Where Does VS Code Store Settings and Extensions?
VS Code keeps settings, keybindings, and snippets in a User folder per OS, with extensions beside it.
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VS Code settings live in a User folder under the standard app-data directory. Files like settings.json, keybindings.json, and snippets travel as plain text. Extensions install into a sibling folder.
Insiders builds keep a parallel folder, so stable and preview never share state. Profiles add subfolders for per-project setups. Copying two folders migrates everything except the install itself.
Where VS Code stores this, by platform
C:\Users\<you>\AppData\Roaming\Code\User\settings.json
Settings, keybindings, and snippets in User plus extensions beside it. Insiders uses Code - Insiders instead. Profiles nest further under User.
~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/settings.json
Same layout under Application Support. Extensions sit in ~/.vscode/extensions. Sync covers machines; folder copies cover offline moves.
~/.config/Code/User/settings.json
Respects XDG config home. Extensions under ~/.vscode/extensions. Two-folder copy migrates settings and extensions together.
Frequently asked questions
How do I sync VS Code settings?
Turn on Settings Sync with a Microsoft or GitHub account. It carries settings, extensions, snippets, and UI state. The User folder remains the offline source of truth either way.
How do I move VS Code to a new computer?
Copy the User folder plus the extensions folder to the new machine. Reinstall VS Code first so parent directories exist. Insiders builds use a separate folder and stay independent.
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