# Configure JavaFX Scene Builder

IntelliJ IDEA allows you to open `.fxml` files in JavaFX Scene Builder right from the IDE so that you can visually design JavaFX interfaces directly.

![An .fxml file opened in Scene Builder in the IDE](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/fx-scene-builder.png)

## Open files in Scene Builder in the IDE

When you open an `.fxml` file in the editor, there are two tabs underneath the editing area: the Text tab is for developing the markup, and the Scene Builder tab is for editing the file in Scene Builder.

Procedure:

1. Open an `.fxml` file in the editor.

2. Switch to the Scene Builder tab.

![Text and Scene Builder tabs in editor](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/scene_builder_tabs.png)

3. If your project doesn't have JavaFX Scene Builder, you will see a notification panel prompting you to install Scene Builder Kit.

Click Download Scene Builder Kit on the panel.

![Download Scene Builder Kit](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/scene_builder_popup.png)

After that you can view `.fxml` files in Scene Builder right in the IDE by switching to the dedicated tab.

Learn how to use JavaFX Scene Builder from [JavaFX
Scene Builder: User Guide](https://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/scene-builder-2/user-guide/index.html) on the Oracle website.

## Open files in the Scene Builder application

You can configure the path to Scene Builder in IDE settings. In this case, you will be able to open `.fxml` files outside the IDE in the Scene Builder application.

Procedure: Configure the path to Scene Builder

1. Download and install the latest version of [Scene Builder](https://gluonhq.com/products/scene-builder/).

2. Press `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Windows), `⌘ Comma` (macOS), `⌘ Comma` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Comma` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Sublime Text), `⌘ Comma` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Visual Studio), `⌘ Comma` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+S` (Eclipse), `⌘ Comma` (Eclipse (macOS)) to open settings and then select `Languages & Frameworks | JavaFX`.

3. Click ![the Browse button](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.open.svg) in the Path to SceneBuilder field.

4. In the dialog that opens, specify the path to the Scene Builder executable file on your computer.

The standard paths are:

Windows:
`С:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\SceneBuilder\SceneBuilder.exe`

macOS:
`/Applications/SceneBuilder.app`

The path on Linux depends on your distribution.

5. Apply the changes and close the dialog.

![Specifying path to SceneBuilder](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/fx-path-to-executable.png)

Procedure: Launch Scene Builder from the IDE

1. Press `Alt+1` (Windows), `⌘ 1` (macOS), `⌘ 1` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ 1` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Alt+1` (XWin), `Alt+1` (GNOME), `Alt+1` (KDE), `Alt+1` (Emacs), `Alt+1` (Sublime Text), `⌘ 1` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+1` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+L` (Visual Studio), `⌘ ⌥ L` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Alt+1` (Eclipse), `Alt+1` (Eclipse (macOS)) or go to `View | Tool Windows | Project` in the main menu to open the Project tool window.

2. Right-click an `.fxml` file you want to open and select Open In SceneBuilder.

The Scene Builder application starts, showing you the contents of the selected file.