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  1. Development environment
  2. Configure the IDE
  3. Colors and fonts

Colors and fonts

Last modified: 10 October 2023

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. Color and font styles are used to format this text and help you better understand it at a glance.

PhpStorm lets you choose between configurable color schemes that define colors and fonts used in IDE text.

Default color schemes for PHP

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.

Watch this video to get a quick overview on PhpStorm customization possibilities:

Select a color scheme

  1. Press CtrlAlt0S to open the IDE settings and then 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, refer to Share color schemes.

Customize a color scheme

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

Duplicate a color scheme

  1. Press CtrlAlt0S to open the IDE settings and then select Editor | Color Scheme.

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

    Duplicate a color scheme

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

note

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 CtrlAlt0S.

Language Defaults section under Color Scheme settings

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.

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 CtrlAlt0S to open the IDE settings and then 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.

Fonts

To customize the default font used in the editor, open the Editor | Font page of the IDE settings CtrlAlt0S. This font is used and inherited in all color schemes by default. For more information, refer to Font.

tip

To configure the font used in the PhpStorm interface (tool windows, toolbars, menus, and so on), open the IDE settings CtrlAlt0S, and go to Appearance & Behavior | Appearance. From the Use custom font list, select a font and specify the font size in the Size field.

Customize the color scheme font

You can set a different font for your current scheme.

note

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 CtrlAlt0S to open the IDE settings and then 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, the text in the console uses the same font as the color scheme. To use a different font in the console:

  1. Press CtrlAlt0S to open the IDE settings and then select Editor | Color Scheme | Console Font.

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

Install a new custom font

PhpStorm can use any font that is available in your operating system or in the Java runtime that is used to run PhpStorm. If you want to add another font, you need to install it in your OS, and PhpStorm will discover it after a restart.

  1. Download the desired TTF font package and unzip it to extract font files (.ttf ). For the font to work correctly, it should have at least 4 files: Normal, Bold, Italic, and Bold Italic.

  2. Select all font files, right-click the selection and choose Install.

  3. Restart PhpStorm and then select the installed font on the Editor | Font page of the IDE settings CtrlAlt0S.

Productivity tips

See the color scheme settings for the current symbol

  • Place the caret at the desired symbol, press CtrlShift0A, 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 CtrlShift0A, 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.

Use the quick switcher

  1. Press Ctrl0` or select View | Quick Switch Scheme from the main menu.

  2. In the Switch popup, select Editor Color Scheme, and then select the desired color scheme.

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 AltEnter.

See also

Reference