To open the User settings:

  • Open the command palette (either with F1 or Ctrl+Shift+P)
  • Type ">open settings" (You must include the '>' at the beginning)
  • You are presented with a few options¹, choose Open User Settings (JSON)

This image was taken in the VS Code online editor

Which, from the manual and depending on platform, is one of:

  • Windows %APPDATA%\Code\User\settings.json²
  • macOS $HOME/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/settings.json
  • Linux $HOME/.config/Code/User/settings.json

The Workspace settings will be in a {workspaceName}.code-workspace file where you saved it, and the Folder settings will be in a .vscode folder if and when it has been created.


Official page on User and Workspace Settings

As stated by sevencardz below, VS Code includes a button in the Settings UI gutter which can be used to switch between JSON and graphical view.

The workbench.settings.editor option selects which of the settings files is opened by default when not using the above method, such as with the shortcut +, or through the application menu.

Footnotes

  1. The aforementioned settings, User and Workspace. Remote settings will appear when using WSL.

  2. By a test this maps to %APPDATA%\Roaming\Code\User\settings.json, I am not sure by what logic.

Answer from Martin Kleiven on Stack Overflow
🌐
Visual Studio Code
code.visualstudio.com › docs › configure › settings
User and workspace settings
November 3, 2021 - In the example below, the Side Bar location and File Icon Theme were changed. The gear icon alongside the setting (⇧F9 (Windows, Linux Shift+F9)) opens a context menu with options to reset a setting to its default value, and to copy the setting ID, copy a JSON name-value pair, or copy the settings URL. ... A settings URL enables you to navigate directly to a specific setting in the Settings editor from the browser. The URL is in the format vscode://settings/<settingName>, where <settingName> is the ID of the setting you want to navigate to.
Top answer
1 of 14
702

To open the User settings:

  • Open the command palette (either with F1 or Ctrl+Shift+P)
  • Type ">open settings" (You must include the '>' at the beginning)
  • You are presented with a few options¹, choose Open User Settings (JSON)

This image was taken in the VS Code online editor

Which, from the manual and depending on platform, is one of:

  • Windows %APPDATA%\Code\User\settings.json²
  • macOS $HOME/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/settings.json
  • Linux $HOME/.config/Code/User/settings.json

The Workspace settings will be in a {workspaceName}.code-workspace file where you saved it, and the Folder settings will be in a .vscode folder if and when it has been created.


Official page on User and Workspace Settings

As stated by sevencardz below, VS Code includes a button in the Settings UI gutter which can be used to switch between JSON and graphical view.

The workbench.settings.editor option selects which of the settings files is opened by default when not using the above method, such as with the shortcut +, or through the application menu.

Footnotes

  1. The aforementioned settings, User and Workspace. Remote settings will appear when using WSL.

  2. By a test this maps to %APPDATA%\Roaming\Code\User\settings.json, I am not sure by what logic.

2 of 14
185

On the settings UI page, there's a special button in the top right corner gutter that toggles between the settings.json file and the settings UI.

Bonus Answer:

Add "workbench.settings.editor": "json" to your settings.json file. This will make it so that menu FilePreferencesSettings or + , opens your settings.json file by default. Optionally, add a comment at the top to remind yourself where the toggle button is.

