Use this page to change the overall look and feel of your IDE.
|
Option |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Theme |
Select the UI theme from the list. By default, you can choose between a light, a dark, and a high-contrast theme. You can install other themes as plugins. For more information, see User interface themes. |
|
Sync with OS |
Select this checkbox to let PhpStorm detect the current system settings and use the default dark or light theme accordingly. |
|
Font |
Specify custom font family and size to use in the PhpStorm UI. |
Accessibility
|
Option |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Support screen readers |
Enable screen reader support for PhpStorm. For more information, see Accessibility features. |
|
Use contrast scrollbars |
Make the editor scrollbar more visible. |
|
Adjust colors for red-green vision deficiency |
Adjust UI colors to better perceive colors in case of protanopia and deuteranopia. |
UI Options
|
Option |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Show tree indent guides |
Display vertical lines that mark indent levels in tree views, for example, in the Project tool window. These lines can help you better understand the hierarchy of the components in your project. |
|
Use smaller indents in trees |
Decrease the amount of space between the tool window border and the text in tree views, for example, in the Project tool window. |
|
Enable mnemonics in menu |
Underline hotkeys that you can press to execute a menu action |
|
Enable mnemonics in controls |
Underline hotkeys that you can press to use controls in dialogs |
|
Smooth scrolling |
Scroll the UI smoothly, pixel-by-pixel, instead of line-by-line. This also enables animated smooth scrolling for Windows and Linux by default. You can disable it to use precise scrolling instead: press Ctrl+Shift+A, find and open the Smooth Scroll Options dialog, and disable the Animated smooth scrolling checkbox. In this dialog, you can also set the duration of the scroll animation and change the appearance of the animation based on https://cubic-bezier.com/#.17,.67,.83,.67. |
|
Drag-and-drop with Alt pressed only |
Avoid accidentally moving files, editor tabs, tool window buttons, and other UI components. When enabled, hold the Alt key to move things around. By default, this option is disabled and you can move everything without any extra keys. |
|
Always show full path in window header |
Show the full path to the project and to the current file in the main window header. When disabled, the header will show only the name of the project and file. |
|
Display icons in menu items |
Show icons to the left of the items in the main menu and context menus. |
|
Background Image… |
Configure a custom background image for the IDE. |
Antialiasing
|
Option |
Description |
|---|---|
|
IDE |
Select which antialising mode you want to apply to the IDE (including menus, tool windows, and so on):
|
|
Editor |
Select which antialiasing mode you want to apply to the editor:
|
Tool Windows
|
Show tool window bars |
Show the tool window bars around the edges of the main window. For more information, see Tool window bars and buttons. |
|
Show tool window numbers |
Show tool window quick-access numbers on the tool window buttons. You can hold the Alt key and press the corresponding number key to switch tool windows regardless of this setting: Alt+1 for the Project tool window, and so on. |
|
Side-by-side layout on the left |
Show the tool windows that are attached to the top and bottom edges on the left side in two columns. For more information, see Optimize for wide-screen monitors. |
|
Side-by-side layout on the right |
Show the tool windows that are attached to the top and bottom edges on the right side in two columns. For more information, see Optimize for wide-screen monitors. |
|
Widescreen tool window layout |
Optimize the layout of tool windows for wide-screen displays: maximize the height of vertical tool windows by limiting the width of horizontal tool windows. For more information, see Optimize for wide-screen monitors. |
Presentation Mode
|
Item |
Description |
|---|---|
|
Font size |
Select the font size for the presentation mode. After changing the font size, exit and enter the Presentation mode. |
Last modified: 17 January 2023
I’ve just downloaded the new PHPStorm EAP, and noticed this screenshot:
And I like it very much. Thing is, I can’t find any option to make my install looks like this. I know about color scheme, but AFAIK it only change the text editor’s color. How can I make my install to look like that? (The screenshot is taken from the EAP site).
malix
3,5661 gold badge30 silver badges41 bronze badges
asked Nov 22, 2012 at 1:16
1
Settings (Preferences on Mac) | Appearance | Theme = Darcula
P.S.
Since IntelliJ IDEA v14 / WebStorm v9 / PhpStorm v8.0.2 (and any other IDEs on branch 139.xxx or newer) the settings path is a bit different:
Settings (Preferences on Mac) | Appearance & Behaviour | Appearance | Theme = Darcula
answered Nov 22, 2012 at 2:32
LazyOneLazyOne
155k44 gold badges376 silver badges381 bronze badges
2
View -> Quick Switch Theme -> Switch Look And Feel -> Darcula
and Restart the IDEA if changes do not become apparent.
answered May 16, 2013 at 11:57
muRnmuRn
6255 silver badges6 bronze badges
3
Download and enable ColorIDE.
Preferences > Plugins > «Browse repositories…» button > search for «ColorIde»
Instead of being limited to the standard 4 themes that come with the IDE, ColorIDE plugin will give your IDE the same look and feel as your current color scheme.
answered Aug 11, 2015 at 1:38
Muhammad RedaMuhammad Reda
26.1k14 gold badges91 silver badges103 bronze badges
2
Use Material UI
If Darcula isn’t darker enough, you can use a plugin called Material UI.
They also have many other colors like deep blue, marine blue, etc.
Link to Material Theme UI
answered Aug 19, 2017 at 16:11
On Mac the title bar of every window (both main and popup dialoges) will remain the typical Mac grayish color, even using the Darcula theme. But you can actually make it dark as well.
Using any Jetbrain IDE (including DataGrip), press Shift + Ctrl + A (PC) or Shift + Cmd + A (Mac). This will open the command palette where you can find Registry:
Open the registry and find the key ide.mac.allowDarkDindowDecorations:
Enable this, close the registry and restart the IDE.
answered Jun 4, 2018 at 12:53
In Preferences > Editor > Colors & Fonts, pick a dark scheme and the IDE will ask you if you want to switch the whole IDE to a dark scheme:
answered Oct 27, 2016 at 14:01
malixmalix
3,5661 gold badge30 silver badges41 bronze badges
There’s no doubt that Phpstorm is by far the best IDE for PHP language with framework support. However, IDEs can get rather dull to work with sometimes or may lack the necessary optimization. The solution for that is to browse through Phpstorm themes and activate the one you like best.
IntelliJ, Phpstorm and Webstorm are all Jetbrains products. They are all integrated development environments compatible with different languages. However, having the same parent company, IntelliJ-based templates are usable as Phpstorm and Webstorm themes. That said, our focus remains on Phpstorm only today – so let’s explore the options it has in store.
Phpstorm Themes That You Must Try
There are plenty of Phpstorm themes on the market to last you a lifetime, but it isn’t possible to use all of them when your main focus isn’t on the IDE but rather its functionalities. So, if you are looking for your perfect Phpstorm theme, keep reading as we talk about the ten best we know of right below.
1. Roboticket Light
First, we have the Roboticket Light theme by author Kirill Nesmeyanov on Github. As the name suggests, the theme is in light mode. However, the light-colored background isn’t too harsh on the eyes, and the rest of the theme makes up for it with low-contrasting hues. As seen on the screenshot, the theme is rather soothing to look at, so it’s great for those who work long hours on Phpstorm.
Theme Highlights
- It has an underwave-style color for warnings and errors that don’t make the users anxious.
- The theme is easy to set up, so it doesn’t take a long while and doesn’t hinder your workflow right from the beginning.
- Although the theme overrides font settings, the ones that come with the theme are entirely stable and stylish and can also be disabled if the user does not like them.
2. Material

