How to open Visual Studio Code's 'settings.json' file

Question

I did it many times, and each time I forgot where it was.

Menu File → Preferences → Settings.

I get this:

I want to open file settings.json (editable JSON file) instead. How can I do that?

There are multiple ways to do this. But You're looking for `Ctrl` + `,` (or `Command` + `,` on a Mac.) Nowadays here is the [fastest way to open settings.json in vscode](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmhMHAgPPdU), hope this helps. — InfiniteStack, Aug 14 '22 at 18:57
No, "Ctrl ," opens settings, it does not open the settings file. — AriesConnolly, Jul 21 '23 at 09:39

kluvin · Accepted Answer · 2023-01-09T09:29:29.903

424

To open the User settings:

Open the command palette (either with F1 or Ctrl+Shift+P)
Type "open settings"
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

The aforementioned settings, User and Workspace. Remote settings will appear when using WSL.
By a test this maps to %APPDATA%\Roaming\Code\User\settings.json, I am not sure by what logic.

edited Jan 09 '23 at 09:29

answered Jan 26 '21 at 20:47

kluvin

5,235
3
13
20

This works for "local" settings, but not WSL, and that's the entire reason I need to get in. Apparently there's still a reference to my old wsl distro name (was 18.04, now 20.04). Know a way to get at that more manually, or where the location should be? – rainabba Nov 22 '21 at 17:54
Found my reasonable solution. Since I was launching code from inside WSL, I created a dependency problem that prevented me from reloading `WSL - Remote` extension. I tried launching code directly from the WIndows .exe, but that didn't help. It then occurred to me to use File -> Close Remote Connection. That eliminated the WSL calls which in turn allowed me to uninstall/reinstall `WSL - Remote` and now I'm good again. – rainabba Nov 22 '21 at 18:16
1

Glad you worked it out @rainabba. I use WSL as well, and this opens up the `.vscode/settings.json` in my subshell environment. – kluvin Nov 25 '21 at 14:33
is your `.vscode/settings.json` in your project? I think because `.vscode` is related to a project, not the workspace. But how can you create a project settings.json other than [manual](https://stackoverflow.com/a/68166475/1705829) as seen further down? Probably you can create only manually. – Timo Feb 24 '22 at 07:28
I'm not sure this is true for Windows. Windows 10 has three folders Local, LocalLow and Roaming in the AppData folder. – Andrew S Mar 24 '22 at 02:37
Re *"You are presented with two options"*: In version 1.67.1 (2022-05-06), there are six options. – Peter Mortensen May 12 '22 at 14:31
One or more ([annotated](https://meta.stackexchange.com/questions/19478/the-many-memes-of-meta/19775#19775)) screenshots wouldn't go amiss. – Peter Mortensen May 12 '22 at 14:34
1

The fact that someone had to ask on StackOverflow about "how to view settings", and the fact that so many of us had to Google it, shows how much VS Code needs to be improved in terms of design. – Nav Aug 23 '22 at 16:00
@AndrewS I clarified this as a footnote – kluvin Oct 15 '22 at 09:07
@PeterMortensen added image links while the imgur integration is down. What six options are these? I count five in the VS Code Online editor – kluvin Oct 15 '22 at 09:09
When you say `%APPDATA%\Roaming`, you mean `%UserProfile%\AppData\Roaming`, right? The `%AppData%` env var doesn't point to the `AppData` directory, confusingly. But I'm not using Windows ATM so I'm not totally sure and I can't check. – wjandrea Feb 12 '23 at 23:54
Oh, this white label Open Settings (JSON) is just a tooltip of the actual small button. They made it so small I am always forgetting where this is. – Radzor Jul 16 '23 at 12:02

score 138 · Answer 2 · edited May 12 '22 at 14:49

138

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 File → Preferences → Settings 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"
}

edited May 12 '22 at 14:49

Peter Mortensen

30,738
21
105
131

answered Jan 08 '22 at 01:54

sevencardz

1,539
1
10
3

10

This should be the top answer! – sledge_909 Feb 10 '22 at 07:43
3

This is the right answer, the accepted answer is not opening the json file, instead it shows an empty json file – Rajesh Feb 24 '22 at 13:55
On Linux, the keyboard shortcut is `Ctrl` + `,` (comma). – Peter Mortensen May 12 '22 at 14:52

score 22 · Answer 3 · edited May 12 '22 at 14:40

22

Follow these steps:

Shift + CMD + P
Type "settings"
Click on "Preferences: Open Settings (JSON)"

Visual Studio Code Tips and Tricks

edited May 12 '22 at 14:40

Peter Mortensen

30,738
21
105
131

answered Aug 09 '21 at 13:21

Mahdi Najjarian

237
2
4

On Mac, presumably? `Shift` + `Ctrl` + `P` on Linux (e.g., with v. 1.67.1 (2002-05-06)). – Peter Mortensen May 12 '22 at 14:44

score 10 · Answer 4 · edited May 12 '22 at 14:37

10

If you want to edit local workspace/folder settings instead of global user settings, you can edit the file .vscode/settings.json (shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd + P and type "settings.json").

