VS Code Cheat Sheet

Posted on Aug 3, 2018 (last modified Nov 2, 2021)

This is my personal cheat sheet for Microsoft Visual Studio Code (VS Code).

Contents

Keyboard shortcuts for Windows
Preference settings
Extensions

Keyboard shortcuts for Windows

General

Action	Key(s)
Show Command Palette	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `P`, `F1`
Quick Open, Go to File…	`CTRL` + `P`
New window/instance	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `N`
Close window/instance	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `W`
User Settings	`CTRL` + `,`
Keyboard Shortcuts	`CTRL` + `K` `CTRL` + `S`

Basic editing

Action	Key(s)
Cut line (empty selection)	`Ctrl` + `X`
Copy line (empty selection)	`Ctrl` + `C`
Move line up/down	`Alt` + `↑` / `↓`
Copy line up/down	`Shift` + `Alt` + `↓` / `↑`
Delete line	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `K`
Insert line below	`Ctrl` + `Enter`
Insert line above	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `Enter`
Jump to matching bracket	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `\`
Indent/outdent line	`Ctrl` + `]` / `[`
Go to beginning/end of line	`Home` / `End`
Go to beginning of file	`Ctrl` + `Home`
Go to end of file	`Ctrl` + `End`
Scroll line up/down	`Ctrl` + `↑` /
Scroll page up/down	`Alt` + `PgUp` / `PgDn`
Fold (collapse) region	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `[`
Unfold (uncollapse) region	`Ctrl` + `Shift` + `]`
Fold (collapse) all subregions	`Ctrl` + `K` `Ctrl` + `[`
Unfold (uncollapse) all subregions	`Ctrl` + `K` `Ctrl` + `]`
Fold (collapse) all regions	`Ctrl` + `K` `Ctrl` + `0`
Unfold (uncollapse) all regions	`Ctrl` + `K` `Ctrl` + `J`
Add line comment	`Ctrl` + `K` `Ctrl` + `C`
Remove line comment	`Ctrl` + `K` `Ctrl` + `U`
Toggle line comment	`Ctrl` + `/`
Toggle block comment	`Shift` + `Alt` + `A`
Toggle word wrap	`Alt` + `Z`

Navigation

Action	Key(s)
Show all Symbols	`CTRL` + `T`
Go to Line...	`CTRL` + `G`
Go to File...	`CTRL` + `P`
Go to Symbol...	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `O`
Show Problems panel	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `M`
Go to next error or warning	`F8`
Go to previous error or warning	`SHIFT` + `F8`
Navigate editor group history	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `TAB`
Go back / forward	`ALT` + `←` / `→`
Toggle Tab moves focus	`CTRL` + `M`

Search and replace

Action	Key(s)
Find	`CTRL` + `F`
Replace	`CTRL` + `H`
Find next/previous	`F3` / `SHIFT` + `F3`
Select all occurences of Find match	`ALT` + `ENTER`
Add selection to next Find match	`CTRL` + `D`
Move last selection to next Find match	`CTRL` + K `CTRL` + `D`
Toggle case-sensitive / regex / whole word	`ALT` + `C` / `R` / `W`

Multi-cursor and selection

Action	Key(s)
Insert cursor	`ALT` + Click
Insert cursor above / below	`CTRL` + `ALT` + `↑` / `↓`
Undo last cursor operation	`CTRL` + `U`
Insert cursor at end of each line selected	`SHIFT` + `ALT` + `I`
Select current line	`CTRL` + `L`
Select all occurrences of current selection	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `L`
Select all occurrences of current word	`CTRL` + `F2`
Expand selection	`SHIFT` + `ALT` + `→`
Shrink selection	`SHIFT` + `ALT` + `←`
Column (box) selection	`SHIFT` + `ALT` + (drag mouse)
Column (box) selection	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `ALT` + (arrow key)
Column (box) selection page up/down	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `ALT` + `PgUp` / `PgDn`

Rich languages editing

Action	Key(s)
Trigger suggestion	`CTRL` + `SPACE`
Trigger parameter hints	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `SPACE`
Format document	`SHIFT` + `ALT` + `F`
Format selection	`CTRL` + K `CTRL` + `F`
Go to Definition	`F12`
Peek Definition	`ALT` + `F12`
Open Definition to the side	`CTRL` + `K` `F12`
Quick Fix	`CTRL` + `.`
Show References	`SHIFT` + `F12`
Rename Symbol	`F2`
Trim trailing whitespace	`CTRL` + `K` `CTRL` + `X`
Change file language	`CTRL` + `K` `M`

