Install Visual Studio Code on macOS

How to Install Visual Studio Code on macOS (2025 Edition)

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Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a free, open-source code editor developed by Microsoft. It offers robust features like IntelliSense, integrated Git support, debugging capabilities, and a vast extension ecosystem, making it a favourite among developers.

🧰 Prerequisites

  • macOS Version: Ensure you’re running macOS 10.15 (Catalina) or later.
  • Internet Connection: Required to download VS Code and any extensions.
  • Terminal Access: Basic familiarity with the Terminal app is beneficial.

🖥️ Installation Steps

1. Download VS Code

  • Navigate to the official Visual Studio Code download page.
  • Click on the macOS download button. The site will automatically detect your operating system and provide the appropriate version (Intel or Apple Silicon).

2. Install VS Code

  • Locate the downloaded .zip file in your Downloads folder.
  • Double-click the .zip file to extract it. This will produce the Visual Studio Code.app file.
  • Drag and drop the Visual Studio Code.app into your Applications folder to install it.

3. Launch VS Code

  • Open the Applications folder and double-click on Visual Studio Code to launch the editor.
  • Optionally, right-click on the VS Code icon in the Dock and select Options > Keep in Dock for easy access.

4. Add VS Code to Your PATH (Optional)

Adding VS Code to your system’s PATH allows you to open the editor from the Terminal using the code command.

  • Open VS Code.
  • Press Cmd + Shift + P to open the Command Palette.
  • Type shell command and select Shell Command: Install ‘code’ command in PATH.
  • Restart your Terminal for the changes to take effect.

Now, you can open any folder in VS Code directly from the Terminal:

bashcode .

Enhance your development experience by installing popular extensions:

  • Python: Adds support for Python development.
  • ESLint: Integrates ESLint into VS Code for JavaScript linting.
  • Prettier: Code formatter for consistent styling.
  • GitLens: Supercharges the built-in Git capabilities.

To install extensions:

  • Go to the Extensions view by clicking on the square icon in the sidebar or pressing Cmd + Shift + X.
  • Search for the desired extension and click Install.

🧪 Verify Installation

To ensure everything is set up correctly:

  • Open VS Code.
  • Press Cmd + Shift + P, type Terminal: Create New Integrated Terminal, and press Enter.
  • In the terminal, type:
bashcode --version

You should see the installed version number, confirming that VS Code is correctly installed and accessible via the command line.

📥 Download Visual Studio Code

For your convenience, here are direct download links: