Refresh Your IntelliJ IDEA: Top Theme Plugins and DIY Styling Tips

IntelliJ IDEA is a widely used development tool that supports Java, Scala, Groovy and many other languages, and is suitable for enterprise, mobile and web applications.

The default light‑gray theme can cause visual fatigue, so the article recommends several theme plugins that instantly brighten the IDE and explains how to install them.

IDEA Theme Plugins

Installation method: click File > Settings > Plugins and type the plugin name to download.

If a download fails, follow the public account and reply with 乱敲代码 and 主题 to obtain the packaged themes.

DarkTheme

Plugin link: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/12425-darktheme/

Hiberbee Theme

Plugin link: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/12118-hiberbee-theme/

xcode-dark-theme

Plugin link: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/13106-xcode-dark-theme/

Vuesion Theme

Plugin link: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/12226-vuesion-theme/

One Dark Theme

Plugin link: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/11938-one-dark-theme/

Color Scheme

Plugin link: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/10745-cobalt-2-color-scheme/

Material Theme UI

Plugin link: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/8006-material-theme-ui/

Solarized Theme

Plugin link: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/12112-solarized-theme/

If the theme does not take effect, ensure your IDEA version is 19.1 or later; note that version 19.2 has known performance issues.

More Plugins

Only a few popular themes are listed here; you can explore additional themes on the IDEA plugin marketplace.

Plugin marketplace URL: https://plugins.jetbrains.com/

DIY Customization

DIY theming is possible but can be cumbersome, so it is not strongly recommended.

Change UI Font

File > Settings > Appearance & Behavior > Appearance

Change Editor Font

File > Settings > Editor > Font

Change Console Font

File > Settings > Editor > Color Scheme > Console Font

First location to modify console font.

Second location to modify console font color.

DIY steps are briefly described, but due to complexity, using ready-made plugins is recommended.

Using Theme Packs

Recommended website: color-themes.com provides various code style packs, though they only affect the editor area, so plugins remain the preferred method for full‑IDE theming.

Conclusion

The listed plugins represent just the tip of the iceberg; many more fun themes and features await discovery.