// Click the Open Settings (UI) button in the top
// right corner gutter to toggle the settings UI
{
    // Other settings in settings.json
    // ...
    "workbench.settings.editor": "json"
}
🌐
GitHub
gist.github.com › mrmartineau › ea3b428124bc1e31cd46dfa55469d781
vscode settings.json · GitHub
May 26, 2024 - vscode settings.json · Raw · settings.json · This file contains hidden or bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters. Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters ·
🌐
Checkmarx
docs.checkmarx.com › en › 34965-8138-vscode-tutorial---settings-json.html
VSCode Tutorial - Settings.json
March 26, 2024 - Checkmarx VSCode extension installed and enabled. ... On the Extension page, click the Extend icon. The CxVSCode plugin dialog appears. On the Checkmarx SAST 9.x plugin dialog, click . A dropdown menu appears. From the dropdown menu, select Extension Settings. Enable the Avoid Duplicate Project Scans In Queue option. Verify that the following has been added to the settings.json file: cx.avoidDuplicateProjectScansInQueue ": true.
🌐
Visual Studio Code
code.visualstudio.com › docs › languages › json
Editing JSON with Visual Studio Code
November 3, 2021 - JSON schemas describe the shape of the JSON file, as well as value sets and default values, which are used by the JSON language support to provide completion proposals. If you are a schema author and want to provide even more customized completion proposals, you can also specify snippets in the schema. The following example shows a schema for a keyboard shortcut settings file defining a snippet:
🌐
Posit
docs.posit.co › ide › server-pro › user › vs-code › guide › settings.html
VS Code Settings – Workbench Documentation Release 2026.05.0
Then, type and select: “Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON)” and press ENTER. ... Workspace settings are specified in .vscode/settings.json within the workspace folder.
🌐
Supunkavinda
supunkavinda.blog › home › vscode settings.json secrets: decoding potential
Vscode Settings.Json: Tips and Techniques
May 8, 2024 - Craft folder-specific settings by creating a .vscode folder in the root directory and defining configurations in settings.json.
🌐
Ivan-lim
ivan-lim.com › home › understanding settings.json in visual studio code
Understanding settings.json in Visual Studio Code - Ivan Lim Web & Database Services
December 13, 2023 - Tip: The User settings.json file contains global settings that apply to every instance of Visual Studio Code you open. The Workspace settings.json file is specific to a project and is stored in a .vscode folder at the root of your project.
Price   $$
Address   920 Prestonwood Dr., 30043, Lawrenceville
Find elsewhere
🌐
Micro Focus
microfocus.com › documentation › vscode › enterprise › GUID-84045421-C70A-4583-BC59-45995A146745.html
Settings File (JSON) - Micro Focus
Use the editor.semanticTokenColorCustomizations property with the rules option, and modify the settings prefixed with cobol. For example:
🌐
Medium
medium.com › @carmelle.m › example-settings-json-for-vs-code-cb2324ac2519
Example settings.json for VS Code | by Carmelle M. | Medium
August 5, 2020 - While you’re here, check out my YouTube tutorial for three vscode extensions you need for web development! This settings.json file assumes you have installed prettier and eslint, two VS Code extensions. It’s pretty minimalist and there’s a lot more you can add to this file.
🌐
GitHub
github.com › microsoft › vscode › blob › main › .vscode › settings.json
vscode/.vscode/settings.json at main · microsoft/vscode
".vscode-test": true, "cli/target": true, "build/**/*.js.map": true, "build/**/*.js": { "when": "$(basename).ts" }, }, "files.associations": { "cglicenses.json": "jsonc", "*.tst": "typescript" }, "files.readonlyInclude": { "**/node_modules/**/*.*": true, "**/yarn.lock": true, "**/package-lock.json": true, "**/Cargo.lock": true, "out/**": true, "out-build/**": true, "out-vscode/**": true, "out-vscode-reh/**": true, "extensions/**/dist/**": true, "extensions/**/out/**": true, "extensions/terminal-suggest/src/completions/upstream/**": true, "test/smoke/out/**": true, "test/automation/out/**": true, "src/vs/platform/agentHost/common/state/protocol/**": true, "src/vs/platform/agentHost/node/codex/protocol/generated/**": true, "test/integration/browser/out/**": true, // "src/vs/sessions/**": true ·
Author   microsoft
🌐
Rene Nyffenegger
renenyffenegger.ch › notes › development › editors › Visual-Studio-Code › settings_json › index
Visual Studio Code: settings.json
