How enable auto-format code for Intellij IDEA?

Question

Is it possible in Intellij IDEA after typing ';' or press 'Enter' happened formatting of this string?

For instance, to:

a+b=10;

after:

a + b = 10;

Or only possible option: Code > Reformat Code...?

Thank you!

if you would like for this feature to be included in IntelliJ itself (not in any plugin), please vote here: https://youtrack.jetbrains.net/issue/IDEABKL-5806 — Line, Feb 06 '19 at 10:12

score 223 · Answer 1 · edited Feb 03 '20 at 12:12

223

The formatting shortcuts in Intellij IDEA are :

For Windows : Ctrl + Alt + L
For Ubuntu : Ctrl + Alt + Windows + L
For Mac : ⌥ (Option) + ⌘ (Command) + L

edited Feb 03 '20 at 12:12

Anish B.

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answered Jul 26 '13 at 11:23

axelrod

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Yes, but I would like this to happen automatically without any of pressing a hotkey. – 0x131313 Jul 26 '13 at 11:40
Macro? ctrl+alt+l becomes ctrl+alt+l+enter – Jeff May 14 '14 at 19:03
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The question expressly state "auto-format" after each line is written. – bokan Sep 28 '14 at 19:13
To simplify reformatting on **Ctrl+Alt+L**, you can open Settings - Editor - General and remove check mark from "Show 'Reformat Code' dialoog" check box in the Formatting section. – LoBo Dec 16 '14 at 12:35
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@axelrod is there a way to do this automatically when saving or compiling the code – Kasun Siyambalapitiya Mar 15 '17 at 11:25
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That does not answer the question. The answer by Nafiur Rahman Khadem does. – Dakatine Nov 07 '18 at 11:57
This answer links to a plugin that allows such function https://stackoverflow.com/questions/946993/intellij-reformat-on-file-save – npretto May 29 '19 at 14:56

prime · Answer 2 · 2020-06-12T18:03:27.813

You can do this with Save Actions plugin Refer This article on how to configure the plugin.

Save Actions plugin Supports configurable, Eclipse like, save actions, including "optimize imports", "reformat code", "rearrange code", "compile file" and some quick fixes for Java like "add / remove 'this' qualifier", etc. The plugin executes the configured actions when the file is synchronised (or saved) on disk.

Install the plugin
Go to Settings > Other settings > Save actions
Tick Activate save actions on save
Tick Reformat file
Apply > OK

I prefer the hot-keys though, For Mac,

To format the code : Ctrl+Alt(Option)+L

And additionally I do,: Ctrl+Alt(Option)+O , This will remove unused imports and format the import list as well.

Nafiur Rahman Khadem · Answer 3 · 2017-11-06T13:33:22.743

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I have found two ways to do this:

Go to Settings> Keymap.In the right portion go to Editor Actions> complete current statement.Click on it and select add keyboard shortcut. Press ; and select ok.
Use macro. Go to

Edit> Macros> Start Macro Recording.

Now press semicolon and keyboard shortcut to reformat code (you can find the keyboard shortcut from other answers or from settings > keymap).

After doing reformat go to

Edit> Macros> Stop Macro Recording

Save the macro with a name (auto format or something else). Then go to

Settings> Keymap> Macros> auto format (the macro name).

Click there and select add keyboard shortcut, then press semicolon and click ok. Now whenever you will press semicolon it will write semicolon and do auto format.

edited Nov 06 '17 at 13:33

answered Nov 04 '17 at 09:33

Nafiur Rahman Khadem

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Nice. I also added `Shift+[` using the first method to format the line when writing `if` statements and methods and such. For some reason, `Enter` didn't seem to work, though. – Matt Nov 30 '18 at 16:53
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This was very helpful, it's weird that Intellij doesn't have auto-reformat option at all – Trash Can Feb 24 '20 at 07:04

score 13 · Answer 4 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

13

Eclipse has an option to format automatically when saving the file. There is no option for this in IntelliJ although you can configure a macro for the Ctrl+S (Cmd+S on Mac) keys to format the code and save it.

Intellij reformat on file save

edited May 23 '17 at 12:34

Community

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answered Jun 16 '15 at 09:44

Mouscellaneous

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user12043 · Answer 5 · 2018-09-07T13:20:01.093

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File-> Settings -> Keymap-> Complete Current Statement

I added ; key in there. When typing ';' at the end of the line, it is auto-formatting.

UPDATE

I realized that this will cause some problems in some situations. Use Ctrl+Shift+Enter instead. This key can be used in any position of cursor in a line. It will add ; at the end of the line. Also this shortcut have some other useful features.

like:

public void someMethod()

after shortcut:

public void someMethod() {
    // The cursor is here
}

so formatting on inserting ; is not necessary.

edited Sep 07 '18 at 13:20

answered Feb 09 '17 at 15:46

user12043

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Smart, but not for Kotlin – jobbert Aug 09 '18 at 09:02

score 6 · Answer 6 · answered Jan 28 '16 at 09:32

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This can also be achieved by Ctrl+WindowsBtn+Alt+L. This will be important to some people,because in some Virtual Machines, Ctrl+Alt+L can log you out.

answered Jan 28 '16 at 09:32

shock

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score 6 · Answer 7 · answered Dec 19 '16 at 13:50

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Default one is Ctrl+Alt+L There is a key-mapping dialog box where you can configure/overwride all keyboard shortcuts.

