Commit tool window Group By options not preserved after IDE settings import

Problem

The Group By view options in the Commit tool window (such as Group By Directory) revert to the default after importing IDE settings into a new IntelliJ IDEA installation. Other imported settings appear correctly, but the Group By configuration is not carried over.

Cause

The Group By options in the Commit tool window are project-level settings, not IDE-level settings. They are stored in the project's .idea/workspace.xml file under the <component name="ChangesViewManager"> node. The settings export/import wizard and Settings Sync transfer IDE-level configuration only, so project-level settings are not included.

When an option has its default value, no corresponding entry exists in workspace.xml. The entry is created only after the option is changed to a non-default value within that specific project.

Resolution

Configure the Group By options separately for each project:

1. Open the project in IntelliJ IDEA.
2. Open the Commit tool window.
3. Click View Options (gear icon) and adjust the Group By entries as needed.
4. Restart the IDE to verify the setting persists.

After step 3, IntelliJ IDEA writes the configuration to <project_root>/.idea/workspace.xml. Confirm that a <component name="ChangesViewManager"> node is present in that file.

If the setting still reverts after a restart, reset the project configuration:

1. Close the project.
2. Back up and remove the .idea folder and any *.iml files from the project root.
3. Reopen IntelliJ IDEA and import the project from existing sources.
4. Reapply the Group By options.

To share the Group By configuration across team members or machines, commit the .idea/workspace.xml file (or at least the <component name="ChangesViewManager"> node) to version control.