JetBrains IDE for Java, Kotlin, and JVM-based development

How to Record IntelliJ IDEA

Record IntelliJ IDEA with keyboard overlay and readable fonts. Guide for Java tutorials, refactoring demos, and debugging walkthroughs.

When you’d need to record IntelliJ IDEA

Java/Kotlin development tutorials

Record coding sessions with IntelliJ's intelligent features front and center — code completion, refactoring, intention actions. IntelliJ's IDE features are the tutorial, not just the code.

Refactoring demonstrations

Record IntelliJ's refactoring tools — Extract Method (Cmd+Option+M), Rename (Shift+F6), Inline (Cmd+Option+N). Show the refactoring dialog, preview changes, and execute. These multi-file refactors are impossible to explain with text.

Debugging walkthroughs

Record step-through debugging — breakpoints, variable inspection, expression evaluation, conditional breakpoints. Show the Debug tool window with Variables, Watches, and Frames panels simultaneously.

IDE setup and configuration guides

Record how to configure IntelliJ for specific frameworks — Spring Boot, Android, Gradle/Maven setup. The Settings dialog has 200+ categories — video shows exactly where each setting lives.

Recommended settings

Resolution

2560x1440

Frame rate

30fps

Audio

Microphone only

Capture mode

Window Capture

Things to know

•IntelliJ's indexing on project open can take 1-5 minutes — IDE features don't work until indexing completes
•The IDE has more panels and tool windows than any other editor — Project, Structure, Run, Debug, Terminal, Version Control all compete for space
•IntelliJ's code inspections and gutter icons add visual density — yellow warning markers, green test runners, red error indicators
•JetBrains' UI uses a custom rendering engine — some themes render differently in recordings vs on-screen

Step-by-step

1
In Screenify Studio, select Window Capture and pick the IntelliJ IDEA window.
Enable keyboard overlay — IntelliJ is the most keyboard-driven IDE. Shift+Shift (Search Everywhere) alone is worth showing.
2
Open IntelliJ and your project. Wait for indexing to complete — the progress bar in the bottom status bar shows 'Indexing...' with a percentage. Code completion, navigation, and inspections don't work until indexing finishes. Recording during indexing shows a broken IDE.
3
Set up your workspace: close tool windows you won't use. Cmd+1 (Project), Cmd+4 (Run), Cmd+5 (Debug), Cmd+9 (Version Control) toggle panels. Keep only what's needed — IntelliJ can show 6+ panels simultaneously, which is overwhelming on video.
4
Increase editor font size: Settings (Cmd+,) > Editor > Font > Size > set to 16-18. IntelliJ's default is 13pt in JetBrains Mono — readable on your monitor but too small for recordings.
5
Start recording. When demonstrating IDE features, use the keyboard shortcut first, then explain what it does. 'I'll press Shift+Shift to open Search Everywhere' → press it → 'this searches files, classes, symbols, and actions all at once.'

For debugging and refactoring tutorials

6
For debugging tutorials, set breakpoints before recording (click the gutter). Run in Debug mode (Shift+F9). When the debugger stops, show the Variables panel (bottom), step through with F8 (Step Over) or F7 (Step Into), and evaluate expressions with Alt+F8.
7
For refactoring demos, start with the 'before' code visible. Explain what's wrong. Then apply the refactoring shortcut — Cmd+Option+M (Extract Method), Shift+F6 (Rename), Cmd+Option+N (Inline). Show the preview dialog before confirming.
8
To demonstrate Live Templates (code snippets), type the abbreviation (e.g., 'sout' for System.out.println), press Tab, and show the expansion. Then show Settings > Editor > Live Templates to demonstrate how to create custom ones.

Pro tips

Keyboard overlay is IntelliJ's selling point. Shift+Shift (Search Everywhere), Alt+Enter (intentions/quick fixes), Cmd+Shift+A (Find Action), Cmd+Option+M (Extract Method), Cmd+B (Go to Definition) — IntelliJ users live in shortcuts. Without overlay, viewers see code magically refactoring itself.

Auto-zoom on the Debug tool window. When the debugger hits a breakpoint, the Variables panel shows object fields, array contents, and method return values in 12px monospace. Auto-zoom catches your click on a variable and zooms in so viewers can read the actual values.

Wait for indexing, seriously. IntelliJ's intelligence (code completion, refactoring, navigation) requires a complete index. If you record during indexing, Alt+Enter shows no suggestions, Cmd+B doesn't navigate, and code completion returns nothing. It looks like IntelliJ is broken. It's just not ready.

Show intentions with Alt+Enter. IntelliJ's most powerful feature is context-aware intentions — Alt+Enter on any code shows available fixes, refactorings, and improvements. Show this often in tutorials. Place cursor on a warning → Alt+Enter → show the list → select a fix → explain why.

Common mistakes

Recording while indexing. IntelliJ takes 1-5 minutes to index a project. During this time, it's a dumb text editor — no completion, no navigation, no inspections. Recording during indexing wastes footage and makes IntelliJ look bad. Wait for 'Indexing complete' in the status bar.

Default 13pt font size. JetBrains Mono at 13pt is crisp on a Retina display but blurs into illegibility after video compression. Settings > Editor > Font > 16-18pt. Also increase Console font: Settings > Editor > Color Scheme > Console Font > 14-16pt.

Too many tool windows open. Project + Structure + Run + Debug + Terminal + Version Control = 6 panels competing for space. Your editor has 200px width left for actual code. Close everything except what you're actively using. Cmd+Shift+F12 hides all tool windows.

Using mouse instead of keyboard for IDE features. Right-click > Refactor > Extract Method works but misses the point. IntelliJ tutorials should demonstrate the keyboard workflow — Cmd+Option+M is faster and teaches viewers the shortcut they'll use daily.