# Images

IntelliJ IDEA offers several ways to view images. You can use [navigation to source](#internal) or [open an image in an external graphical
editor](#ext).

## Supported image formats

IntelliJ IDEA supports all popular image formats, such as PNG, SVG, JPG, and GIF, out of the box.

> **Note:**
> * To open images in the [WebP](https://developers.google.com/speed/webp) format, make sure the WebP bundled plugin is enabled in the Installed tab of the Settings | Plugins page as described in [Plugins](managing-plugins.html).
>
> * The [AVIF](https://web.dev/learn/images/avif) format is not currently supported.

Procedure: Find a full list of supported image file types

1. Open Settings by pressing `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)) and go to `Editor | File Types`.

2. In the Recognized File Types list, locate the Image item. The File name patterns area shows a complete, version-accurate set of recognized extensions of image files that can be opened from IntelliJ IDEA.

![full list of supported image file types](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/supported_image_formats_steps.png)

Learn more about file types supported in IntelliJ IDEA from [File type associations](creating-and-registering-file-types.html).

## View images

Procedure: View images in IntelliJ IDEA

* In the  Project tool window ,  find and select the image file.

Alternatively, place the caret at the reference to the image in the editor and press `Ctrl+B` (Windows), `⌘ B` (macOS), `⌘ B` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ B` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+B` (XWin), `Ctrl+B` (GNOME), `Ctrl+B` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+G` (Emacs), `F12` (Sublime Text), `F12` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+B` (NetBeans), `F12` (Visual Studio), `F12` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `F3` (Eclipse), `F3` (Eclipse (macOS)).

* To preview an image in a popup instead of in a separate tab, select the reference to it  and press `Ctrl+Shift+I` (Windows), `⌥ Space` (macOS), `⌘ ⇧ I` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ Y` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Shift+I` (XWin), `Ctrl+Shift+I` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Shift+I` (KDE), `Ctrl+Shift+I` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Shift+I` (Sublime Text), `⌥ Space` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Shift+I` (NetBeans), `Alt+F12` (Visual Studio), `⌥ Space` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Shift+I` (Eclipse), `⌥ Space` (Eclipse (macOS)).

Procedure: View images in an external editor

* In the  Project tool window ,  right-click the image file and select `Jump to external editor`.

Alternatively, press `Ctrl+Alt+F4` (Windows), `⌘ ⌥ F4` (macOS), `⌘ ⌥ F4` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ ⌥ F4` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Alt+4` (XWin), `Ctrl+Alt+4` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Alt+4` (KDE), `Ctrl+Alt+F4` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Alt+F4` (Sublime Text), `⌘ ⌥ F4` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+F4` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Alt+F4` (Visual Studio), `⌘ ⌥ F4` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Alt+F4` (Eclipse), `⌘ ⌥ F4` (Eclipse (macOS)).

IntelliJ IDEA opens the image in the editor that is used in your OS by default. You can [configure another image editor](#change-external-editor) in which the IDE will open files.

Procedure: Change the default external editor

1. Right-click an image in the editor and select Edit Path to External Editor… from the context menu.

You can also press `Ctrl+Shift+A` (Windows), `⌘ ⇧ A` (macOS), `⌘ ⇧ A` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ ⇧ P` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (XWin), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (GNOME), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (KDE), `Escape, X` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Shift+P` (Sublime Text), `⌘ ⇧ P` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+I` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (Visual Studio), `⌘ ⇧ A` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+Shift+A` (Eclipse), `⌘ 3` (Eclipse (macOS)) and type `Edit Path to External Editor`.

2. In the Path to External Editor dialog, specify the path to the application in which you want to open images and click Save.

![Specifying the path to an external editor](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/change-external-image-editor.png)

## Import images

Procedure: Example: Import an image

Images belong to [resource files](resource-files.html). They should be stored in a dedicated folder – [Resources
Root](content-roots.html#folder-categories). If you do not have this folder in your project, [create a new
directory](add-items-to-project.html#new-directory), right-click it in the Project tool window, and select `Mark Directory As | Resources Root`.

1. Copy the file in the file manager and then paste in to the folder with resource files in the IntelliJ IDEA Project tool window.

2. In the dialog that opens, edit the filename and the target location if necessary. Click OK.

![Importing an image](https://resources.jetbrains.com.cn/help/img/idea/2026.2/image_in_resources_folder.png)

3. Right-click the pasted image in the Project tool window and select `Copy | Path from Source Root`.

4. In the class in which you want to use the image, place the caret at the necessary line and press `Ctrl+V` (Windows), `⌘ V` (macOS), `⌘ V` (IntelliJ IDEA Classic (macOS)), `⌘ V` (macOS System Shortcuts), `Ctrl+V` (XWin), `Ctrl+V` (GNOME), `Ctrl+V` (KDE), `Shift+Insert` (Emacs), `Ctrl+Shift+V` (Sublime Text), `⌘ ⇧ V` (Sublime Text (macOS)), `Ctrl+V` (NetBeans), `Ctrl+V` (Visual Studio), `⌘ V` (Visual Studio (macOS)), `Ctrl+V` (Eclipse), `⌘ V` (Eclipse (macOS)) to paste the path to the image.

Run your application or a fragment of it to make sure that the image is inserted correctly.

## See also

### Related

[HTML](editing-html-files.html) [Resource files](resource-files.html)