// newWindow: Always Create new windows in restricted mode "window.newWindowDimensions" : "maximized" , // or default (center of screen), inherit, offset, fullscreen "window.title" : "${dirty}${activeEditorLong}", // Use activeEditorLong rather than "breadcrumbs.enabled" "window.zoomLevel" : 0 , "workbench.colorTheme" : "Quiet Light", "workbench.statusBar.visible" : true , "workbench.startupEditor" : "none" , // Do not show the welcome page when VS code is started "workbench.settings.editor" : "json" , // Make File -> Preferences -> Settings open THIS settings.json (rather than edit in a GUI e
🌐
Steve Kinney
stevekinney.com › courses › visual studio code › editing settings through json
Editing Settings Through JSON | Visual Studio Code | Steve Kinney
March 17, 2026 - Learn how to directly edit Visual Studio Code settings using the settings.json file for advanced configuration
🌐
GitHub
github.com › titouanthd › vscode-settings.json
GitHub - titouanthd/vscode-settings.json: A simple repo to share my favorite settings for Visual Studio Code · GitHub
It's also worth noting that you ... a .vscode directory in your project and adding a settings.json file to it. This allows you to specify settings that will only apply to that specific project. The settings.json file in Visual Studio Code allows users to customize various aspects of the editor, such as keybindings, color themes, and font sizes. This file is stored in the user's local workspace, which means that the settings are specific to each user and each workspace. For example, you can use ...
Author   titouanthd
🌐
GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › python › locating-and-modifying-vscode-settingsjson
Locating and Modifying VSCode settings.json - GeeksforGeeks
August 28, 2024 - Method 1: Open VSCode, go to File > Preferences > Settings. Then, click on the icon in the top right corner that looks like a document with an arrow. ... Once the file is located, the JSON content can be directly edited.
🌐
Alphr
alphr.com › home › how to open settings.json in vs code
How to Open Settings.json in VS Code
January 18, 2023 - Users can easily alter most of the VS Code settings using the provided user interface (UI). However, some customizations are unavailable on the interface, and you must access the settings.json file to alter them.
🌐
Medium
medium.com › @mattheweskolin › example-settings-json-for-vs-code-16f7f16c0989
Example settings.json for VS Code | by Matthew Eskolin | Medium
November 23, 2024 - Taking back control of specific control keys as vim takes over many of them "vim.handleKeys": { "<C-k>": false, "<C-a>": false, "<C-t>": false, "<C-f>": false, "<C-c>": false, "<C-v>": false, "<C-x>": false, "<C-y>": false, "<C-h>": false, "<C-d>": false, "<C-b>": false }, //my favorite key binding in vim - this will allow you to type "jk" to exist insert mode, instead of awkwardly reaching for escape key "vim.insertModeKeyBindings": [{ "before": ["j", "k"], "after": ["<Esc>"] }], "mssql.connections": [{ "server": "DESKTOP-3CUUUOC", "database": "", "authenticationType": "Integrated", "profileN
🌐
Read the Docs
vscode-docs.readthedocs.io › en › stable › customization › userandworkspace
User and Workspace Settings - vscode-docs
Depending on your platform, the user settings file is located here: Windows %APPDATA%\Code\User\settings.json Mac $HOME/Library/Application Support/Code/User/settings.json * Linux $HOME/.config/Code/User/settings.json · The workspace settings file is located under the .vscode folder in your ...
🌐
Visual Studio Code
code.visualstudio.com › docs › editor › variables-reference
Variables reference
July 24, 2023 - A consequence of this is that the evaluation of a variable (for example, a command-based variable implemented in an extension) has no access to other substituted variables in the debug configuration or task. It only sees the original variables. This means that variables cannot depend on each other (which ensures isolation and makes substitution robust against evaluation order). The predefined variables are supported in a select number of setting keys in settings.json files such as the terminal cwd, env, shell and shellArgs values.
🌐
TMS Outsource
tms-outsource.com › home › how to open settings.json in vscode fast
How to Open Settings.json in VSCode Fast - TMS Outsource
April 3, 2026 - Press Ctrl+Shift+P (or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS), type “workspace settings json” and select “Preferences: Open Workspace Settings (JSON)” to access the local configuration file stored in your project’s .vscode folder.