Manage multiple files and folders with tabs and selectors in PhpStorm

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PhpStorm can open a lot of files at once, but managing those files becomes difficult when the tabs no longer fit on a single row. When that happens, PhpStorm shows an overflow icon, and you have to open it before selecting one of the hidden files.

To display all open files across multiple rows, open PhpStorm -> Settings on Windows or Linux, or PhpStorm -> Preferences on macOS. Then go to Editor -> General -> Editor Tabs and clear Show tabs in one row.

The tabs now use additional vertical space, but you can see more of the files that are open and select any of them directly.

When you open a file from somewhere else, the Project tool window doesn’t automatically move to that file’s location in the project hierarchy. To locate the currently open file, click the target-shaped Select Opened File icon in the Project tool window. PhpStorm selects the file and expands the folders needed to show its location.

You can make this selection happen automatically. Click the gear icon in the Project tool window and enable Always Select Open File. From now on, selecting another editor tab also selects that file in the project hierarchy.

The navigation bar above the editor can also help you move through the current file’s directory structure. If it isn’t visible, enable it from View -> Appearance -> Navigation Bar.

Once the navigation bar is visible, open another file and click any parent directory in the path. PhpStorm lets you browse the subfolders within that directory and navigate to another file without manually expanding the Project tool window.