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What are the settings to change the background color in JetBrains' IDE?

  • Project explorer pane
  • Console pane
  • Code editor
  • Other Panes

I'm running v12.1.6 Ultimate Version. Are there major differences between different versions of the software?

Rahul Kumar
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genxgeek
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    For those looking to change the entire look and feel (the theme) --> http://stackoverflow.com/questions/24753893/how-to-set-editor-theme-in-intellij-idea-13-1-3 – Andrejs Apr 19 '16 at 09:22

8 Answers8

115

Console pane:

Settings / Editor / Colors & Fonts / Console colors

Console, background

Project view:

Settings / File colors

Add (Alt+insert), choose 'project files' scope, select a color.

Uncheck the 'Use in editor tabs' checkbox, make sure to check 'Use in project view'

Main view (general):

Settings / Editor / Color & fonts / General

Text, Default text

Romain Vincent
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lena
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  • For me this only colors the package not the whole explorer. (I'm on mac, maybe this has something todo with it.) – Mihkel L. Oct 25 '15 at 09:19
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    I followed the second method (on a Mac), and my selected tab is now noticeably lighter in color than the other tab. Exactly what I was looking for! – kwiqsilver Jan 20 '16 at 23:23
  • Mihkel L, you need to unselect "Enable File Colors") as well, in order for the current tab to become lighter – qgicup Jan 27 '16 at 17:23
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    This doesnt really work, it only gives the project-tree a background color, not the whole window. – Vortilion Jul 31 '18 at 14:09
54

To change the editor background color in newer versions (after 2017) of Intellij Idea go to Settings > Editor > Color Scheme > General and then on the right side list expand Text and click on "Default text" then click on the color hex code to get the color wheel.Editor background color change

vikasing
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46

For changing the background of the editor goto File->Settings->Editor->Colors & Fonts->General->Text. You'll see an item called "Default text". On the right you will see a checkbox for background. Click on it and choose whatever color you prefer.

Rahul Kumar
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10

Editor > Color Scheme > General > Text enter image description here

STEEL
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  1. Go to File option top left in the menu bar.
  2. Select Settings
  3. Select Appearance option in "Appearance & Behavior"
  4. Select Intellij option as Theme in UI Options.
  5. You should able to see everything in while background much like eclipse.
user3289405
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1

Beginning with the 2019.1 release, Jetbrain's IDE supports Custom UI Themes, which give full control of the appearance of built-in IntelliJ IDEA UI elements.

Detailed tutorial about how to create your own custom theme

Blog post about creating custom themes for IntelliJ Platform

Demis Palma ツ
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If you download it from the https://plugins.jetbrains.com, then you will need to install it as the plugin. Go in the settings, install plugin from the disk and select the JAR file from the disk as the screenshot below.

enter image description here

Arefe
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-3

It's very easy: File > Settings > Color Scheme > Set "Classic Light" or other color

davidleongz
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  • Is not true, you see the words "Classic Light" in the page? My answer is correct – davidleongz Aug 13 '21 at 14:19
  • The problem is not that your answer is incorrect, the problem is that the solution of changing `File > Settings > Color Scheme` has already been mentioned in some other answers, [like this one](https://stackoverflow.com/a/51246166/2227743), and it's better to not repost existing information. – Eric Aya Aug 13 '21 at 14:22