How can I uninstall VS Code completely from my computer?

To completely uninstall VS Code, first determine if it was installed for all users or just your account. On Windows, check if the executable is in C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code (all users) or C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code (user-specific). 1. Uninstall the main app via Settings > Apps > Apps & Features (Windows), drag to Trash (macOS), or use package manager (Linux). 2. Delete leftover config and extension files manually from ~/.vscode or %APPDATA%\Code, ~/.config/Code or %APPDATA%\Roaming\Code, and user-specific folders like ~/.vscode-insiders. 3. Optionally clear terminal shell settings and logs found in %APPDATA%\Code\logs (Windows) or ~/.vscode/logs (macOS/Linux). This ensures a clean removal with no remaining data.

Uninstalling VS Code completely isn’t just about deleting the app — there are leftover files and settings that stick around. If you want a clean removal, here’s how to do it right.

Check if You Installed It for Just You or All Users

When you installed VS Code, you might have chosen either a user-specific install or one that applies to all users on the computer. This affects where the files are stored.

• On Windows, if it was installed for all users, the main folder is usually in C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code.
• If it was just your account, look under C:\Users\YourName\AppData\Local\Programs\Microsoft VS Code.

You can check by looking at where the executable (code.exe) lives. Once you know which version you're running, you’ll know which folders to delete later.

Remove the Main App Like Any Other Program

The first step is straightforward: uninstall it through your system’s app manager.

• On Windows, go to Settings > Apps > Apps & Features, find "Visual Studio Code," and click Uninstall.
• On macOS, drag the VS Code app from your Applications folder to the Trash.
• On Linux, use your package manager or run something like sudo apt remove code depending on your distro.

This removes most of the core files, but not everything.

Delete Leftover Config and Extension Files

VS Code stores config files, extensions, and cache in hidden folders. These aren’t removed during a normal uninstall.
Here are the common paths you should manually delete:

• ~/.vscode (Linux/macOS) or %APPDATA%\Code (Windows)
• ~/.config/Code (Linux) or %APPDATA%\Roaming\Code (Windows)
• User-specific settings: ~/.vscode-insiders or similar if you used Insiders builds

These folders contain things like keyboard shortcuts, recent projects, themes, and extensions. If you plan to reinstall, deleting these resets everything to default.

Optional: Clear Terminal Shell Settings and Logs

If you used custom shells inside VS Code (like PowerShell or zsh), some startup scripts may have been modified. Also, logs are kept in:

• Windows: %APPDATA%\Code\logs
• macOS/Linux: ~/.vscode/logs

You probably don’t need these unless you're troubleshooting or moving to another setup. Still, good to be aware they exist.

That's basically it — it doesn't take long once you know where everything is hiding.

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