Microsoft Visual Studio Code is a code editor redefined and optimized for building and debugging modern web and cloud applications. Microsoft Visual Studio Code is free and available on your favorite platform - Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Publisher’s description
What is Microsoft Visual Studio Code?
Microsoft Visual Studio Code is a proprietary ides & code editor program for Windows from Microsoft Corporation. It ranks 36th by popularity among ides & code editors in this catalogue.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit and ARM64 as EXE (Inno Setup). The main installer is 251.8 MB. It can be installed for the current user only, without administrator rights. The installer supports unattended (silent) installation.
Updates and version history
The current version is 1.142.0, released on October 14, 2026. 196 versions are listed since June 22, 2021, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 36 releases a year. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 10,369,309 times. Similar programs include VSCodium, RStudio and Node.js (LTS).
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Documented silent install
- Installs without administrator rights
- Frequent updates (about 36 a year)
- Large user base
Cons
- Proprietary licence: check the terms and price
In short: Microsoft Visual Studio Code is an ides & code editor tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs. It is actively maintained. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Is Microsoft Visual Studio Code safe to download?
- The file is served by vscode.download.prss.microsoft.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
9B9E7305BC5F2D9176DFF8263BA146FC7B0D65CE1FB499271FD7746EC53D66ED· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 196 versions ›196 versions over 5 years · about 36 a year
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Microsoft.VisualStudioCode -echoco install vscode -yscoop install extras/vscodeVSCodeUserSetup-x64-1.141.2.exe /VERYSILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /NORESTART /SP-Program files (.exe): code.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask visual-studio-codeInformation
- Publisher
- Microsoft Corporation
- Category
- IDEs & code editors
- Licence
- Microsoft Software License
- Price
- See the publisher’s site
- Source code
- github.com
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- EXE (Inno Setup)
- Version
- 1.142.0
- Released
- October 14, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- May 28, 2021
- Versions listed
- 196
- Updates / year
- 36.4
- Chocolatey downloads
- 10,369,309
- Website
- code.visualstudio.com
- winget ID
- Microsoft.VisualStudioCode
- Chocolatey package
- vscode
- Scoop package
- extras/vscode
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Microsoft Visual Studio Code
See all ›-
VSCodium1.140.06880VSCodium is a community-driven, freely-licensed and telemetry-free rebuilt of Microsoft's Visual Studio Code.Open source394.5K ↓ -
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OpenCode1.19.4OpenCode is an open source agent that helps you write and run code with any AI model. It's available as a terminal-based interface, desktop app, or IDE extension.Open source285.2K ↓ -
Haxe4.3.7Haxe is an open source high-level strictly-typed programming language with a fast optimizing cross-compiler.Open source49.7K ↓ -
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Frequently asked questions
Is Microsoft Visual Studio Code free?
Microsoft Visual Studio Code is proprietary (closed-source) software (licence: Microsoft Software License). Whether it costs money depends on the edition: check the publisher’s site for prices and free tiers.
Is Microsoft Visual Studio Code safe to download?
The download comes from vscode.download.prss.microsoft.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install Microsoft Visual Studio Code with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Can Microsoft Visual Studio Code be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer.
Does Microsoft Visual Studio Code run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Microsoft Visual Studio Code?
The versions page lists all 196 versions with links to their official installer files, back to June 22, 2021.
Can I use Microsoft Visual Studio Code without administrator rights?
Yes, there is a per-user installer that does not need administrator rights.
What are alternatives to Microsoft Visual Studio Code?
VSCodium, RStudio, Node.js (LTS), Apache NetBeans and OpenCode. The alternatives page compares them.
