Error occurred during initialization of VM java.lang.UnsupportedClassVersionError: com/intellij/platform/core/nio/fs/CoreBootstrapSecurityManag er has been compiled by a more recent version of the Java Runtime (class file version 61.0)

Problem

IntelliJ IDEA fails to start with the following exception:

Error occurred during initialization of VM java.lang.UnsupportedClassVersionError: com/intellij/platform/core/nio/fs/CoreBootstrapSecurityManag er has been compiled by a more recent version of the Java Runtime (class file version 61.0), this version of the Java Runtime only recognizes class file versions up to

Cause

This behavior could be caused by misconfigurations, corrupted files, or the use of a custom Java Runtime Environment (JRE) incompatible with the IDE.

Resolution

To resolve startup issues in JetBrains IDEs, ensure that the IDE uses the JetBrains Runtime (JBR) rather than any custom JRE setups. Follow these steps:

1. Close the IDE completely.

   • Ensure no associated processes are running in the background.

2. Delete the idea.jdk file present in the IDE configuration directory.

   • Locate your IDE configuration directory by referring to JetBrains' documentation here.
   • On Windows, this might typically be: C:\Users\<your_username>\AppData\Roaming\JetBrains\<your_IDE_and_version>

For further guidance on setting up the correct Java Development Kit (JDK) version for your project, consult this guide: Set Up the JDK.

If these steps resolve your issue, resume your work as usual. If problems persist, please provide diagnostic information for additional support.

See also: IDE doesn't start with java.lang.UnsupportedClassVersionError exception