Cursor behavior: Reverse appearance in Insert and Overwrite modes

October 29, 2026 13:48 Updated

Question

User reported an issue where the cursor behavior in IntelliJ IDEA is the opposite compared to the expected appearance in Insert and Overwrite modes. Normally, the cursor should be thin in Insert mode and thick in Overwrite mode, but it is working the opposite way.

Answer

To resolve this issue:

Open IntelliJ IDEA.
Navigate to Settings | Editor | General | Appearance.
Locate the option labeled Use block caret.
If this option is enabled, disable it to align the cursor behavior with the expected norms.