How to install Visual Studio Code on Windows, Mac and Linux
Updated · FPTWaze editors
How to install Visual Studio Code on Windows, Mac and Linux, plus how to update and uninstall it, using the official download or a package manager.
Quick answer: Visual Studio Code is free to download from its official website for Windows, macOS, Linux, Web. To install it with one command, on Windows run "winget install -e --id Microsoft.VisualStudioCode"; on macOS run "brew install --cask visual-studio-code"; on Linux run "flatpak install flathub com.visualstudio.code".
Packages come from the official package managers. New to them? See how winget works.
Visual Studio Code is a free code editor from Microsoft for writing, running and debugging code. It suits developers, students and anyone who works in many languages, because extensions add support for most of them. The safe way to get it is the official download button above or an official package manager listed above.
Visual Studio Code includes IntelliSense, debugging, Git integration and an integrated terminal. Remote development works over SSH, containers and WSL. The source code, Code-OSS, is MIT licensed, while Microsoft's builds add branding and telemetry. Visual Studio Code is also listed to run on the web. This guide covers the Windows, macOS and Linux installs; for the web version, use the official download page above.
How to install Visual Studio Code on Windows
Click the official Windows download button above.
Open the downloaded installer.
Follow the prompts until the installer finishes.
Start Visual Studio Code.
With winget, run the install command for Windows shown above in a terminal. This uses the Microsoft.VisualStudioCode package.
How to install Visual Studio Code on macOS
Click the official macOS download button above.
Open the downloaded file and follow its steps.
Start Visual Studio Code.
With Homebrew, run the install command for macOS shown above. It installs the visual-studio-code cask.
How to install Visual Studio Code on Linux
Click the official Linux download button above.
Install the package you downloaded, following the steps on the official download page.
Start Visual Studio Code.
With Flathub, run the install command for Linux shown above. It installs the com.visualstudio.code package.
How to update Visual Studio Code
If you installed with a package manager, run the update command for your system shown above. If you used the official installer, download the newest version from the official download button above and run it again. Either route keeps Visual Studio Code current.
How to uninstall Visual Studio Code
If you installed with a package manager, run the uninstall command for your system shown above. If you used the official installer, remove Visual Studio Code the same way you remove other programs on your computer.
Frequently asked questions
Is Visual Studio Code free to install?
Yes, Visual Studio Code is freeware under a Microsoft license. Its source code, Code-OSS, is MIT licensed, and Microsoft's builds add branding and telemetry.
Can Visual Studio Code be installed with winget or Homebrew?
Yes. Visual Studio Code has a winget package for Windows, a Homebrew cask for macOS and a Flathub package for Linux. Use the matching command in the table above.
How do I update Visual Studio Code?
Run the update command for your system from the table above, or download the newest Visual Studio Code installer from the official download button above. Both routes keep the program current.
How do I uninstall Visual Studio Code?
If you used a package manager, run the uninstall command shown above for your system. If you used the official installer, remove Visual Studio Code the same way you remove other programs on your computer.
Visual Studio Code: The most popular code editor, with a huge extension marketplace.
How this guide was made: written with AI assistance from the facts in our catalog (official links, packages, license, platforms) and checked by an editor before publication. Commands and links above come straight from the catalog.
