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Auto import

Last modified: 07 March 2023

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This page describes Java imports. For information on imports in Kotlin, refer to Packages and Imports.

If you're using a class, a static method, or a static field that you haven't imported yet, the IDE shows you a tooltip prompting to add a missing import statement so that you don't have to add it manually. Press to accept the suggestion.

If there's more than one possible source of import, pressing will open the list of suggestions.

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To change the background color for import tooltip, press and go to Editor | Color Scheme | General | Popups and Hints | Question hint.

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Statically imported methods, classes, fields have different style in the editor.

Automatically add import statements

Import packages instead of single classes

Disable import tooltips

When tooltips are disabled, unresolved references are underlined and marked with the red bulb icon the Quick-fix button. To view the list of suggestions, click this icon (or press ) and select Import class.

Disable all tooltips

  • Hover the mouse over the inspection widget in the top-right corner of the editor, click More, and disable the Show Auto-Import Tooltip option.

    https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2023.1/auto-import-popups-disabled.png
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Disable tooltips for classes or static methods and fields

  1. Press to open the IDE settings and select Editor | General | Auto Import.

  2. Make sure the necessary options are selected for the Show auto-import tooltip for setting (both checkboxes, Classes and Static methods and fields, are enabled by default).

Disable wildcard imports

When the number of classes that IntelliJ IDEA has imported from the same package reaches the limit (5 by default), the IDE modifies the statements in order to import the entire package instead of importing several single classes from this package:

https://resources.jetbrains.com/help/img/idea/2023.1/wildcard-imports.png
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Disable wildcard imports to always import single classes

  1. Press to open the IDE settings and select Editor | Code Style | Java.

  2. Make sure that the Use single class import option is enabled.

  3. In the Class count to use import with '*' and Names count to use static import with '*' fields, specify values that definitely exceed the number of classes in a package and the number of names in a class (for example, 999).

To replace an import statement with single class imports in a file without changing the settings, place the caret at the import statement, press (or use the intention action the Intention action icon icon), and select Replace with single class imports.

Disable auto import

If you want to completely disable auto-import, make sure that:

Exclude classes and packages from auto import

The list of import suggestions may include classes and packages that you don't need. You can exclude redundant entries from automatic import so that the list of suggestions contains only relevant items.

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The list of excluded classes and packages is common for auto-import and code completion.

Exclude a class or a package on the fly

  1. Press on a missing class to open the list of import suggestions.

  2. Click the right arrow next to a package and select an item (a class or an entire package) that you want to exclude.

  3. In the Exclude from auto-import and completion section of the Auto Import dialog, select whether you want to exclude items from the current project or from all projects, and apply the changes.

Optimize imports

The Optimize Imports feature helps you remove unused imports and organize import statements in the current file or in all files in a directory at once according to the rules specified in Settings | Editor | Code Style | <language> | Imports.

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You can exclude specific files and folders from import optimization. For more information, refer to Exclude files from reformatting.

Optimize all imports

  1. Select a file or a directory in the Project tool window (View | Tool Windows | Project).

  2. Do any of the following:

    • From the main menu, select Code | Optimize Imports (or press ).

    • From the context menu, select Optimize Imports.

  3. (If you've selected a directory) Choose whether you want to optimize imports in all files in the directory, or only in locally modified files (if your project is under version control), and click Run.

Optimize imports in a single file

  1. Place the caret at the import statement and press or use the the Intention action button icon.

  2. Select Optimize imports.

Remove use statement

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To optimize imports in a file, you can also press , select Optimize imports, and click Run.

Optimize imports when committing changes to Git

If your project is under version control, you can instruct IntelliJ IDEA to optimize imports in modified files before committing them to VCS.

  1. Press or select Git | Commit from the main menu.

  2. Click Show Commit Options and in the commit message area, select the Optimize imports checkbox.

    Optimize imports before commit

Automatically optimize imports on save

You can configure the IDE to optimize imports in modified files automatically when your changes are saved.

  1. Press to open the IDE settings and select Tools | Actions on Save.

  2. Enable the Optimize imports option.

    Additionally, from the All file types list, select the types of files in which you want to optimize imports.

  3. Apply the changes and close the dialog.

Optimize imports when reformatting a file

You can tell IntelliJ IDEA to optimize imports in a file every time it is reformatted.

  • Open the file in the editor, press , and make sure the Optimize imports checkbox is selected in the Reformat File dialog that opens.

    Reformat file dialog

After that every time you press in this project, IntelliJ IDEA will optimize its imports automatically.

Optimize imports on the fly

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When you create a class from a template with the Optimize imports on the fly option enabled, IntelliJ IDEA will optimize imports from this template only after you reopen the project.

You can also configure the IDE to automatically optimize imports. IntelliJ IDEA will remove or modify import statements according to the rules specified in Settings | Editor | Code Style | <language> | Imports as you work in the editor.

  1. Press to open the IDE settings and select Editor | General | Auto Import.

  2. Enable the Optimize imports on the fly option and apply the changes.

See also

External Links