Default Tool Window Layouts & Syncing
Hi everyone,
I've been struggling with the Tool Window management across all my JetBrains IDEs for a while now. At the moment, every time I create or open a new project, it attaches a set of default Tool Windows (e.g. Database, Junie, GitHub Copilot Chat…). Since this standard selection isn't customizable, I find myself in a tedious loop, I have to manually remove the windows I don't use and add my preferred ones for every single project. For some reason, these default Tool Windows seem to be arranged randomly, for each new project.
I am aware that you can save custom layouts under Window → Layouts, but this feature unfortunately does not solve the problem for three main reasons:
1. No Syncing: Saved layouts are not part of the Backup and Sync feature, which means they don't sync between different PCs or IDEs, requiring manual setup once again, as well as inconsistency.
2. No auto apply: There is currently no way to activate “Automatically apply layout” when creating or opening a new project, meanig I have to apply my saved layout manually every time I create or open a new project.
3. No tool adding: Even worse, saved layouts do not seem to include “manually added Tool Windows”. For example, if I add the Deployment → Browse Remote Hosts Tool Window, save the layout, and then apply it in a new project, the Tool Window is not automatically attached to the sidebar. Only the default ones get rearranged/removed. I still have to manually add Browse Remote Hosts myself and apply the layout again.
I would like to propose the following improvements:
- User-defined layout defaults: Instead of a fixed IDE default, let us define our own "Default Layout" When I create a new project, it should automatically use my custom selection and arrangement.
- Persistent state in layouts: Saving a layout should include the information of which windows are open. Applying a layout in a new project should automatically open missing Windows (like Browse Remote Host) instead of just rearranging the ones present at the moment.
- Sync Integration: Please make "Layouts" (and ideally Custom-Default-Layouts) part of the Backup and Sync feature. This would ensure a consistent UI experience across all IDEs and multiple workstations, without manual reconfiguration.
I also know that project-specific Tool Windows (for certain frameworks) are a great thing, and they should not be blocked, because I applied a custom-default-layout, but they should be treated as additions that don't mess up my global base configuration. This could be achieved by placing project-specific Tool Windows in a separate area, dedicated only for them (e.g. the bottom-right).
Is there currently a workaround for this, or are there plans to make the layout management more robust and "sync-friendly"?
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Hi Freak, thanks for all the suggestions. You can see my replies below:
The currently intended way to apply a saved layout to a new project is via Window | Layouts | [Your layout name] | Restore. If that does not cover your use case well enough, we could look into raising a new feature request.
I believe IJPL-162615 covers scenarios where certain tool windows may disappear. Please consider following this ticket to get notified about any progress.
Layouts are included in Backup and Sync starting from 2025.3, but they only sync between machines running the same OS. The layout data is stored in the
settingSync/optionswithin the configuration directory, in thewindow.layouts.xmlfile. Could you please double-check on your end?Thank you very much for your response,
I have verified that
window.layouts.xmlis present on my local machine, but it is definitely not being synced, not even between IDEs on the same PC (e.g. PyCharm WebStorm), both are on2025.3.3. If Layouts are not supposed to be synced between differing IDEs, that should also definetly be a thing.Opening a feature request seems like a great idea. Because the existing ticket you linked seems to be already several years old and doesn't seem to have gained much traction recently.
How would we/I go about opening a Feature request? I have already proposed my suggestions above, but how it's implemented would be irrelevant. I only want layouts to be synced between all IDEs on all PCs, and they should contain every Tool Window, which was currently present at the time of creation.
Kind regards
Hi Freak,
That is interesting, I tested creating a layout in PyCharm 2025.3.3 and then opened WebStorm 2025.3.3, and the layout was available under Window | Layouts. So from my side, it seems to be working.
Could you please check in both IDEs under Settings | Backup and Sync whether sync is enabled for all JetBrains IDEs products, and not limited to just PyCharm or WebStorm?
If you would like, I can create a ticket on your behalf to request the ability to define a default layout when creating a new project. That said, this would be similar to the current workflow in terms of speed—arranging tool windows in one project, saving the layout, and restoring it in another. What do you think?
Regarding saving and restoring dynamic tool windows (IJPL-162615), it is best to avoid creating a duplicate ticket, as it will not speed things up. I recommend following the existing one instead.