If that settings.json file or the folder .vscode do not exist, you can create them in the folder directory.

These settings will apply to the specific project.

edited May 12 '22 at 14:37

Peter Mortensen

30,738
21
105
131

answered Jun 28 '21 at 15:56

Caxon

109
1
5

1

I needed this local vscode settings file, +1 – Timo Feb 17 '22 at 09:39
1

Does that work on Windows? Windows has trouble with files and folders only with a file extension. – Peter Mortensen May 12 '22 at 14:37
I needed this local vscode settings file, +1 – normidar May 21 '22 at 12:58

score 7 · Answer 5 · edited May 12 '22 at 14:46

7

These changes are global, so it will affect all of your projects.

You can change the settings.json file from user preferences.

Menu File → Preferences → Settings → Extensions → search for "Edit in settings.json"
Eventually edit these files directly:
- Linux: $HOME/.config/Code/User/settings.json
- macOS: $HOME/Library/Application Support/Code/User/settings.json
- Windows: %APPDATA%\Code\User\settings.json

edited May 12 '22 at 14:46

Peter Mortensen

30,738
21
105
131

answered Jan 04 '22 at 19:40

mati kepa

2,543
19
24

2

I have it located here: %APPDATA%\Roaming\Code\User\settings.json – Dmitry Feb 17 '22 at 08:16
On windows 10, AppData has three subdirectories Local, LocalLow, and Roaming but no Code directory as you and others seem to indicate. Dmitry is right its in the roaming folder. It also begs the question why on earth was it place there? It just seems so arbitrary. – Andrew S Mar 24 '22 at 02:39

score 4 · Answer 6 · answered Aug 20 '22 at 15:25

On Windows, the default keybind to open the settings UI within VSCode is Ctrl + ,. From there, there is a button at the top right to "Open Settings (JSON)":

That is one way to get to it. For convenience, I have bound Ctrl + Shift + , to opening the settings JSON. For reference, the setting ID for that is workbench.action.openSettingsJson.

Mahantesh. N. Hadimani. · Answer 7 · 2022-11-17T14:34:34.153

Open VS Code.

Go to settings by clicking the keyboard shortcut ctrl + , or with GUI

File -> Preferences -> Settings

Refer this image

Click on the Open Settings (JSON) icon. Refer to the image

Once you click on the icon it should open settings.json file

If still, that did not work.

Go to the search bar and type json:scheme

There click on Edit in settings.json. This should work.

But still, if it hit you in the head with a brick please let me know.

score 3 · Answer 8 · answered Jun 12 '23 at 03:42

I show you two ways to open settings.json.

<The 1st way>

Open the Command Palette (F1 or Ctrl+Shift+P).
Input settings.json to the Command Palette.
Select Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON).

<The 2nd way>

Click on Settings from ⚙️.

Click on the mark as shown below.

score 2 · Answer 9 · answered Dec 12 '22 at 22:20

In Just 2 steps

1- Hit the shortcut Ctrl+Shift+P (If you use a MAC it's ⌘+Shift+P):

2- Type in the search bar user settings json, and finally press Enter:

And you're done! Here you can change the general configs of VS Code in the settings.json.

However note that that there are also other types of settings.json which are relative to a project or a workspace for instance.

score 0 · Answer 10 · edited May 12 '22 at 14:43

0

On Windows:

Click (Fn) + F1 (or Ctrl + P + >)
Type open settings json

Select Preferences: open settings (JSON)

edited May 12 '22 at 14:43

Peter Mortensen

30,738
21
105
131

answered Oct 17 '21 at 16:14

Van Vu

9
1

score 0 · Answer 11 · answered Nov 16 '21 at 16:28

0

On a Mac the settings file is found at ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/settings.json - it can be opened from the command line:

open -a 'visual studio code.app' ~/Library/Application\ Support/Code/User/settings.json

answered Nov 16 '21 at 16:28

Pierz

7,064
52
59

How to open Visual Studio Code's 'settings.json' file

11 Answers11

<The 1st way>

<The 2nd way>

In Just 2 steps

Linked