Theme Highlights
- The theme comes with animation while switching tabs which is a fun touch between serious work hours that many praises.
- One can specify color schemes in the custom themes section of the IDE.
- It comes with a ton of widgets that you can use as shortcuts along with a current project widget.
3. Xcode Dark

Theme Highlights
- The theme is great for those who want a neat-looking interface in dark mode.
- It is cross-platform, so one can use the theme on any of their devices, be it Windows, Linux, or MacOS.
- With this theme, one can also customize the colors for fields as per their needs.
4. Twitch Dark

In fact, it is the Visual Studio Dark theme with modifications to make it look as close to the Twitch theme as possible. So if you are a fan of the platform, you can give this one a try.
Theme Highlights
- One can customize the default background and foreground colors, adding to the theme’s flexibility.
- Grey-colored panels put less stress on the eyes so that you can work long hours.
- You can get remarkable and fast support on any issues from the author dedicated by reaching out to them.
5. Dracula Darker

Theme Highlights
- Unlike the original Dracula theme, this theme has more contrast to it. So, it has sharper visuals which is better looking.
- It is soothing to the eyes and does not put much strain on them, so you can work without tiring easily.
- Blue highlights in git-log rows are more distinguishable compared to the original Dracula theme.
6. Hiberbee

Theme Highlights
- The theme has well-balanced contrasting colors that give it enhanced readability without being harsh on the eyes.
- One can choose their own colors for specific code elements and highlights.
- You can also choose foreground and background colors according to your needs.
7. Cute Pink Light

Theme Highlights
- The baby pink side panels with the white background don’t put much pressure on the eye as you work.
- Your syntax highlights and fonts don’t change with the theme, so that you can recognize them easily.
- As it’s still a new theme, users can get excellent support from the author if they come across any issues.
8. Gerry Themes

Theme Highlights
- The syntax highlights have high contrasts, and the buttons are outlined so you can notice them easily.
- One can easily read codes due to the well-balanced color schemes and fonts.
- It uses the Unicode approach, so there’s nothing to be confused about after you activate the theme.
9. Visual Studio Code Dark Plus

Theme Highlights
- The charcoal-shaded background gives the IDE a neat look that focuses the most on the code editor itself.
- Even though the texts are low-contrast, the well-balanced colors make them sharp to read.
- You can customize highlights for certain code elements and warnings as per your liking.
10. Dark Purple

Theme Highlights
- White-space brightness is lower, so your focus remains on coding only.
- You can increase or decrease color brightness for caret rows as per your needs.
- The syntax highlights can be customized with the desired color so that you easily notice them.
Parting Words
The Phpstorm themes we talked about just showed a small glimpse of how versatile templates can be. Choosing the correct theme for your IDE is essential to keep it up and running. You must also be aware of how secure the themes are so that your codes remain safe.
If you loved the themes and found your perfect ones, try them out. But make sure to read the theme reviews and get the version compatible with your Phpstorm version. Leave us feedback if you liked reading this. Thank you!







