VS Code Power User Tips You Probably Don't Know

Overview

Visual Studio Code is already a strong editor out of the box, but there are hidden features and workflow rituals that can dramatically speed up your day-to-day work. This post surfaces practical, non-obvious tips that you can start using today to stay in the flow, write cleaner code, and navigate large projects more efficiently.

Hidden shortcuts and command palette power

• Quick Open (Ctrl+P / Cmd+P): Jump to any file by name in an instant.
• Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P): Run commands without leaving the keyboard. Use fuzzy search to discover commands you forgot existed.
• Reopen Closed Editor (Ctrl+Shift+T / Cmd+Shift+T): Restore the last-closed editor tab quickly.
• Go to Definition and Peek Definition (F12 / Alt+F12): Navigate to definitions or peek inline without leaving your current context.
• Find in Files (Ctrl+Shift+F / Cmd+Shift+F): Search across your whole workspace, then use the results editor to refine.
• Quick Fix and Refactor (Ctrl+. / Cmd+.): Jump to fix suggestions or code actions in context.
• Next/Previous Problem (F8 / Shift+F8): Jump between errors and warnings in your current file.

Multi-cursor and editing efficiency

• Add cursors with a click (Alt+Click on Windows/Linux, Option+Click on macOS) to place multiple carets precisely where you want.
• Add cursors above or below (Ctrl+Alt+Down / Ctrl+Alt+Up on Windows/Linux; Cmd+Option+Down / Cmd+Option+Up on macOS) for vertical editing.
• Duplicate lines or blocks (Shift+Alt+Down / Shift+Alt+Up on Windows/Linux; Shift+Option+Down / Shift+Option+Up on macOS).
• Multi-line editing tricks: select occurrences using Ctrl+D (Cmd+D on macOS) to skip around similar tokens, or use Ctrl+Shift+L (Cmd+Shift+L) to select all matches.

Editor navigation and layout tricks

• Split editors (Ctrl+\ / Cmd+) and move focus between groups (Ctrl+1 / Ctrl+2 / Ctrl+3 on Windows/Linux; Cmd+Option+1 / Cmd+Option+2 / Cmd+Option+3 on macOS).
• Zen Mode and distraction-free editing (Ctrl+K Z): Focus on your code by hiding chrome and panels.
• Toggle word wrap and line numbers to suit your screen real estate (View > Appearance > Toggle Word Wrap, or customize via Settings).
• Jump to a symbol in the current file (Ctrl+Shift+O / Cmd+Shift+O) to navigate quickly in large files.

Settings, customization, and reliability

• Settings Sync: Keep your keyboard shortcuts, themes, and extensions in sync across devices for a seamless transition.
• Use the settings.json file for power users who want exact control over preferences, keybindings, and extension behavior.
• Enable font ligatures for cleaner, more expressive code readability, especially with modern programming fonts.
• Exclude noisy folders from search and diagnostics (Files: Exclude, Search: Use Ignore Files) to keep performance snappy in large repos.
• Enable “Format on Save” and pick a formatter (e.g., Prettier) to maintain consistent style across the team.

Extensions that multiply productivity

• GitLens: Deep Git integration to see who changed what, when, and why.
• Prettier or a chosen formatter: Enforce consistent style automatically.
• ESLint (or the linter you prefer): Real-time code quality feedback.
• Live Share: Pair programming without leaving VS Code.
• Code Spell Checker: Catch typos in comments and strings as you type.
• Settings Sync (if you didn’t enable it globally): Keep your environment portable and repeatable.

Workflows to tame big projects

• Use multi-root workspaces to bring related folders into a single workspace for unified search and navigation.
• Open a dedicated Search Editor for long, focused search-and-replace tasks across the repo.
• Save frequent commands as custom tasks or snippets to reduce repetitive keystrokes.

Final tips and quick wins

• Make a habit of checking the Problems panel (Ctrl+Shift+M / Cmd+Shift+M) to catch issues early.
• When you refactor, use Rename Symbol (F2) to ensure correctness across the codebase, then run a quick search to verify none were missed.
• Regularly review your Settings to prune unused extensions and optimize startup time.

If you try a couple of these tips in your next coding session, you’ll notice a smoother, keyboard-driven flow that keeps you focused on the code rather than the editor.