Open a project in IntelliJ from folder

How may I open a project in IntelliJ IDE by navigating to it in windows explorer ? Here is my folder where I want to open the project in IntellIj

I want to avoid using the "open project" in the IntelliJ interface as this :

Windows 8.1

1. Right click on Start Icon (bottom left) and click on Run.
2. Run 'regedit' (system program)
3. Click 'Yes' to allow program to make changes to computer.
4. In the left panel, under 'Computer' select 'HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT'
5. Scroll down to 'Directory' (Quite far down the list)
6. Right click on 'shell' and select 'New > Key'
7. Type in name of action (can be anything)
8. Right Click on your new Key and add another new Key
9. Name new Key 'command' (mandantory)
10. Click on command and right click on '(Default)', then click Modify...
11. Set Value Data to your Intellij IDEA program location plus '%1' (I set mine to "C:\Program Files\JetBrains\IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition 2017.2.4\bin\idea64.exe %1").
    
    Also, on Windows 10, set Value Data to your Intellij IDEA program location plus "%1" (I set mine to "C:\Program Files\JetBrains\IntelliJ IDEA 2021.2.1\bin\idea64.exe" "%1").
12. Click on the Key you made in step 6 and set '(Default)' value to the text you want to see
13. Go to your folder and Enjoy!

Also, if you want an icon, do this:

1. Go to the Key you made in step 6
2. Right Click and choose 'New > String Value'
3. Name it 'Icon' (mandantory)
4. Right Click > Modify...
5. Set Data Value to Intellij IDEA exe file

Here is a GIF with the steps: Giphy.com

I hope you found this helpful! Good Luck!

To add to this answer: https://stackoverflow.com/a/49780073 Make sure that Step 11 looks something like : "C:\Program Files\JetBrains\IntelliJ IDEA 2019.1.1\bin\idea64.exe" "%1"

Note the separate "%1". Otherwise it will not work.

Top answser doesn't work on Windows 11 (and maybe 10). Here are the correct steps.

STEP 1: Create your context menu option

1. Open your Registry Editor by pressing WIN + R, then typing regedit.

2. Go to Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\shell ⚠️ Do not forget the Background folder, which is missing from other Stackoverflow answers.

3. Right click on the shell folder, then New, then Key.

4. Name the folder as you like, for example IntelliJ.

STEP 2: Name your context menu option

1. Click on the folder corresponding to your context menu option, IntelliJ for me.
2. Right click on (Default), then Modify....
3. In the value data field, name your context menu option, for example Open as project.

STEP 3: Set the action when the context menu option is clicked

1. Right click on the folder corresponding to your context menu option, IntelliJ for me.
2. Click on New, then Key.
3. Type command.
4. Click on the command folder you have created.
5. Right click on (Default), then Modify....
6. Type "PATH TO idea64.exe" "%V", for me it's "C:\Users\Tom\AppData\Local\JetBrains\Toolbox\apps\IDEA-U\ch-0\212.5284.40\bin\idea64.exe" "%V"

Complete this third step allow you to see your context menu in the right click folder. Clicking on it will open IntelliJ in the current folder.

STEP 4: Set an icon to the context menu option

1. Right click on the folder corresponding to your context menu option, IntelliJ for me.
2. Click on New, then String value.
3. Name it Icon.
4. Right click on Icon, then Modify....
5. Type the path to your idea64.exe, for me it's C:\Users\Tom\AppData\Local\JetBrains\Toolbox\apps\IDEA-U\ch-0\212.5284.40\bin\idea64.exe.

Although it doesn't allow you to open a project from a folder, you can install the Jetbrains toolbox to manage your projects and product versions.

You can easily open projects from it while avoiding the "open project" interface of intellij. You can also assign a shortcut to it for even faster use.

This screenshot demontrates how you can search for a project. Simply navigate to it using the arrow keys and pressing enter opens the project for you.