 '18 at 09:36

For anyone using Flow type checking in their code, in addition to the above answers, there is a separate auto-save setting for JS Flow files in WebStorm.

Go to Preferences > Languages & Frameworks > JavaScript
If your JavaScript language version is set to Flow, there will be a setting to Save all modified files automatically. Uncheck this.

How to Turn off automatic saving on web storm

9 Answers9

Disable Auto Save

Mark Changed But Unsaved File

Save One File with Ctrl+S

Only works prior to 2022.