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Open a project in Visual Studio Code, then choose View > Terminal or press Ctrl+` on Windows or Linux. VS Code opens a terminal using a shell installed on your computer, usually in the project’s workspace folder. If the wrong shell starts, select a different default profile; for automated tasks, configure a separate automation profile or task-specific shell.
Open the integrated terminal
- Open a project folder or workspace in VS Code.
- Choose View > Terminal, or use the default toggle shortcut: Ctrl+` on Windows and Linux. On macOS, use the corresponding Control-plus-backtick shortcut shown in your installed version’s Keyboard Shortcuts. You can find or remap the command by searching for
workbench.action.terminal.toggleTerminalin Keyboard Shortcuts. - Type a command appropriate for the shell that opened, such as
ls,echo hello, orgit status. Commands and their syntax vary between shells, so an example written for PowerShell may not work unchanged in Bash or Zsh.
The terminal is a shell session running inside the editor, not a separate command language. It can run the same commands you would run in that shell elsewhere, including commands to build, test, or deploy a project. With a folder or workspace open, the terminal normally starts at its root; shell arguments and startup configuration can change that behavior.
Understand which shell VS Code is running
VS Code launches a shell available on your computer. It does not provide Bash, Zsh, or PowerShell merely by opening the terminal. The profiles VS Code detects depend on your operating system and installed software. On Windows, for example, available choices may include PowerShell, Git Bash, or a WSL shell if the corresponding software is installed and configured.
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Choose or configure a terminal profile
Switch the default profile
- Open the terminal panel and select the profile dropdown next to the new-terminal button.
- Choose Terminal: Select Default Profile.
- Select an available profile. Create a new terminal to start a session with the selection.
Profiles define how a shell starts. A profile can specify an executable path or a supported detected-shell source, arguments, environment variables, and optional display properties. For platform-specific configuration, use the setting terminal.integrated.defaultProfile.<platform>; the exact platform suffix and available profiles depend on your system.
Customize a profile
Open Settings and search for terminal.integrated.profiles to inspect or configure profiles. A profile can point to an executable or use a supported source for a detected shell. Arguments control startup behavior, while environment-variable settings can modify what the shell inherits; assigning an environment variable null removes it from that profile’s environment. If VS Code flags an executable in an unsafe location, review its location and explicitly configure it only if you trust it.
Startup settings can affect the working directory as well as the environment. For example, the documented MSYS2 profile uses CHERE_INVOKING to preserve the current directory instead of starting at $HOME. Treat examples like this as profile-specific configuration, not a setting required for every shell.
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Use a different shell for tasks
Tasks and debug automation use an automation profile by default, which may differ from the profile you use interactively. This separation is useful when your interactive shell loads startup scripts or uses syntax that a task cannot handle.
- Set
terminal.integrated.automationProfile.<platform>to choose an automation shell for your platform. - For an individual task, set its shell through the task’s
options.shellconfiguration. - Run a configured task from VS Code’s task commands. A frequently used task can be assigned a shortcut through
workbench.action.tasks.runTask.
VS Code tasks run external commands in terminal sessions. For task configuration details, see Microsoft’s guide to integrating external tools via tasks.
What shell integration adds
VS Code can inject shell integration into supported shells so the editor can recognize commands and working directories. The documented support list is Bash, Fish, PowerShell (pwsh), and Zsh on Linux and macOS; on Windows it is Git Bash and PowerShell. The exact features available depend on the shell and its setup.
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With integration, VS Code can show success or failure decorations for commands, navigate between detected commands, resolve relative file links more effectively, expose recent-command and directory features, and improve terminal accessibility. This is shell awareness layered onto the terminal; it does not change the shell’s command syntax.
Automatic injection is normally enabled for supported shells. To check or disable it, inspect terminal.integrated.shellIntegration.enabled. Complex startup configurations, some subshells, or regular SSH sessions without Remote – SSH can prevent automatic setup; Microsoft documents manual installation for those cases in its shell integration guide. Do not expect integration decorations or directory-aware behavior from an unsupported shell.
Adjust terminal keyboard shortcuts
Some key combinations are handled by VS Code, while others should reach the shell. The setting terminal.integrated.commandsToSkipShell controls which commands VS Code handles rather than passing through to the terminal. Changing shortcut routing can affect familiar editor actions, so review the binding in Keyboard Shortcuts before changing it.
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On macOS, Cmd+K is commonly bound to clear the terminal. That can conflict with shortcuts that begin with the same key chord; remove or remap the clear-terminal binding if the conflict interferes with your workflow. The terminal advanced guide covers shortcut handling.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshoot common terminal problems
The wrong shell opens
Run Terminal: Select Default Profile and choose the intended shell. If it is missing or starts incorrectly, check whether it is installed and review the profile’s executable path or source and arguments.
A task uses a different shell than the terminal
That can be expected: automation uses its own profile by default. Set terminal.integrated.automationProfile.<platform> or configure the shell in that task’s options.shell.
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Shell integration features are missing
Check that the shell is on the supported list and that terminal.integrated.shellIntegration.enabled is enabled. Shell startup configuration may block automatic injection. For advanced setups, follow the manual steps in Microsoft’s shell integration documentation.
PATH is duplicated or reordered on macOS
VS Code’s initial environment resolution and a login shell can both modify PATH. The profiles guide describes terminal.integrated.inheritEnv and changing login-shell arguments as possible remedies. Changing login behavior can also affect aliases: place them in the startup file used by the shell configuration you choose.
Command decorations appear misplaced on Windows
VS Code documents occasional decoration-position issues related to how the ConPTY pseudoterminal renders output. The editor uses heuristics to adjust positions; a misplaced decoration is not necessarily evidence of a profile error.
A command needs administrator privileges
The integrated shell runs with the permissions of VS Code; opening a terminal does not automatically elevate it. Use an appropriate platform mechanism when a command requires different privileges. Microsoft’s terminal profiles guide discusses utilities such as runas.exe.
Official documentation
- Getting started with the terminal
- Terminal profiles
- Terminal shell integration
- Integrate with external tools via tasks
- Default keyboard shortcuts reference
These are Microsoft’s live documentation pages; shortcut labels and shell details can change. Check the documentation and Keyboard Shortcuts in your installed VS Code version for the current behavior.
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