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Install IntelliJ IDEA on Windows 11 with JetBrains Toolbox, the standalone installer, or the ZIP distribution; you do not need Java just to run the IDE. The unified product includes free core features, while Ultimate features require a subscription after the free 30-day trial.
This guide covers the installation choices, Java setup, first project, terminal configuration, plugins, licensing, updates, and clean removal on Windows 11.
Check the Windows 11 requirements first
IntelliJ IDEA 2026.2 supports Windows 10 and Windows 11. JetBrains lists these minimum hardware requirements:
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Processor | Four cores with x86_64 or ARM64 architecture |
| Memory | 8 GB total RAM, including 3 GB available for IDE processes |
| Storage | 10 GB of available disk space |
| Display | 1280 × 720 resolution or higher |
Download the correct installer for your processor. Standard Intel and AMD Windows PCs use the x64 installer. Windows devices with an ARM64 processor require the separate ARM64 build; installing x64 when the machine needs ARM64 can cause compatibility and performance problems.
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WSL 2 is supported with a supported Linux distribution. However, JetBrains does not support WSLg graphics forwarding, so do not expect to run the graphical IntelliJ IDEA interface through WSLg.
Do you need Java before installing IntelliJ IDEA?
No. IntelliJ IDEA includes a JetBrains Runtime based on JBR 21, so a separate Java installation is not required to launch the IDE.
Java development is different. To compile and run a Java project, you need a development JDK assigned to that project. The bundled runtime is the IDE’s runtime; it is not automatically the JDK used to build your application. IntelliJ IDEA 2026.x supports development with Java 25, 21, 17, 11, and 8, among other compatibility details documented by JetBrains.
You can install a JDK before creating a project, or download one from the New Project wizard. Do not manually replace or modify IntelliJ IDEA’s bundled runtime. Modified IDE JRE/JDK configurations and manually altered distribution files are unsupported.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteInstall IntelliJ IDEA with JetBrains Toolbox
JetBrains recommends the JetBrains Toolbox App for most users. Toolbox is useful if you install several JetBrains products, need more than one IDE version, or want easy rollback and removal. It also manages EAP and Nightly builds and associates projects with IDE installations.
- Download the Windows Toolbox App .exe installer from JetBrains.
- Run the installer and complete the setup wizard.
- When Toolbox starts, click its icon in the Windows notification area.
- Find IntelliJ IDEA and click Install.
To install a version other than the default, click the product’s options button, choose Available versions, and select the version you need.
Signing in to your JetBrains Account inside Toolbox automatically activates licenses available to that account for installed IDEs. To find where Toolbox installed IntelliJ IDEA, open the IDE instance’s settings in Toolbox, expand Configuration, and check Install location.
Install the standalone Windows version
Use the standalone installer when your organization needs to control the installation directory or configuration-file locations manually.
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- Run the installer.
- Follow the installation wizard.
- At Installation Options, choose the integrations you want.
The optional integrations include:
- A desktop shortcut
- IntelliJ IDEA command-line launchers added to PATH
- Open Folder as Project in the Windows right-click menu
- File associations for opening selected extensions with IntelliJ IDEA
After setup, start the IDE from the Windows Start menu, the desktop shortcut, or the launcher in the installation directory’s bin folder.
Use the ZIP distribution instead
The ZIP package is useful for a portable or manually managed installation. Download the archive, extract it to the required directory, and run the launcher batch script or executable in the extracted folder’s bin directory.
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Deploy IntelliJ IDEA silently
For scripted Windows deployment, the installer supports /S for silent installation, /CONFIG for a silent configuration file, /D for the destination directory, and /NCRC to disable the CRC check.
For example: ideaIU.exe /S /CONFIG=d:\temp\silent.config /D=d:\IDE\IntelliJ IDEA
To create an installation log, use: ideaIU.exe /S /CONFIG=d:\temp\silent.config /LOG=d:\JetBrains\IDEA\install.log /D=d:\IDE\IntelliJ IDEA
The default configuration file is available at https://download.jetbrains.com/idea/silent.config. Its default setting is mode=user, which installs for the current user. For an all-users installation, change it to mode=admin and run the installer as administrator.
There are two details that commonly break deployment scripts:
- /D must be the last parameter.
- Do not put quotation marks around the /D value, even if the path contains spaces.
If you omit /CONFIG, the installer ignores the additional installation options. It will not create desktop shortcuts, add file associations, or update PATH, although it still creates a Start-menu shortcut under JetBrains.
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Open IntelliJ IDEA from Start or the shortcut. If the IDE finds settings from another JetBrains IDE, it displays an Import Settings dialog.
- Select the detected IDE, or open Other Options to find IDEs used more than six months ago.
- Choose the settings to import.
- Click Import Settings.
If you skip this step, you can import settings later from a ZIP archive.
The Welcome screen provides these main areas:
- Customize — choose a color theme, color scheme, keymap, accessibility options, or Sync with OS.
- Plugins — browse JetBrains Marketplace.
- Learn — access learning resources.
- Remote Development — configure supported remote workflows.
- New Project, Open, and version-control options — create or load code.
Use Customize > All settings to set defaults for the IDE and future projects.
Create your first project
From the Welcome screen, click New Project. If a project is already open, select File | New | Project.
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- Choose a language or project type from the list on the left.
- Enter the project name and location.
- Optionally select Create Git repository.
- Choose a build system: IntelliJ, Maven, or Gradle.
- Select the project JDK.
- For Gradle, select the build-script language: Groovy or Kotlin.
- Optionally enable Add sample code to generate a sample HelloWorld application class.
- Click Create.
If the JDK is installed but does not appear in the list, choose Add JDK from Disk… and select the JDK’s home directory. If it is not installed, choose Download JDK.
