I had this problem and I solved it by changing the port number in the settings.json file to an opened one.

To get to the settings.json file you just click CTRL+SHIFT+P, then type "settings", click the "Preferences: Open Settings (JSON)", then paste this inside the { }:

"liveServer.settings.port": 0

This will randomly pick an opened port each time. This is how my JSON file looks like:

{
    "liveServer.settings.port": 0
}

If there are multiple lines in the JSON file, make sure each line is separated by a comma(,), like this:

{
    "liveServer.settings.CustomBrowser": "microsoft-edge",
    "liveServer.settings.port": 0
}
Answer from Elyasaf755 on Stack Overflow
🌐
GitHub
github.com › ritwickdey › vscode-live-server › issues › 196
I Can't Get Live Server to Work On MacBook · Issue #196 · ritwickdey/vscode-live-server
September 10, 2018 - VSC is working perfectly. Sadly, after installing and activating the Live Server extension I get an error when trying to start it in a browser. The error message is: Open a folder or workspace... (File -> Open Folder) All I am doing is working on HTML and CSS.
Author   js76155
Discussions

Live Server - Mac Big Sur Issue
With Five Server, try to add a config file like this to your workspace: // fiveserver.config.js module.exports = { browser: ["google chrome", "google-chrome", "google-chrome-stable", "chrome"], }; More on reddit.com
🌐 r/vscode
1
1
April 6, 2021
Visual Studio Code - open with live server - works and doesn't - HTML/CSS - Code with Mosh Forum
Hi There, I have two html files, both identical apart from the titles and a couple of style variations on a video. Very basic. I’m like one hour into the course, total beginner. So one will open with live server on Chrome while the other won’t. In theory they should both open. More on forum.codewithmosh.com
🌐 forum.codewithmosh.com
0
July 17, 2022
M1 VS Code Live Server extension dont launch chrome - Stack Overflow
I have setup Vscode on a new m1 macbook, but Live server extension doesn't seem to work. Specifically is not launching the browser (Chrome). More on stackoverflow.com
🌐 stackoverflow.com
Open Live Server not working in MAC OS
Issue Type: Bug Hi team: Since a few days I am not being able to open my .html files using Open with Live Server option. This feature is brilliant, so it would be nice to recover it. I have been se... More on github.com
🌐 github.com
1
June 25, 2022
🌐
Bobby Hadz
bobbyhadz.com › blog › vscode-open-with-live-server-not-working
Visual Studio Code: Live server not working issue [Solved] | bobbyhadz
April 6, 2024 - Right-click in your index.html file and select Open with Live Server. If the error persists, try restarting your VS Code Window. ... Ctrl + Shift + P on Windows and Linux. Command + Shift + P on macOS.
🌐
Reddit
reddit.com › r/vscode › live server - mac big sur issue
r/vscode on Reddit: Live Server - Mac Big Sur Issue
April 6, 2021 -

After updating to Mac os Big Sur my Live server has seemed to stop opening the HTML page in chrome.
It starts the port, and works fine If i type the exact address, but its not opening it directly..

I also noticed that there´s a new "Five Server" that apparently fixes this, but I've tried and still no luck with that extension either..
Tried reloading, reinstalling extensions VSC and restarting mac, but it keeps starting a port without opening the file in my browser.

Anyone know how to fix this?

