How to Sync VS Code Extensions Across Multiple Computers

Managing your development environment across different devices can be a tedious task, but Visual Studio Code makes it seamless with its built-in Settings Sync feature. This article provides a straightforward, step-by-step guide on how to automatically synchronize your installed extensions, settings, keyboard shortcuts, and UI state across multiple computers using your GitHub or Microsoft account.

Step 1: Enable Settings Sync on Your Primary Computer

To begin syncing your extensions, you first need to turn on the synchronization feature on the computer that currently has your preferred setup.

  1. Open Visual Studio Code.
  2. Click on the Manage gear icon in the bottom-left corner of the window, or click on the Accounts icon directly above it.
  3. Select Turn on Settings Sync… from the dropdown menu.
  4. A pop-up menu will appear at the top of the screen. Check the box for Extensions (you can also select Settings, Keyboard Shortcuts, User Snippets, and UI State).
  5. Click the Sign in & Turn on button.

Step 2: Sign In with Your Account

VS Code requires an account to cloud-host your configuration. You can choose between two providers:

  1. Select either Sign in with your Microsoft account or Sign in with your GitHub account.
  2. A browser window will open asking you to authorize Visual Studio Code.
  3. Log in with your credentials and grant the necessary permissions. Once completed, the browser will redirect you back to VS Code.

Your primary computer is now actively uploading and syncing your selected configurations to the cloud.

Step 3: Enable Sync on Your Second Computer

To pull your extensions and settings onto another machine, repeat the connection process on the secondary device.

  1. Open VS Code on the second computer.
  2. Click on the Accounts icon in the bottom-left corner.
  3. Click Sign in to Sync Settings.
  4. Choose the same account provider (GitHub or Microsoft) and log in with the exact same credentials used on your primary computer.

Once signed in, VS Code will automatically download and install your extensions in the background.

Managing and Disabling Sync

Any future extensions you install or settings you modify on one computer will automatically update on all other synchronized devices. If you ever need to stop syncing a specific device, click the Accounts icon, select Settings Sync is On, and click Turn Off to disable the feature for that machine.