Sync IntelliJ IDEA Settings Across Machines with Settings Repository & Sync Plugin

IntelliJ IDEA supports sharing IDE settings between different instances on separate computers, helping you recreate a consistent work environment without getting tired of differing appearances and behaviors.

You can share settings via two methods:

Configure a Settings Repository, which syncs any configurable component (except enabled/disabled plugin lists) through a Git repository you create; useful for enforcing the same settings across a team.

Use the Settings Sync plugin, which relies on JetBrains servers, requires no extra configuration, and ties synchronized settings to your JetBrains account.

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

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.

Configure Settings Repository

To share IDE settings, follow these steps:

Create a Git repository on any hosting service such as 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 . You can also choose Merge to combine remote and local settings, resolve conflicts if prompted, or use Overwrite Remote to force remote settings.

Tip: When using Bitbucket, it is recommended to use App passwords with read/write permissions for authentication.

Whenever you run Update Project or Push , or when you close a project or exit IntelliJ IDEA, local settings automatically sync with the remote repository.

On the first sync, you will be prompted for credentials; using an access token for GitHub authentication is advised. If you prefer username/password or your Git host does not 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 update settings via VCS | Sync Settings .

Note: macOS Keychain is supported, allowing credential sharing across all JetBrains‑based IDEs (you may be prompted to grant access when the source IDE differs from the target).

Sharing Additional Settings via Read‑Only Repositories

Beyond the primary Settings Repository, you can add any number of read‑only repositories containing other settings such as live templates, file templates, schemes, deployment options, etc. These are called Read‑Only Sources because they cannot be overwritten or merged, serving only as a source.

To configure a read‑only source:

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

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

Syncing with settings from a read‑only source follows the same process as 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.

Configure Settings Sync Plugin

To share IDE settings, follow these steps:

Log in using either your IDE (Help | Register) with a JetBrains account or the Toolbox App (gear → Settings → Log in). Logging into the Toolbox App logs you into all JetBrains products.

In the IntelliJ IDEA window, click the gear icon at the bottom right and select Enable Settings Sync . Your local settings are exported to a JetBrains‑hosted repository linked to your account.

If you want to sync the list of enabled and disabled plugins silently, enable the Sync plugins silently option.

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

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

Sync Plugin

Installing, uninstalling, or changing the status of plugins can be propagated to all IDE installations. To automatically sync plugins, enable the Sync plugins silently option when settings sync is active.

Manual plugin sync steps:

Click the gear icon in the lower‑right corner of the IDE window and choose Sync Plugins .

A dialog shows all plugins changed since the last sync. For each plugin, you can adjust its status, apply repository changes to all installations, skip the change locally, or skip it for all IDE instances.

After selecting actions for each plugin, click Apply Changes .