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2021.2
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  1. Configure the IDE
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  3. Colors and fonts

Colors and fonts

Last modified: 19 October 2021

As a developer, you work with a lot of text resources: the source code in the editor, search results, debugger information, console input and output, and so on. Colors and font styles are used to format this text and help you better understand it at a glance.

CLion uses color schemes that define the preferred colors and fonts.

note

A color scheme is not the same as the interface theme, which defines the appearance of windows, dialogs, and controls.

You can use a predefined color scheme or customize it to your liking. It is also possible to share schemes.

Select a color scheme

  1. Press Ctrl+Alt+S to open the IDE settings and select Editor | Color Scheme.

  2. Use the Scheme list to select a color scheme.

    Select the color scheme

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If you install a plugin with a color scheme, that scheme will be added to the list of predefined schemes. For more information, see Share color schemes.

Customize a color scheme

You can customize a predefined color scheme, but it is recommended to create a duplicate for your custom color and font settings:

Duplicate a color scheme

  1. Press Ctrl+Alt+S to open the IDE settings and select Editor | Color Scheme.

  2. Select a color scheme, click the Settings icon, and then click Duplicate.

  3. (Optional) To rename your custom scheme, click the Settings icon and select Rename.

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Predefined color schemes are listed in bold font. If you customize a predefined color scheme, it will be displayed in blue. To restore a predefined color scheme to default settings, click The Settings icon and select Restore Defaults. You cannot remove predefined color schemes.

To define color and font settings, open the Editor | Color Scheme page of the IDE settings Ctrl+Alt+S. The settings under Editor | Color Scheme are separated into sections. For example, the General section defines basic editor colors, such as the gutter, line numbers, errors, warnings, popups, hints, and so on. The Language Defaults section contains common syntax highlighting settings, which are applied to all supported programming languages by default. In most cases, it is sufficient to configure Language Defaults and make adjustments for specific languages if necessary. To change inherited color settings for an element, clear the Inherit values from checkbox.

Language Defaults section under Color Scheme settings

Semantic highlighting

By default, the color scheme defines syntax highlighting for reserved words and other symbols in your source code: operators, keywords, suggestions, string literals, and so on. If you have a function or method with many parameters and local variables, it may be hard to distinguish them from one another at a glance. You can use semantic highlighting to assign a different color to each parameter and local variable.

Enable semantic highlighting

  1. Press Ctrl+Alt+S to open the IDE settings and select Editor | Color Scheme | Language Defaults | Semantic highlighting.

  2. Select the Semantic highlighting checkbox and customize the color ranges if necessary.

Semantic highlighting

Share color schemes

If you are used to a specific color scheme, you can export it from one installation and import it to another one. You can also share color schemes with other developers.

Export a color scheme as XML

Export a color scheme as a plugin

Import a color scheme

Fonts

To customize the default font, open the Editor | Font page of the IDE settings Ctrl+Alt+S. This font is used and inherited in all color schemes by default.

CLion can use any font that's available in your operating system. To add another font to the list, either install it in the operating system or into the Java runtime that is used run CLion.

Customize the color scheme font

You can set a different font for your current scheme.

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This is not recommended if you are planning to share your scheme or use it on other platforms that may not support the selected font. In such cases, use the default global font settings.

  1. Press Ctrl+Alt+S to open the IDE settings and select Editor | Color Scheme | Color Scheme Font.

  2. Select the Use color scheme font instead of the default checkbox.

Customize the console font

By default, text in the console uses the same font as the color scheme. To use a different font in the console:

  1. Press Ctrl+Alt+S to open the IDE settings and select Editor | Color Scheme | Console Font.

  2. Select the Use console font instead of the default checkbox.

Productivity tips

See the color scheme settings for the current symbol

  • Put the caret at the necessary symbol, press Ctrl+Shift+A, find the Jump to Colors and Fonts action, and execute it.

This will open the relevant color scheme settings for the symbol under the caret.

See which fonts are currently used in the editor

  • Press Ctrl+Shift+A, find the Show Fonts Used by Editor action, and execute it.

This will open the Fonts Used in Editor dialog with a list of fonts.

note

Both the Jump to Colors and Fonts and the Show Fonts Used by Editor actions do not have a default shortcut. To assign a shortcut for an action, select it in the Find Action popup and press Alt+Enter.

See also

Reference