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How to Install VS Code on Windows

Install VS Code on Windows if you want a fast editor with extensions, terminal integration, and the code command available on PATH.

Priyanka Kasera
Priyanka Kasera·
April 2026·5 min read

Supported Versions

latest

Official Source

code.visualstudio.com (official)

Environment Setup

1 PATH entry

Verify Step

code --version

DevTools Installer is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the publisher of Visual Studio Code. All product names and logos are trademarks of their respective owners. Downloads are sourced directly from the official publisher.

Install With DevTools Installer

Use this path if you want DevTools Installer to download the official package and handle the Windows setup for you.

  1. 1Open DevTools Installer.
  2. 2In IDEs & Editors, select "Visual Studio Code".
  3. 3Click "Install Selected".
  4. 4Let the installer download the official package, run it silently, add context menu entries, and add VS Code to PATH.
  5. 5Open a new terminal window after the install finishes.
  6. 6Run to confirm the command-line launcher works.

Download Source

DevTools Installer downloads from the official publisher:

https://update.code.visualstudio.com/latest/win32-x64/stable

PATH & Environment Variables

DevTools Installer sets the following automatically:

PATH entries

C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\bin

Verification

DevTools Installer verifies the install by running:

code --version

Expected output: 1.x.x (version number)

Manual Installation Steps

Use these steps if you want to run the installer yourself and apply the Windows PATH or environment changes manually.

  1. 1Download the official installer from https://code.visualstudio.com/download
  2. 2Run the installer and check the option that adds VS Code to PATH.
  3. 3The command-line launcher lives in .
  4. 4Open a new terminal and run .
  5. 5Run inside a project folder if you want to verify the shell integration too.

Need to upgrade, downgrade, or remove Visual Studio Code?

DevTools Installer can also upgrade Visual Studio Code to a newer version, roll back to an older one, or cleanly uninstall it — including PATH entries and environment variables. No manual cleanup required.

What Is Visual Studio Code Used For?

  • Writing and debugging code in virtually any programming language with extensions.
  • Frontend development with built-in support for HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and TypeScript.
  • Remote development — VS Code can connect to WSL, SSH servers, and Docker containers.
  • Git integration with built-in source control panel, diff viewer, and merge conflict resolution.
  • Collaborative editing with Live Share for real-time pair programming sessions.

Recommended Extensions

Install these VS Code extensions to get the most out of Visual Studio Code for your workflow:

IntelliCode

VisualStudioExptTeam

AI-assisted code completions trained on thousands of real-world open-source codebases — more context-aware than standard IntelliSense.

GitLens

eamodio

Supercharges Git with inline blame annotations, interactive history views, and rich side-by-side diff comparisons.

Prettier

esbenp

Opinionated code formatter that auto-formats on save for JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS, JSON, HTML, and more.

ESLint

dbaeumer

Integrates ESLint into the editor with real-time JavaScript and TypeScript linting and quick-fix suggestions.

Python (Microsoft)

ms-python

Full Python support: IntelliSense, linting, black formatting, debugging, and Jupyter notebook integration.

Common Issues And Fixes

Check the problem and the exact fix before you reinstall anything. Some guides also include the reason the issue happens.

Problem

"code" is not recognized in the terminal

Exact fix

Ensure C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\bin is in your PATH. If you installed via the standard installer, check "Add to PATH" during setup. For existing installs, add the path manually via Environment Variables.

Problem

VS Code opens in the wrong workspace or folder

Exact fix

Use "code ." in a terminal to open VS Code in the current directory. Use "code <folder>" to open a specific folder.

Problem

Extensions fail to install or load

Exact fix

Check your internet connection — extensions are downloaded from the VS Code Marketplace. If behind a proxy, configure "http.proxy" in VS Code settings (Ctrl+,).

Problem

VS Code is slow or uses too much memory

Exact fix

Disable extensions you do not use regularly. Large workspaces can be slow — add large folders (node_modules, build outputs) to the "files.exclude" setting.

Tips for Visual Studio Code

  • ✓Install the "Extensions Pack" for your primary language (e.g., Python Extension Pack, Java Extension Pack) to get debugger, linter, and IntelliSense in one go.
  • ✓Use the command palette (Ctrl+Shift+P) to access any feature without memorizing keyboard shortcuts.
  • ✓VS Code updates automatically by default. To stay on a specific version, disable auto-update in settings.
  • ✓For Java development, install the "Extension Pack for Java" by Microsoft — it includes language support, debugging, test runner, and Maven/Gradle integration.

Related Guides

Git

Install Git on Windows so you can clone repositories, commit changes, use Git Bash, and run git from any terminal.

Node.js

Install Node.js on Windows so you can run node, npm, Vite, React, Next.js, and other JavaScript tooling from any terminal.

Python

Install Python on Windows so you can run scripts, create virtual environments, and use pip without the Microsoft Store redirect getting in the way.

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