Create an empty project
For a project that does not need a predefined SDK, choose New Project or File | New | Project, select Empty Project, enter the name and location, optionally select Create Git repository, and click Create.
IntelliJ IDEA generates a .gitignore file for an empty project even when you do not select Create Git repository.
Use the built-in terminal
Open the terminal through View | Tool Windows | Terminal. To configure its engine, click Options in the Terminal tool-window header and select an engine, or open settings with Ctrl+Alt+S and go to Tools | Terminal | Terminal engine.
By default, IntelliJ IDEA adds the project’s JDK to JAVA_HOME and PATH when it creates a new built-in terminal session. Control this behavior at Settings | Tools | Terminal | Add project JDK to PATH.
This setting affects new sessions only. Changing the project JDK or toggling the option does not alter a shell that is already running. IntelliJ IDEA prompts you to open a new terminal session.
If you run a Java command without an available JDK, the terminal shows a Configure JDK link. Select it to open Project Structure, where you can download and configure a JDK.
Install and manage plugins
On the Welcome screen, click Plugins to browse JetBrains Marketplace. From an open project, press Ctrl+Alt+S and select Plugins.
- Use the Marketplace tab to search for and install plugins.
- Use the Installed tab to enable, disable, update, or remove installed plugins.
Install only plugins you need. An incompatible or poorly maintained plugin can slow startup, conflict with editor features, or fail after an IDE update.
Activate IntelliJ IDEA
The free core feature set continues to work after the Ultimate trial or subscription ends. A license is required for Ultimate features.
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The trial starts automatically on first launch. Click Trial in the upper-right corner of the IDE to see the remaining time.
To manage licensing in an open project, choose Help | Register. At the Welcome screen, open the options menu and select Manage Subscriptions. Available activation methods include:
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- Log in to a JetBrains Account
- Enter an activation code and click Activate
- Use a Floating License Server
- Use a License Vault
If your account license does not appear, click Refresh license list.
Fix sign-in problems
If the browser does not open, click the Troubles? emergency button in the login dialog and use authorization-token login. Login can also fail when no local ports are available for the browser callback; IntelliJ IDEA then offers token-based authorization.
The IDE detects the system proxy during startup for JetBrains Account, Floating License Server, and License Vault connections. To override the proxy, use -Djba.http.proxy=proxy-host[:proxy-port].
To bypass proxy detection and connect directly, use -Djba.http.proxy=direct.
Update IntelliJ IDEA
For a standalone installation, manually check with Help | Check for Updates. Patch updates normally install over the existing version and require an IDE restart. Some releases are not available as patches; download and install the new version manually in that case.
An IDE without HTTP access outside the local network cannot check for updates or apply patches. Install the new version manually, or use a controlled deployment process.
Toolbox-managed installations receive update prompts through Toolbox. If you want to install a newer version as a separate instance while transferring settings, JetBrains documents using the Backup and Sync plugin.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Uninstall IntelliJ IDEA from Windows 11
For a standalone installation, open Windows Settings, go to Apps & Features, select IntelliJ IDEA, and click Uninstall. You can also run Uninstall.exe from the installation directory’s bin folder.
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- Long-lasting Battery Life: A 24-month battery life (4) means you can go for 2 years without the hassle of changing batteries of your wireless full-size keyboard
- Simply plug the USB receiver into a USB port on your desktop, laptop or netbook computer and start using the keyboard right away without any software installation
- Simply Wireless: Forget about drop-outs and delays thanks to a strong, reliable wireless connection with up to 33 ft range (5); K270 is compatible with Windows 7, 8, 10 or later
Uninstalling the application does not remove the default IDE settings and caches. To delete them, remove the following directories:
%APPDATA%\JetBrains\<product><version>
%LOCALAPPDATA%\JetBrains\<product><version>
For IntelliJ IDEA 2026.2, the paths look like:
C:\Users\JohnS\AppData\Roaming\JetBrains\IntelliJIdea2026.2
C:\Users\JohnS\AppData\Local\JetBrains\IntelliJIdea2026.2
Back up settings, plugins, and any unsaved project data before deleting these folders.
For a silent uninstall, open an elevated Command Prompt, change to the IntelliJ IDEA installation directory, and run bin\uninstall.exe /S.
FAQ
Is IntelliJ IDEA free on Windows 11?
Yes. The unified IntelliJ IDEA product includes a free core feature set. Advanced Ultimate features require a subscription after the automatic 30-day trial ends.
Do I have to install Java before IntelliJ IDEA?
No. IntelliJ IDEA includes JetBrains Runtime based on JBR 21 and can launch without a separate Java installation. You do need a project JDK to develop Java applications.
Should I use Toolbox or the standalone installer?
Use Toolbox if you want automatic management of versions, updates, rollbacks, and multiple JetBrains products. Use the standalone installer when you need manual control over installation and configuration locations.
Why does IntelliJ IDEA say that no JDK is configured?
The IDE runtime is not automatically your project’s development JDK. In the project wizard choose Download JDK or Add JDK from Disk…. You can also use the Configure JDK link shown in the built-in terminal.
Where is IntelliJ IDEA installed by Toolbox?
In Toolbox, open the IDE instance’s settings, expand Configuration, and inspect Install location.
How do I open a folder with IntelliJ IDEA from File Explorer?
During standalone installation, enable Open Folder as Project at the Installation Options step. This adds IntelliJ IDEA to the Windows right-click context menu.
The Bottom Line
For most Windows 11 users, install IntelliJ IDEA through JetBrains Toolbox, let it manage updates, and configure a separate project JDK when creating a Java project. Choose the standalone or ZIP distribution when you need strict control over paths or scripted deployment. If Ultimate access expires, the IDE does not stop working: it falls back to its free feature set.
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