Navigate File->Settings->KeyMap

answered Dec 19 '16 at 13:50

vels4j

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Pavel Shvetsov · Answer 8 · 2017-03-05T18:31:00.730

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Ctrl+Shift+Enter combination (Complete Statement) also does the job and makes some more handy stuff with functions, cycles, etc.

JetBrains docs: https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/2016.3/completing-statements.html

edited Mar 05 '17 at 18:31

answered Mar 05 '17 at 18:25

Pavel Shvetsov

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score 3 · Answer 9 · answered Sep 28 '18 at 12:19

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None of the solutions in Intellij is as elegant (or useful) as in Eclipse. What we need is feature request to the intellij so that we can add a hook (what actions to perform) when the IDE autosaves.

In Eclipse we can add "post-save" actions, such as organize imports and format the class. Yes you have to do a "save" or ctrl-s but the hook is very convenient.

answered Sep 28 '18 at 12:19

ccstep1

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is there any contact to intellij about htis so far? If so please post link here :) – Ruth Nov 29 '18 at 10:56
@RuthiRuth found it ;) https://youtrack.jetbrains.net/issue/IDEABKL-5806 – Line Feb 06 '19 at 10:11

score 3 · Answer 10 · answered Nov 07 '19 at 15:11

3

if you want, you can use a saveActions plugin. You can reformat file, optimized the imports and more things, it's really customizable and easy to setup.

answered Nov 07 '19 at 15:11

Daniel Alejandro

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score 2 · Answer 11 · answered Feb 26 '14 at 10:20

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Well that's not possible, but in intellij 13, how about adding a mouse gesture, something like single left mouse click to reformat the code? Or if you don't use the mouse much then add a very simple keyboard hotkey that you use all the time (possibly the "enter"? not sure if intellij would be happy with that to be honest)

answered Feb 26 '14 at 10:20

sakis kaliakoudas

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Why the downvote? I am saying that what you want is not possible, and trying to provide with the closest possible thing.. – sakis kaliakoudas Mar 31 '14 at 10:14
The downvote is easy to explain: Mouse click. One big advantage of IntelliJ is the shortcuts and that you don't need the mouse often. If you code much, you don't want to use the mouse much, because you are faster with the keyboard. There is a shortcut for formating already. – Phil Feb 16 '15 at 08:17

score 2 · Answer 12 · answered Aug 27 '17 at 09:05

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In Mac it is Alt+Command+L(assuming you haven't changed any of your modifier keys or Intellij keyboard shortcuts from it's default state)

answered Aug 27 '17 at 09:05

mithunpaul

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score 2 · Answer 13 · answered May 02 '19 at 16:47

2

Per the comment of Larson, this is now possible with the save-actions plugin.

answered May 02 '19 at 16:47

Derek Hill

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Thank you but the question is about automatic reformat, not reformat on save. – Johnes Jan 09 '22 at 20:01

score 2 · Answer 14 · answered May 29 '19 at 15:31

2

I know this question is quite old but there is actually a Save Actions plugin for IntelliJ that can be configured to format the code automatically.

answered May 29 '19 at 15:31

algiogia

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Mr.Cat · Answer 15 · 2023-03-26T12:52:07.143

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This is now available starting with IntelliJ IDEA 2021.2
check Trigger actions when saving changes
File > Settings ... > Tools > Actions on Save and select Reformat code, you can configure it to be applied to the whole file or just the changed lines.

P.S. you have to apply this to each project you have, it doesn't get applied to all projects.

edited Mar 26 '23 at 12:52

answered Mar 26 '23 at 12:43

Mr.Cat

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Rostislav Teryaev · Answer 16 · 2018-01-28T23:30:39.223

The way I implemented automatical reformating like in Microsoft Visual Studio (It doesn't work perfect):

1. Edit > Macros > Start Macro Recording
2. Press continuously: Enter + Ctrl+Alt+I
3. Edit > Macros > Stop Macro Recording (Name it for example ReformatingByEnter)

Now we need to perform same actions but for Ctrl+Alt+L+;

4. Edit > Macros > Start Macro Recording
5. Press continuously: ; + Ctrl+Alt+I
6. Edit > Macros > Stop Macro Recording (Name it for example ReformatingBy;)

Now we need to assign HotKeys to these macros:

7. File > Settings > Keymap > press on a gear button > Duplicate...
8. Unfold a macro button (beneath) and by right clicking on two 
ours macros assign HotKeys for them: "Enter" and ";" correspondingly.

Might be a limitation of my keyboard, but I can only seem to record 3 keys at a time. — Matt, Nov 30 '18 at 16:23

How enable auto-format code for Intellij IDEA?

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