VS Code Telemetry and Data Collection Explained

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) collects telemetry and usage data by default to help Microsoft understand how users interact with the editor, diagnose system issues, and improve the software’s overall performance. This article explains what specific data VS Code collects, how Microsoft uses this information, and provides a straightforward guide on how you can customize or completely disable these data collection settings to protect your privacy.

What Data Does VS Code Collect?

By default, VS Code is configured to send telemetry data to Microsoft. This data falls into three main categories:

• Usage Data: Information about how you use the editor, such as the commands you run, the settings you modify, and the extensions you install.
• Performance Metrics: Data regarding how quickly the application starts up, memory usage, and how efficiently it runs on your system.
• Crash Reports: Detailed system information and stack traces generated when the application crashes or freezes.

Microsoft anonymizes this data and uses it to identify common bugs, prioritize feature development, and optimize the editor’s performance. VS Code does not actively collect personal information, such as your source code, file paths, or passwords, though accidental inclusion in crash dumps can occasionally occur, which Microsoft attempts to scrub.

How to Disable Telemetry in VS Code

If you prefer not to share your usage data, you can easily disable telemetry directly within the application settings.

Step 1: Open the Settings Menu

Press Ctrl + , (Windows/Linux) or Cmd + , (macOS) to open the Settings tab. Alternatively, click the gear icon in the bottom-left corner of the window and select Settings.

Step 2: Search for Telemetry Settings

In the search bar at the top of the Settings tab, type telemetry.

Step 3: Modify the Telemetry Level

Locate the setting labeled Telemetry: Telemetry Level. By default, this is set to all. Click the dropdown menu and select your preferred level of data sharing:

• all: Sends usage data, crash reports, and error telemetry (Default).
• error: Sends only error telemetry and crash reports.
• crash: Sends only crash reports.
• off: Completely disables all telemetry and data collection.

Setting this option to off stops VS Code from sending any diagnostic or usage data to Microsoft.

Third-Party Extension Telemetry

It is important to note that many third-party extensions installed from the VS Code Marketplace collect their own telemetry data.

While VS Code attempts to communicate your telemetry preferences to installed extensions, some extensions may not respect the global telemetry.telemetryLevel setting. To ensure complete privacy, you may need to check the individual settings of your installed extensions and disable their telemetry options manually if they provide them.