# Documentation tool window

> **TL;DR**
> `View | Tool Windows | Documentation`
>
>
>
> `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS))

By default, IntelliJ IDEA shows [Quick Documentation](viewing-reference-information.html#inline-quick-documentation) in a popup; to view it in the tool window, click ![](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.actions.more.svg) in the popup and choose Open in Documentation Tool Window or press `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS)) twice.

The feature allows you to access both downloaded documentation and external documentation for which you only specify its URL. For more information about adding code documentation, refer to:

* [Configure library documentation](library.html#add-library-docs)

* [Configure SDK documentation](configure-sdk-documentation.html)

![IntelliJ IDEA: Documentation tool window](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/quick-doc-toolwindow.png)

> **Note:**
> The `View | Tool Windows | Documentation` menu option appears only if you have configured the IDE to display  [code documentation](viewing-reference-information.html#inline-quick-documentation)  in a tool window and some documentation is open in the window.

| Icon | Shortcut | Description |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ![the Back button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app-client.expui.general.left.svg) ![the Forward button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app-client.expui.general.right.svg) | `Left` (Windows), `←` (macOS), `←` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `←` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Left` (XWin), `Left` (GNOME), `Left` (KDE), `Left` (Emacs), `Left` (Sublime Text), `←` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Left` (NetBeans), `Left` (Visual Studio), `←` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Left` (Eclipse), `←` (Eclipse (macOS)) or `Right` (Windows), `→` (macOS), `→` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `→` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Right` (XWin), `Right` (GNOME), `Right` (KDE), `Right` (Emacs), `Right` (Sublime Text), `→` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Right` (NetBeans), `Right` (Visual Studio), `→` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Right` (Eclipse), `→` (Eclipse (macOS)) | Switch to the previous or go to the next documentation page (for example, after clicking hyperlinks).     On macOS, you can also use the three-finger right-to-left and left-to-right swipe gestures.    |
|  ![the Edit Source button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.edit.svg)  | `F4` (Windows), `⌘ ↓` (macOS), `F4` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `F4` (macOS System Shortcuts), `F4` (XWin), `F4` (GNOME), `F4` (KDE), `F4` (Emacs), `F4` (Sublime Text), `F4` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `F4` (NetBeans), `F4` (Visual Studio), `⌘ ↓` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `F12` (Eclipse), `F3` (Eclipse (macOS)) | Navigate to the source code of the symbol whose documentation is currently open. |
| ![Settings](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.moreVertical.svg) |  |      * Show Documentation Popup First: show documentation in a popup when you press `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS)). Press `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS)) the second time to open the documentation in the tool window. Disable the option to always show quick documentation in the tool window.    * Show on Mouse Move: show quick documentation when you hover over code elements in the editor. When the option is disabled, you need to press `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS)) to view code documentation.    * Open as Popup `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS)): show code documentation in a popup instead of the tool window.    * Auto-update from Source: when this option is enabled, the content of the tool window changes as you move the mouse pointer in the editor. If the [Show on Mouse Move](viewing-reference-information.html#disable-auto-quick-documentation) option is disabled, place the caret at the symbol and press `Ctrl+Q` (Windows), `F1` (macOS), `⌃ J` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ I` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Q` (XWin), `Ctrl+Q` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Q` (KDE), `Ctrl+Q` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text), `Ctrl+Q` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Q` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+K, I` (Visual Studio), `⌘ K, I` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+Middle-Click` (Eclipse), `⌥ Middle-Click` (Eclipse (macOS)) to see its documentation in the tool window.    * Close All: close the tool window and all currently open tabs.    * Adjust Font Size…: display a slider for changing the font size.    * View Mode: by default, the tool window is attached to the edge of the main window and is always visible. You can change the [view mode](viewing-modes.html), for example, to make it visible only when active or to detach it from the tool window bar.    * Move to: select where to attach the tool window.    * Resize: adjust the size of the tool window.    * Remove from Sidebar: close the tool window. To reopen it, select `View \| Tool Windows \| Documentation` from the main menu.    |

## See also

### Procedures

[Tool window view modes](viewing-modes.html)  [Quick Documentation](viewing-reference-information.html#inline-quick-documentation)