🌐
freeCodeCamp
freecodecamp.org › news › visual-studio-code-live-server-not-working
Visual Studio Code Live Server Not Working
August 14, 2020 - Then, reopen VSCode and try again – go to the HTML file you want to view, right click, and select "Open with Live Server". It's possible that the extension is working, but your system doesn't have a default browser.
🌐
Lightrun
lightrun.com › answers › ritwickdey-vscode-live-server-i-cant-get-live-server-to-work-on-macbook
I Can't Get Live Server to Work On MacBook
Use ‘File -> Open Folder’ in VSCode to open the directory your files are in. Then open the respective HTML file. You can start Live Server now and it should work. ... You are quite correct. IT WORKS!! Thank you for providing this simple yet effective solution. Read more comments on GitHub > Why Visual Studio Code Live Server Not Working? - YouTube · Live Server extension works fine with most of the machines ...
Find elsewhere
🌐
GUVI
guvi.in › blog › web development › fixing live server in vs code: a complete guide
Fixing Live Server in VS Code: A Complete Guide
September 9, 2025 - If you're facing issues with Live Server in VS Code not working, you're not alone. Let's go through a step-by-step guide to fix it and get you back on track.
🌐
Quora
quora.com › What-do-you-do-if-a-live-server-is-not-working-in-VS-Code
What do you do if a live server is not working in VS Code? - Quora
Run Live Server (Go Live). If it works here, the issue is project-specific (config, .vscode settings, or file paths).
🌐
Code with Mosh
forum.codewithmosh.com › html/css
Visual Studio Code - open with live server - works and doesn't - HTML/CSS - Code with Mosh Forum
July 17, 2022 - Hi There, I have two html files, both identical apart from the titles and a couple of style variations on a video. Very basic. I’m like one hour into the course, total beginner. So one will open with live server on Chrome while the other won’t. In theory they should both open.
🌐
Visual Studio Marketplace
marketplace.visualstudio.com › items
Live Server - Visual Studio Marketplace
Extension for Visual Studio Code - Launch a development local Server with live reload feature for static & dynamic pages
🌐
GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › installation guide › how-to-enable-live-server-on-visual-studio-code
How to Enable Live Server on Visual Studio Code - GeeksforGeeks
December 17, 2024 - To stop the Live Server, simply click on the "Port: [number]" (for example, Port: 5500) at the bottom-right corner of VS Code, or press Alt + Q (Windows/Linux) or Option + Q (Mac).
🌐
YouTube
youtube.com › ali hossain
Why Visual Studio Code Live Server Not Working? - YouTube
🎉🎉 Join Payoneer & Earn 25$ 👉 https://alihossain.com/payoneer👩‍💻 Learn Tailwind CSS 👉 https://alihossain.com/tailwindcss👩‍💻 Learn Web development 👉 ...
Published   December 15, 2021
Views   132K
🌐
Lightrun
lightrun.com › home › troubleshooting common issues in ritwick dey vscode live server
Troubleshooting Common Issues in Ritwick Dey VSCode Live Server - Lightrun
February 1, 2023 - This will give you a list of all the applications and their process IDs that are currently using that port. Change the port used by VSCode Live Server: You can change the port that VSCode Live Server uses by modifying the settings.
🌐
GitHub
github.com › orgs › community › discussions › 178047
Live Server not opening in browser from VS Code · community · Discussion #178047
October 26, 2025 - Delete the extension folder: C:\Users\<YourUsername>\.vscode\extensions\ritwickdey.liveserver-* (Windows) or ~/.vscode/extensions/ritwickdey.liveserver-* (Mac/Linux) ... Create a new folder with a simple index.html file to isolate whether the ...
🌐
Ritwick Dey
ritwickdey.github.io › vscode-live-server › CHANGELOG.html
Changelog | Live Server | VSCode Extension
(For More details, check out Settings section) [#10]. (Thanks AminLA).| |1.6.7|30.07.17|[New Settings] liveServer.settings.NoBrowser - If it is true live server will start without browser opened.| |1.6.6|28.07.17|— Remote Connect : Change something into HTML/CSS/JS from your PC and watch the effect to your phone with live reload.[Need Help? See FAQ Section] — .htm support.| |1.6.5|26.07.17|Bug Fixed for Linux & macOS. Sometime extension was crashing if liveServer.settings.CustomBrowser settings is not provided by manually on macOS & Linux.
🌐
Stack Overflow
stackoverflow.com › questions › 69651121 › m1-vs-code-live-server-extension-dont-launch-chrome
M1 VS Code Live Server extension dont launch chrome - Stack Overflow
THere's an updated extension (Live Server is no longer maintained), which is calle Five Server. But it doesn't launch the browser (as it should) either, at least in my case with a Macbook M1 also ... Opening wthe very folder where the index.html is located directly in VsCode (as opposed to some of the ascendant (parent of parent of...) folder, makes Five Server work for me - it is now able to open the Chrome browser and update it automatically.
🌐
GitHub
github.com › microsoft › vscode › issues › 153210
Open Live Server not working in MAC OS · Issue #153210 · microsoft/vscode
June 25, 2022 - Issue Type: Bug Hi team: Since a few days I am not being able to open my .html files using Open with Live Server option. This feature is brilliant, so it would be nice to recover it. I have been se...
Author   guslopezr
🌐
Stack Overflow
stackoverflow.com › questions › 64301392 › vscode-live-server-extension-no-found-on-mac
macos - VScode live server extension no found on MAC - Stack Overflow
Bring the best of human thought and AI automation together at your work. Explore Stack Internal ... and why VScode looks different i have been watching videos on youtube and they have bar at left side one of them for extension , ... You are using visual studio not visual studio code.
🌐
Ritwick Dey
ritwickdey.github.io › vscode-live-server
Home Page | Live Server | VSCode Extension
[NOTE: In case if you don’t have any .html or .htm file in your workspace then you have to follow method no 4 & 5 to start server.] Open a project and directly click to Go Live from StatusBar to turn on/off the server. Right click on a HTML file from Explorer Window & click to Open with Live Server. . Open a HTML file and Right click on the editor and choose the options. Hit (alt+L, alt+O) to Open the Server and (alt+L, alt+C) to Stop the server (You can change the shortcut form keybinding). [On MAC, cmd+L, cmd+O and cmd+L, cmd+C]