# System Settings

> **TL;DR**
> `File | Settings | Appearance & Behavior | System Settings` for Windows and Linux
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> `IntelliJ IDEA | Settings | Appearance & Behavior | System Settings` for macOS
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> `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)) ![the Settings icon](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/app.expui.general.settings.svg)

Configure the general behavior of IntelliJ IDEA.

| Item | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Confirm before exiting the IDE | Show a dialog with a confirmation when you attempt to close IntelliJ IDEA. |
| When closing a tool window with a running process |    Select what to do with the running process:                        * Terminate process: stop the process entirely.    * Disconnect: leave the process running but disconnect from it.    * Ask: show a dialog with actions to choose from.    |

## Project

| Item | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Reopen projects on startup | Open all projects that were open when you closed IntelliJ IDEA last time. |
| Open project in |    Select where you want to open projects:       * New window: open every projects in a separate window.    * Current window: close the current projects and open the new one in the same window.    * Ask: show a dialog with actions to choose from.      > **Tip:** > On macOS, you can merge multiple open project windows into a single tabbed window and separate them again by dragging a tab into its own window. Learn more from [Open, move, and close projects](open-close-and-move-projects.html#merge-windows)  .    |
| Default project directory |     Specify the default location for projects. IntelliJ IDEA suggests this directory when you create a new project or want to open an existing project.       This directory is also opened when you select `File \| Open` from the main menu.     |

## Files

| Item | Description |
| --- | --- |
| Move files to the bin instead of deleting permanently | Controls whether deleted project files are moved to the Recycle Bin (Trash) folder or permanently removed from your computer. When enabled, files are moved to the bin.  |
| Save files if the IDE is idle for  | Save all modified files at regular time intervals. |
|  Save files when switching to a different application or a built-in terminal |     Save all modified files when you switch from IntelliJ IDEA to a different application.                       > **Note:** > You cannot disable  [autosave](null) completely by disabling these options.    |
| Back up files before saving |     Before saving the file, create a backup. If the save operation is successful, IntelliJ IDEA deletes the backup. If not, it restores the contents of the original file from backup. This behavior is known as "safe write", and it prevents losing your file in case of a faulty save operation.     |
| Sync external changes |    Select the way in which the IDE will synchronize external changes:       * When switching to the IDE window or opening an editor tab: reload externally changed files when you switch to IntelliJ IDEA from a different application, or when you switch to the corresponding editor tabs.    * Periodically when the IDE is inactive (experimental): reload externally changed files when the IDE is inactive for 15 seconds.    |