Software⏱️ 2 min read📅 2026-05-31

How to Fix: IntelliJ: Error:java: error: release version 5 not supported

IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate 2019.3.1 supports Java versions up to 8, not 11.

Quick Answer: Try updating to a newer version of IntelliJ IDEA or using an older Java version that is compatible with your IDE.

IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate 2019.3.1 has a known issue where it does not support Java 5 as a release version. This error occurs because Java 5 is no longer supported by Oracle, and the project is trying to use it.

🛠️ Step-by-Step Verified Fixes

Method 1: Update Project Template

  1. Step 1: Open the settings.gradle file and update the projectSDK to a compatible version, such as Java 11 or higher.

Method 2: Use Maven or Gradle

  1. Step 1: Create a new project using Maven or Gradle, which are Java build tools that support multiple versions of Java.

🎯 Final Words

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the 'release version 5 not supported' error in IntelliJ IDEA Ultimate 2019.3.1.

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