Export and Import Profiles in VS Code

This article provides a straightforward, step-by-step guide on how to export and import user profiles in Visual Studio Code. Managing profiles allows you to customize your development environment for different programming languages or projects, and easily transfer your settings, extensions, keyboard shortcuts, and UI layouts between different machines.

How to Export a Profile in VS Code

Exporting a profile allows you to save your current configuration to a file or share it via a link.

  1. Open the Profiles Menu: Click on the Manage gear icon in the bottom-left corner of the VS Code window, select Profiles, and then click Export Profile… (Alternatively, open the Command Palette with Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux or Cmd+Shift+P on macOS, and type “Profiles: Export Profile”).
  2. Select Components: A sidebar or dropdown will appear showing the contents of the profile. Check or uncheck the items you want to include in the export, such as Settings, Keyboard Shortcuts, User Snippets, Tasks, and Extensions.
  3. Choose Export Method: Click the Export button at the top. VS Code will give you two options:
    • Save to a local file: This generates a .code-profile file on your computer.
    • Export to a GitHub Gist: This uploads the profile to your GitHub account as a private gist and generates a shareable link.

How to Import a Profile in VS Code

Once you have an exported profile file or link, you can easily apply it to any VS Code installation.

  1. Open the Import Menu: Click on the Manage gear icon, select Profiles, and click Import Profile… (Or search for “Profiles: Import Profile” in the Command Palette).
  2. Provide the Profile Source:
    • If you have a link, paste the URL into the input box at the top of the window and press Enter.
    • If you have a local file, click Select File… and browse to select the .code-profile file from your storage.
  3. Review and Confirm: VS Code will display a preview of the settings and extensions included in the profile.
  4. Create the Profile: Click Create Profile. You will be prompted to give the profile a name. Once named, the new profile will be created and applied immediately.