How to completely uninstall VS Code on Windows?

  • 9 months ago
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To completely uninstall Visual Studio Code (VS Code) from your Windows system, you can follow these steps:

  1. Uninstall from Control Panel:
    First, try to uninstall VS Code using the standard Windows uninstall process:

    • Press Win + X and select "Apps and Features" or "Programs and Features."
    • Locate "Visual Studio Code" in the list of installed programs.
    • Click on it and select "Uninstall" or "Change/Uninstall."

  2. Remove Configuration Files:
    Uninstalling from the Control Panel might leave behind some configuration files. To ensure a complete uninstallation, you should also manually remove the configuration files:

    • Delete the %APPDATA%\Code directory. You can enter this path in the Windows File Explorer's address bar to navigate to it.
    • Delete the %USERPROFILE%\.vscode directory.

  3. Clean up Extensions and Settings:
    If you had installed extensions, settings, or themes, they might still be present in your user profile's .vscode directory. Remove any unwanted extensions manually.

  4. Delete VS Code Installation Folder:
    Navigate to the folder where you installed VS Code and delete the installation directory. By default, it's located in C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code or C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft VS Code.

  5. Registry Cleanup (Optional):
    Be cautious if you decide to edit the Windows Registry. If you're comfortable with it, you can open the Windows Registry Editor (regedit) and search for any leftover VS Code entries. Be sure to back up your registry before making any changes.

  6. Restart Your Computer:
    After uninstalling and cleaning up, restart your computer to ensure that all remnants of VS Code are cleared from memory.

Please note that these steps should thoroughly remove VS Code and its associated files from your system. Always be careful when deleting files and modifying the registry. If you have any important projects or settings within VS Code, make sure to back them up before uninstalling.