Developer IDEs
How to Completely Uninstall Visual Studio Code on Mac
To uninstall Visual Studio Code, drag the application icon to the Trash. However, this action alone does not remove user data, extensions, or system configurations, which typically occupy 500 MB – 10 GB.
Remove Visual Studio Code and everything it leaves behind
Visual Studio Code data usually takes 500 MB – 10 GB on a Mac. The free scan shows the exact size on your Mac before you change anything.
Free scan · No account · Nothing is deleted without your OK · Moves to the Trash first · macOS 14+
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Email me the link- Application
- Visual Studio Code
- Typical data size
- 500 MB – 10 GB
- Category
- Developer IDEs
- File Location
~/Library/Application Support/Code
Manual cleanup steps
- Quit the app completely (⌘+Q in the menu bar).
- Move Visual Studio Code from the Applications folder to the Trash.
- Remove the folders Visual Studio Code left behind, listed in the table below.
- Empty the Trash to free up the space.
Everything Visual Studio Code keeps on your Mac
7 locations. Tick each one as you remove it; back up anything marked as your data first.
Locations are the standard macOS folders Visual Studio Code uses; some appear only after you use the matching feature.
What Visual Studio Code leaves behind
Specific to Visual Studio Code
Dragging the app to the Trash preserves your personal settings, keybindings, and snippets located in the Application Support folder. It also keeps installed extensions in a separate directory and stores per-project states in workspaceStorage, which grows with every folder you open. Background items like the 'code' shell command in /usr/local/bin and various network caches remain on your disk. These files stay until you manually remove them from the hidden Library folder.
- Background items
- Shell Command: Install 'code' command in PATH adds a code link in /usr/local/bin, and extensions may download their own language servers into ~/.vscode/extensions or globalStorage.
- License
- VS Code is free.
- Account and sync
- Settings Sync can store settings, keybindings, snippets and the extension list in a GitHub or Microsoft account.
Preparing to remove Visual Studio Code
Before deletion, ensure your configuration is backed up via Settings Sync or by copying the User folder. You should also export your extension list using the terminal. To avoid orphaned helper tools, use the internal Command Palette to uninstall the shell command. Once the app is quit, you can delete the remaining data folders to leave no leftovers.
0 of 4 done
By hand or with OptiClear
| By hand | With OptiClear | |
|---|---|---|
| Places to check | 7 folders, one by one | One scan |
| File sizes | You look them up yourself | Shown for every item |
| Removing the wrong thing | Easy to delete the wrong folder | Goes to the Trash first, so it can be restored |
| Cost | Free | Scan is free; cleaning needs Pro (yearly plan has a 7-day free trial) |
See it working
Try it without risk
- Download and scan for freeSee every Visual Studio Code file and its size. No account needed.
- Clean free for 7 daysStart the 7-day free trial of the yearly plan inside the app.
- Keep it or cancelCancel in your App Store settings at least 24 hours before the trial ends and you won't be charged.
After the free trial, Pro costs $39.99 per year in your country's App Store; cancel any time.