Reset VS Code Settings to Default Without Reinstalling the Editor

After months of tweaks, themes, and copied settings, VS Code can start to feel strange. Shortcuts stop working, the terminal opens the wrong shell, and the editor looks nothing like the screenshots in your tutorial. At some point, starting fresh feels easier than hunting for one bad setting.

The good news is that you do not need to reinstall the editor to reset it. Your settings live in simple files that you can clear, rename, or rebuild in minutes. This guide shows the safest ways to return to defaults, and how to protect the few settings you actually like before you do it.

Quick Answer

To reset VS Code settings to default without reinstalling, open the Command Palette, run Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON), delete everything inside the file, and save it empty. VS Code then falls back to its built-in defaults. For a safer reset, rename the settings file first so you can restore it later if needed.

Where VS Code Stores Your Settings

Almost every change you make in the Settings screen is saved into one file called settings.json. Font size, theme, tab settings, terminal choices, and extension options all live there as plain text.

There are also two related places worth knowing. Keyboard shortcuts live in a file called keybindings.json, and each project can have its own workspace settings inside a .vscode folder. A full cleanup may involve all three, but the user settings file is the one that matters most.

User Settings Versus Workspace Settings

User settings follow you everywhere. They apply to every folder and every project you open. Workspace settings apply to one project only, and they can override your user settings inside that project.

This explains a confusing situation many beginners meet. You reset your user settings, yet one project still behaves strangely. The project probably has its own .vscode/settings.json file that is still applying the old choices.

Before You Reset: Save a Backup

A reset is easy to do and surprisingly hard to undo from memory. You will forget that one perfect font setting or the one shortcut fix you loved. A backup takes thirty seconds and removes all the risk.

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS.
2. Run Preferences: Open User Settings (JSON).
3. Select all the text and copy it into a new text file on your desktop.
4. Name it something clear, such as vscode-settings-backup.txt.

You can use the same trick for your keybindings. Later, if you miss one setting, you can copy just that line back instead of restoring everything.

Microsoft also offers a built-in sync feature for this job. The VS Code Settings Sync documentation explains how to back up settings, keybindings, and extensions to your account.

Method 1: Empty the settings.json File

This is the cleanest and most popular reset. You keep VS Code installed, keep your extensions in place, and simply remove your custom choices.

1. Open the Command Palette with Ctrl+Shift+P.
2. Type Open User Settings (JSON) and select it.
3. Select everything in the file with Ctrl+A.
4. Delete the selected text so the file is completely empty, or leave only an empty pair of braces: {}.
5. Save the file with Ctrl+S and restart VS Code.

When the editor reopens, fonts, colors, and behaviours return to their defaults. Your files and projects are untouched, because this process only changes editor preferences.

Method 2: Rename the Settings Folder for a Full Reset

If VS Code is badly broken, resetting only settings.json may not be enough. Corrupt state can also live in cached data and extension files. Renaming the whole user folder gives you a truly fresh start while keeping a way back.

First, close VS Code completely. Then find the folder for your system:

• Windows: %APPDATA%\Code\User
• macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Code/User
• Linux: ~/.config/Code/User

Rename the User folder to something like User-old. Now start VS Code again. It will create a brand-new User folder with default settings, as if you had just installed it.

If the fresh setup works, you can leave the old folder for a few days and then delete it. If something important is missing, close VS Code, and copy single files back from User-old, such as your snippets folder.

What This Method Does and Does Not Remove

Renaming the user folder resets settings, keybindings, snippets, and cached interface state. Extensions are stored in a separate folder in your home directory, so in most installs they remain available. Your project files are never touched, because they live wherever you saved them, outside the VS Code folders.

Method 3: Reset Only Keyboard Shortcuts

Sometimes the settings are fine and only the shortcuts are a mess. In that case, a full reset is more than you need.

1. Open the Command Palette and run Preferences: Open Keyboard Shortcuts (JSON).
2. Delete everything in the keybindings.json file, leaving an empty array: [].
3. Save the file and test your shortcuts.

Every shortcut now returns to the default from the factory. Any custom shortcut you still want can be added again one by one, which is a good way to keep only the useful ones.

Use Profiles for a Fresh Start Without Deleting Anything

VS Code has a feature called Profiles, and it is perfect for cautious users. A profile is a separate set of settings, extensions, and shortcuts. You can create a new default profile, test it, and switch back if you prefer the old one.

Click the gear icon in the bottom-left corner, choose Profiles, and create a new profile. Pick the default option so it starts clean. This approach is ideal for following a course, because you can match the teacher’s setup in one profile and keep your personal setup in another.

Our overview of the best VS Code extensions for beginners is a helpful next read when you rebuild a clean profile and want a small, sensible extension set.

After the Reset: Rebuild Slowly

The biggest mistake people make after a reset is pasting everything back at once. That brings the original problem straight back with it. Instead, rebuild in small steps.

Change one or two settings, use the editor for a while, and confirm it still feels right. Add extensions one at a time as well. The official VS Code settings guide explains the difference between user and workspace settings, which helps you place each new setting in the right file this time.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Resetting without a backup: Always copy your old settings first, even if you think you hate them all.
• Forgetting workspace settings: A project-level .vscode folder can override your fresh defaults.
• Deleting the wrong folder: Rename instead of deleting, so you always have a way back.
• Expecting a reset to fix broken code: A reset fixes the editor, not errors inside your project files.
• Reinstalling extensions in bulk: Add them back slowly, or the same conflict may return.
• Editing settings while VS Code is closed incorrectly: Let the editor fully close before renaming its folders.

Conclusion

Resetting VS Code to default does not require a reinstall. Emptying settings.json handles most cases, renaming the user folder gives a deeper clean, and profiles let you start fresh with zero risk. Back up first, reset second, and rebuild slowly. You will end up with a calm, predictable editor that matches the tutorials again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will resetting VS Code delete my projects or files?

No. Your project files live in your own folders and are never touched by a settings reset. Only editor preferences, shortcuts, and cached state are cleared.

Will I lose my extensions after a reset?

Emptying settings.json keeps all extensions installed. Their individual settings return to defaults, but the extensions themselves stay ready to use.

What is the difference between resetting settings and reinstalling?

Reinstalling replaces the program files but often leaves your settings folder behind, so the same problems can return. Resetting the settings targets the actual cause directly.

How do I restore one setting from my backup?

Open your backup file, find the single line you want, and paste it into your new settings.json inside the braces. Save, and that one preference returns.

Why does one project still use my old settings after a reset?

That project likely has workspace settings in its .vscode folder. Open that file and remove the lines you no longer want, or delete the workspace settings file.