VS Code Remote Tunnels lets you use a desktop as the machine running your code and development tools while connecting from another VS Code client—without configuring SSH. The desktop hosts VS Code Server; you can connect from VS Code on another computer or from vscode.dev. The host must remain powered, connected, and running VS Code or the tunnel CLI.
What a VS Code tunnel does
A tunnel is useful when the development environment you need is already on a desktop: your project, runtimes, extensions, or specialized hardware can stay there while you use another device as the editing interface. Microsoft lists browser access and connections from devices such as tablets and Chromebooks among the use cases, including machines where SSH setup is difficult.
This is remote development, not a general-purpose public server. Relevant commands and extensions run against the remote workspace, but VS Code for the Web has a more limited execution environment than desktop VS Code, and browser language support differs. See Microsoft’s Remote Development overview and VS Code for the Web documentation for the feature distinctions.
Start a tunnel on the desktop
Microsoft documents two ways to start the host. Use the desktop interface if VS Code is already installed; use the CLI if you prefer a terminal or need a standalone command-line installation.
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Option 1: Start it from the VS Code interface
- Open VS Code on the desktop that will host the project.
- Open the Account menu and choose Turn on Remote Tunnel Access, or open the Command Palette and run Remote Tunnels: Turn on Remote Tunnel Access….
- Sign in with a GitHub or Microsoft account when prompted, then accept the VS Code Server license terms on first use.
The tunnel is available only while the VS Code host remains open. Microsoft’s setup instructions are in Developing with Remote Tunnels.
Option 2: Start it with the CLI
- On the desktop, open a terminal where the VS Code
codecommand is available. If VS Code Desktop is not installed, Microsoft also provides a standalone CLI installation path in its Remote Tunnels documentation. - Run
code tunnel. The CLI downloads and starts VS Code Server, then establishes the tunnel. - Accept the server license terms if this is the first run, and sign in when asked.
- Use the vscode.dev URL printed by the CLI to open the remote machine in a browser.
The first client connection requires account authentication. Microsoft documents signing in with the same GitHub or Microsoft account at both ends.
Connect from another computer or browser
From an existing VS Code Desktop installation, install or enable the Remote – Tunnels extension, then run Remote Tunnels: Connect to Tunnel from the Command Palette or select the machine in Remote Explorer. The vscode.dev links opened through the tunnel setup flow include the extension. Authenticate with the account used to host the tunnel, then open the remote workspace.
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Use a browser when the other device cannot run VS Code Desktop or when you want a lightweight client. Browser access does not make every desktop feature available: execution capabilities and language support vary in VS Code for the Web.
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Keep the desktop reachable
A tunnel cannot make an unavailable computer reachable. It needs power, network connectivity, and a running tunnel process. The UI-started host stops being available when VS Code closes.
- To run the CLI tunnel as a service, Microsoft documents
code tunnel service install. - To prevent the remote machine from sleeping, Microsoft documents
code tunnel --no-sleep.
These options do not protect against a powered-off desktop, network outage, or other interruption. Check the machine’s own power and sleep settings as well as its network connection.
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What happens to authentication and traffic
Microsoft says both hosting and connecting require authentication with the same GitHub or Microsoft account. VS Code makes outbound connections to Azure and generally does not require firewall changes or a network listener. Microsoft describes the connection as using its dev-tunnel service, with an SSH connection over the tunnel providing end-to-end encryption. That is Microsoft’s description of the product’s connection model, not an independent security certification. Details are in the Remote Tunnels documentation.
The VS Code Server instance is designed for one user or client at a time; it is not a shared multi-user development service. Microsoft’s current documentation gives 10 registered tunnels per account as an example and says the limit may change, so check the live documentation rather than treating that number as a permanent allowance.
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Microsoft’s Remote Development FAQ permits personal or corporate connections to one’s own physical machines, virtual machines, and containers, but says the remote components cannot be used to build public or commercial services. The Server documentation also says hosting VS Code Server as a service is not allowed under its license. The documented CLI service mode for keeping a personal tunnel running does not grant permission to resell or repackage the server. Review Microsoft’s current Remote Development FAQ and VS Code Server license information before planning a commercial deployment.
When another remote-development option fits better
| Option | Best fit | What runs the development environment |
|---|---|---|
| Remote Tunnels | You want to connect to an existing desktop without configuring SSH, including from a browser. | Your desktop; Microsoft documents outbound Azure connections and account authentication. |
| Remote – SSH | You already administer the remote machine over SSH or prefer that connection setup. | The remote machine you access through SSH. |
| Dev Containers or WSL | You need an isolated container toolchain or a Linux environment rather than simply reaching the desktop host. | A container or Windows Subsystem for Linux environment on your development machine. |
| GitHub Codespaces | You want a managed cloud-hosted development environment rather than a desktop you operate. | A cloud environment managed through GitHub Codespaces. |
Microsoft lists these options separately in its Remote Development overview and discusses their use cases in the Remote Development FAQ.
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