Editor management

Action	Key(s)
Close editor	`CTRL` + `F4`, `CTRL` +
Close folder	`CTRL` + `K` `F`
Split editor	`CTRL` +
Focus into 1st, 2nd or 3rd editor group	`CTRL` + `1` / `2` / `3`
Focus into previous/next editor group	`CTRL` + K `CTRL` + `←` / `→`
Move editor left/right	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + `PgUp` / `PgDn`
Move active editor group	`CTRL` + `K` `←` / `→`

File management

Action	Key(s)
New File	`CTRL` + N
Open File...	`CTRL` + O
Save	`CTRL` + S
Save As...	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + S
Save All	`CTRL` + K S
Close	`CTRL` + F4
Close All	`CTRL` + `K` `CTRL` + `W`
Reopen closed editor	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + T
Enter Keep preview mode editor open	`CTRL` + K
Open next	`CTRL` + Tab
Open previous	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + Tab
Copy path of active file	`CTRL` + K P
Reveal active file in Explorer	`CTRL` + K R
Show active file in new window/instance	`CTRL` + K O

Display

Action	Key(s)
Toggle full screen	F11
Toggle editor layout (horizontal/vertical)	`SHIFT` + `ALT` + 0
Zoom in/out	`CTRL` + = / -
Toggle Sidebar visibility	`CTRL` + B
Show Explorer / Toggle focus	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + E
Show Search	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + F
Show Source Control	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + G
Show Debug	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + D
Show Extensions	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + X
Replace in files	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + H
Toggle Search details	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + J
Show Output panel	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + U
Open Markdown preview	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + V
Open Markdown preview to the side	`CTRL` + K V
Zen Mode (Esc Esc to exit)	`CTRL` + K Z

Debug

Action	Key(s)
Toggle breakpoint	F9
Start/Continue	F5
Stop	`SHIFT` + F5
Step into/out	F11 / `SHIFT` + F11
Step over	F10
Show hover	`CTRL` + K `CTRL` + I

Integrated terminal

Action	Key(s)
Show integrated terminal	`CTRL` + `
Create new terminal	`CTRL` + `SHIFT` + ` \
Copy selection	`CTRL` + C
Paste into active terminal	`CTRL` + V
Scroll up/down	`CTRL` + ↑ / ↓
Scroll page up/down	`SHIFT` + PgUp / PgDn
Scroll to top/bottom	`CTRL` + Home / End

For other operating systems’ keyboard shortcuts and additional information, see Key Bindings for Visual Studio Code.

Preference settings

Following is NOT an exhaustive list of all preference settings that are available. There are more, but these are just the ones I have so far found useful.

To access settings, go to File > Preferences > Settings, or press CTRL + ,

Setting	Description
editor.minimap.enabled	Controls whether the minimap is shown.
editor.renderControlCharacters	Controls whether the editor should render control characters.
editor.renderWhitespace	Controls whether the editor should render whitespace characters.
explorer.compactFolders	Controls whether the explorer should render folders in a compact form. In such a form, single child folders will be compressed in a combined tree element. Useful for Java package structures, for example.
html.autoClosingTags	Enable/disable autoclosing of HTML tags.
javascript.updateImportsOnFileMove.enabled	Enable/disable automatic updating of import paths when you rename or move a file in VS Code. Requires using TypeScript 2.9 or newer in the workspace.
window.zoomLevel	Adjust the zoom level of the window. The original size is 0 and each increment above (e.g. 1) or below (e.g. -1) represents zooming 20% larger or smaller. You can also enter decimals to adjust the zoom level with a finer granularity.
workbench.tree.indent	Controls tree indentation in pixels.
workbench.tree.renderIndentGuides	Controls whether the tree should render indent guides.

Extensions

Git History - View git log, file history, compare branches or commits.
HTML Tag Wrap - Wraps selected code with HTML tags. Select one or more blocks of text or strings of text that you wish to wrap with an HTML tag. Press Alt + W or Option + W for Mac and type the name of the tag.
MongoDB For VS Code - Connect to MongoDB and Atlas directly from your VS Code environment, navigate your databases and collections, inspect your schema and use playgrounds to prototype queries and aggregations.