How to Pin Tabs in Visual Studio Code

Managing multiple open files in Visual Studio Code can quickly clutter your workspace. Pinning your most frequently used tabs is an efficient way to keep important files easily accessible, as pinned tabs shrink to save space and stay locked to the left side of your tab bar. This guide explains the quickest methods to pin and unpin tabs in VS Code using your mouse, keyboard shortcuts, or the command palette.

Method 1: Using the Right-Click Context Menu

The most common way to pin a tab is by using your mouse: 1. Right-click on the tab of the file you want to pin. 2. Select Pin from the dropdown menu.

Once pinned, the tab will shrink to display only the file icon (or a shortened name, depending on your settings) and move to the far left of the tab bar. Pinned tabs will not close when you use the “Close All” command.

Method 2: Using Keyboard Shortcuts

If you prefer using your keyboard, you can pin active tabs instantly: * Windows / Linux: Press Ctrl + K, release the keys, and then press Enter. * macOS: Press Cmd + K, release the keys, and then press Enter.

Method 3: Using the Command Palette

You can also pin tabs using the Command Palette: 1. Open the Command Palette by pressing Ctrl + Shift + P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + Shift + P (macOS). 2. Type View: Pin Editor (or just “Pin Editor”). 3. Press Enter.

How to Unpin a Tab

To restore a pinned tab to its normal state, you can use any of the following methods: * Right-click the pinned tab and select Unpin. * Use the same keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + K then Enter on Windows, or Cmd + K then Enter on macOS) while the pinned tab is active. * Hover over the pinned tab and click the pin icon that appears.