JetBrains requires acceptance of its User Agreement as a condition of using its software products.[1] In 2025, users with subscriptions that ended before 2025 reported being shown the new agreement inside older IDE versions, with the options limited to accepting it or exiting the application.
Background
JetBrains sells its IDEs, including IntelliJ IDEA and WebStorm, under a subscription system that includes a perpetual fallback license. The fallback license allows a customer to use a particular software version indefinitely after a subscription ends, but upgrading to a newer version requires buying or renewing the subscription.[2]
Agreement requirement
The JetBrains User Agreement covers use of JetBrains products by individual users, and acceptance of its terms is a condition of using the software.[3] Prior versions of the agreement, such as version 1.4 effective from 22 September 2021, carried the same acceptance requirement, presented as a click-through.[4]
Reported popups
In 2025, users of versions released in 2024 or earlier, including WebStorm 2024.1.7 running under a fallback license, reported popups presenting the JetBrains User Agreement with no option to decline and continue using the already-installed version.[5] Users documented workarounds involving removing or restricting access to the local JetBrains configuration directory.
References
- ↑ "JetBrains User Agreement". JetBrains. Archived from the original on 22 Oct 2026. Retrieved 2026-10-22.
- ↑ "What is a perpetual fallback license, and how do I use one?". JetBrains Sales. Archived from the original on 22 Oct 2026. Retrieved 2026-10-22.
- ↑ "JetBrains User Agreement". JetBrains. Archived from the original on 22 Oct 2026. Retrieved 2026-10-22.
- ↑ "JetBrains User Agreement (version 1.4)" (PDF). JetBrains. Retrieved 2026-10-22.
- ↑ "Jetbrains User Agreement screenshot". Consumer Rights Wiki. Archived from the original on 2026-10-22. Retrieved 2026-10-22.