How to Sync IntelliJ IDEA Settings Across Machines with Settings Repository and Sync Plugin

IntelliJ IDEA can share IDE settings between different installations on multiple computers, helping you recreate a comfortable work environment without repeatedly configuring appearance and behavior.

You can share IDE settings in two ways:

Configure a Settings Repository, which syncs most configurable components (except the enabled/disabled plugin list) via a Git repository you create.

Use the IDE Settings Sync plugin, which relies on JetBrains servers and ties synchronized settings to your JetBrains account.

Sharing Settings via Settings Repository

Prerequisites

Ensure the Settings Repository plugin is enabled (it is bundled and enabled by default). If not, enable it on the Plugins page of the Settings/Preferences dialog.

Configuring Settings Repository

Create a Git repository on any hosting service (e.g., Bitbucket or GitHub).

On the computer with the settings to share, go to File | Settings Repository , specify the remote repository URL, and click Overwrite Remote .

On each target computer, open the Settings/Preferences dialog, expand Tools , select Settings Repository , specify the same remote URL, and click Overwrite Local . Use Merge to combine remote and local settings, or Overwrite Remote to let local settings replace remote ones.

Tip: When using Bitbucket, use an App password with read/write permissions for authentication.

Synchronizable settings include IDE theme, keymap, color scheme, system and UI settings, menu and toolbar layout, project view, editor, code completion, parameter name hints, live templates, code style, and the list of enabled/disabled plugins.

Each time you perform Update Project or Push , or when you close the project or exit IntelliJ IDEA, local settings automatically sync with the remote repository.

On first sync, you’ll be prompted for credentials; using an access token for GitHub is recommended. If you prefer username/password or your Git host doesn’t support tokens, configure a Git credentials helper.

To disable automatic sync, go to File | Settings | Tools | Settings Repository and uncheck Auto Sync . You can manually sync via VCS | Sync Settings .

Sharing More Settings via Read‑Only Repositories

In addition to the main Settings Repository, you can add any number of read‑only repositories that provide templates, file templates, schemes, deployment options, etc. These repositories act as sources only; they cannot be overwritten or merged.

In the Settings/Preferences dialog, expand Tools and select Settings Repository .

Click “+” and add the URL of a GitHub repository containing the settings you wish to share.

Synchronization with read‑only sources works the same way as with the primary Settings Repository.

Sharing Settings via Settings Sync Plugin

Prerequisites

Ensure the Settings Sync plugin is enabled. If not, enable it on the Plugins page of the Settings/Preferences dialog.

Configuring Settings Sync Plugin

Log in to your JetBrains account either via Help | Register in the IDE or through the Toolbox App.

In the IDE’s lower‑right corner, click the gear icon and select Enable Settings Sync . Your local settings are exported to a JetBrains‑hosted repository linked to your account.

Optionally enable Sync plugins silently to automatically synchronize the list of enabled/disabled plugins.

On other computers, click the gear icon, choose Enable Sync , then click Get Settings from Account to import settings. To keep local settings, select Keep and Sync Local Settings .

Whenever you run a different IDE instance, after an hour of inactivity, or when any synchronized setting changes, the local settings automatically sync with the repository.

Syncing Plugins

When you install, uninstall, or change the state of a plugin, you can apply those changes to all IDE installations. To automatically sync plugins, enable the Sync plugins silently option during Settings Sync setup.

Click the gear icon in the IDE’s lower‑right corner and select Sync Plugins .

A dialog lists all plugins changed since the last sync; choose actions for each plugin (apply to all installations, skip locally, etc.).

After selecting actions, click Apply Changes .