


How do I change the indentation settings in VS Code (tabs vs. spaces)?
Jun 23, 2025 am 12:05 AMTo change indentation settings in VS Code, open Settings and toggle "Insert Spaces" to switch between tabs and spaces. 1. Adjust tab size by searching for "Tab Size" and setting your preferred value. 2. Configure language-specific settings by editing the settings.json file and specifying different values for each language like Python or JavaScript. 3. Enable "Detect Indentation" and "Format On Save" to automatically match existing styles and fix inconsistencies when saving files. These steps ensure consistent and automated code formatting tailored to your preferences or project requirements.
Changing the indentation settings in VS Code—like switching between tabs and spaces—is something most developers need to do at some point, especially when working across different projects or teams. The good news is, it's pretty straightforward once you know where to look.
How to Set Tabs vs Spaces
By default, VS Code uses spaces for indentation, but you can easily switch to tabs if that’s your preference.
To change this:
- Open Settings (you can use the shortcut
Ctrl ,
on Windows/Linux orCmd ,
on Mac). - Search for "Insert Spaces".
- Toggle it off if you want to use actual tab characters instead of spaces.
You’ll find this setting under both the User and Workspace tabs, so make sure you're editing the right one depending on whether you want the change to apply globally or just for a specific project.
Adjusting Tab Size and Indentation
Once you've decided whether to use tabs or spaces, you'll probably also want to control how much space they take up visually. This is called the tab size.
- Go back into Settings.
- Search for "Tab Size".
- Enter the number of spaces you want a tab to represent (common choices are 2, 4, or 8).
This setting affects both the display of existing tabs and how new indents are created when you press the Tab key. You can also set this separately for different languages if needed—more on that in the next section.
Language-Specific Indent Settings
Some projects might require different indentation styles for different file types. For example, Python usually uses 4 spaces, while JavaScript often uses 2.
To customize this:
- In Settings, click the
{}
icon in the top-right corner to open thesettings.json
file. - Add an entry like this:
"[python]": { "editor.tabSize": 4, "editor.insertSpaces": true }
- Repeat for other languages by replacing
"python"
with"javascript"
,"html"
, etc.
This way, VS Code will automatically adjust the indentation style based on the file type you're working with.
Auto-Detect and Format on Paste/Save
VS Code can also try to guess the correct indentation style based on the current file. If you're opening files from other projects or collaborating with others, enabling auto-detection helps avoid formatting issues.
- Search for "Detect Indentation" in Settings.
- Make sure it's checked so VS Code tries to match the file’s existing style.
Also, consider turning on Format On Save so any indentation inconsistencies get cleaned up automatically every time you save a file. This keeps your code neat without manual effort.
That’s basically all there is to managing indentation in VS Code. It’s not complicated, but getting the settings right can save you a lot of small annoyances over time.
The above is the detailed content of How do I change the indentation settings in VS Code (tabs vs. spaces)?. For more information, please follow other related articles on the PHP Chinese website!

Hot AI Tools

Undress AI Tool
Undress images for free

Undresser.AI Undress
AI-powered app for creating realistic nude photos

AI Clothes Remover
Online AI tool for removing clothes from photos.

Clothoff.io
AI clothes remover

Video Face Swap
Swap faces in any video effortlessly with our completely free AI face swap tool!

Hot Article

Hot Tools

Notepad++7.3.1
Easy-to-use and free code editor

SublimeText3 Chinese version
Chinese version, very easy to use

Zend Studio 13.0.1
Powerful PHP integrated development environment

Dreamweaver CS6
Visual web development tools

SublimeText3 Mac version
God-level code editing software (SublimeText3)

Hot Topics

The differences in pricing, licensing and availability of VisualStudio and VSCode are as follows: 1. Pricing: VSCode is completely free, while VisualStudio offers free community and paid enterprise versions. 2. License: VSCode uses a flexible MIT license, and the license of VisualStudio varies according to the version. 3. Usability: VSCode is supported across platforms, while VisualStudio performs best on Windows.

VisualStudio is suitable for large projects, VSCode is suitable for projects of all sizes. 1. VisualStudio provides comprehensive IDE functions, supports multiple languages, integrated debugging and testing tools. 2.VSCode is a lightweight editor that supports multiple languages ??through extension, has a simple interface and fast startup.

VisualStudio is suitable for large projects and Windows development, while VSCode is suitable for cross-platform and small projects. 1. VisualStudio provides a full-featured IDE, supports .NET framework and powerful debugging tools. 2.VSCode is a lightweight editor that emphasizes flexibility and extensibility, and is suitable for various development scenarios.

VisualStudio is suitable for large-scale project development, while VSCode is suitable for projects of all sizes. 1. VisualStudio provides comprehensive development tools, such as integrated debugger, version control and testing tools. 2.VSCode is known for its scalability, cross-platform and fast launch, and is suitable for fast editing and small project development.

SublimeTextisidealforthosevaluingspeedandsimplicity,whileVSCodesuitsthoseneedingextensivefeaturesandcustomization.SublimeTextoffersquickfileaccesswith"GotoAnything"andaminimalisticapproach,butmaylackout-of-the-boxfunctionality.VSCodeprovide

SublimeText is suitable for developers who pursue speed and simplicity, while VSCode is suitable for users who need strong scalability and integration capabilities. 1.SublimeText is known for its lightweight and fast response, with GotoAnything and multi-select powerful. 2. VSCode is known for its scalability and IDE functions, with built-in Git and debugging tools, and IntelliSense improves development efficiency.

The most common method to open a VSCode integrated terminal is to use keyboard shortcuts. By default, press Ctrl (backtick key) to open or focus the terminal panel; Mac users usually use Cmd. If the shortcut keys do not work, which may be a keyboard layout or custom settings issue, you can check or change it in Keyboard Shortcuts under the File menu. In addition, you can switch the terminal panel by opening it in the top menu "Terminal>New Terminal" or clicking the terminal icon in the activity bar on the left. If the icon is not displayed, right-click the activity bar and make sure "Terminal" is checked. You can also right-click in the editor tab and select "Open in Integration Terminal" to run the command in the directory where the current file is located or the project root directory. This method is suitable for execution.

The best way to make batch modifications in VSCode is to use the Find and Replace feature. 1. Use "Find and Replace" in a single file: Press Ctrl H to open the panel, enter the search and replace content, and click "Replace" or "Replace All". 2. Search across multiple files: Press Ctrl Shift F to open the search tab, expand the replacement section, and select the replacement operation for a single file or entire project. 3. Use advanced options: such as case sensitivity, full word matching and regular expressions for more precise control, such as matching numbers with \d or using capture groups for complex replacements. This feature significantly improves code maintenance efficiency through fast and precise editing.
